Table 1.
Carbon dioxide levels in different areas in an acute care hospital
| Location (volume m3) | Peak carbon dioxide level (ppm) | Peak # people present | Time period monitored |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main lobby | 577 | 75 | 12 h (7 AM-5 PM) |
| Cafeteria | 756 | 68 | 12 h (7 AM-5 PM) |
| Physical therapy | 552 | 14 | 12 h (7AM-5 PM) |
| Emergency department* | 701 | 20 | 12 h (7AM-5 PM) |
| Elevators (N = 2) (8.5 m3) | 638 | 1 to 6 | 20 min |
| Large conference room (55.5 m3) | 638 | 37 | 60 min |
| Small conference room (31 m3) with overcrowding | 1246 | 8 | 60 min |
| Small conference room (31 m3) without overcrowding | 774 | 4 | 60 min |
| Breakrooms (N = 2) (52 m3) | ≤628 | 3 | 20 min |
| Office #1 (38.5 m3) | 1226 | 3 | 24 min |
| Offices (N = 4) (24.8 m3) | ≤788 | 3 | 24 min |
| Inpatient rooms (N = 5) (43 m3)† | ≤567 | 2 | 20 min |
| Outpatient clinic rooms (N = 5) (24 m3)‡ | ≤709 | 3 | 20 min |
| Bathrooms in patient care area (N = 3) | ≤636 | 2 | 10 min |
| Bathroom in patient care area (N = 1) | 908 | 2 | 10 min |
⁎
≥12 air changes per hour (ACH).
†
9 ACH.
‡
6 ACH.