“Through every rift of discovery some seeming anomaly drops out of the darkness, and falls, as a golden link into the great chain of order.”
Edwin Hubbel Chapin (1814-1880, bio link)
What are “normal” levels of carbon monoxide?
Some of the information reported in news stories can be misleading. Quoted participants are also occasionally misquoted and then the context becomes confusing. Over the years and to date, it is often suggested that “normal” levels of carbon monoxide inside homes should be less than 70 parts per million (PPM) of carbon monoxide because that is when the alarms go off.
In other articles the “normal” levels are suggested to be below 35 PPM, 25 PPM or no more than 9 PPM. Though the experts may have different opinions, advanced medical research indicates lower level exposures to carbon monoxide gases are more of a concern than the conventional and anecdotal wisdom often times presented. Besides, if fire & emergency rescuers are wearing breathing apparatus as low as 10 PPM of CO for many divisions, and almost exclusively the rest when 35+ PPM is reached, this would lead you to believe that there is a pretty good consensus going that above 10 PPM is abnormal.
These references to “normal” are dangerous to suggest and could result in chronic exposures to this deadly gas and lead to unnecessary injury or death to some elderly people and people with heart disease known and unknown. They can also present difficulties, injury or death to pregnant women, their fetus, and to infants or anyone with respiratory problems and others of “vulnerable” health.
In these terms, a reference to normal might actually be better stated by the governing entity as what is acceptable. But if you don’t accommodate for those of vulnerable health by only using carbon monoxide alarms that must wait hours or never to alert the occupants that they are in an atmosphere harmful to them, their suffering may endure without relief. In this context, do vulnerable people visit other homes, a workplace, store, restaurant, office building, recreation center, school or church? Who is responsible for the air? And remember, the medical community as a whole has not been addressing the symptoms presented as possible carbon monoxide poisoning as they most easily could.
Carbon monoxide levels that may be considered “normal” inside a home or building should be no more than the levels found outside the home or building. There may be “spikes” of occurrence inside where CO from cigarette smoke, candles, incense, unvented and poorly combusting gas appliances or solid fuel cooking gases may be generated into the air. Poorly combusting, or damaged gas, oil, wood or coal heating appliances, cooking systems or water heaters & boilers may also contribute to above “normal” levels of CO.
Automotive exhaust containing CO may also enter homes and buildings and be the cause of above “normal” levels. The Carbon Monoxide News link is filled with accidents of CO poisoning occurring from misuse of gasoline generators, propane floor scrubbers, barbeque devices, gasoline powered snow mobiles, boats, power scrubbers and other such systems.
Normal levels of carbon monoxide outside will vary due to what is burning or combusting, how many, how they are burning and is the wind washing it away. Unfortunately, what is "normal" in outside air in some of the world's cities, is well above the evacuation levels for inside air in other cities worldwide as well. Yes, outside air can be abnormal, and harmful from conception to death. Take care; be aware. Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety
CO News Links
73 from Scottsdale rehab center treated for carbon monoxide symptoms
Tucson Citizen
Scottsdale fire officials said 73 people were treated for symptoms of carbon monoxide after they were evacuated from a rehabilitation center near Osborn and Miller roads in Scottsdale shortly before noon Tuesday. The carbon monoxide leak was traced to ...
Smoke, carbon monoxide detectors become mandatory Friday
Beckley Register-Herald
... A man's death last winter in a hotel along Corridor G paved the way for a major change in West Virginia law, requiring commercial dwelling units , health care facilities and other buildings where people sleep to install carbon monoxide detectors.
Maine officials issue carbon monoxide warning
WGME
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) -- Maine health officials say carbon monoxide poisonings present risks in and around people's summer camps. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that each year, state officials see a handful of poisonings, ...
Carbon monoxide in medical science; good news
Targeting organs with therapeutic carbon monoxide
Chemistry World
CO has a role in the body as a biological signaling molecule (as a neurotransmitter and a blood vessel relaxant, for example) and its delivery to tissues for therapeutic use for conditions such as cardiovascular disease and organ transplantation is ...
Please take CARBON MONOXIDE SAFETY CARE during all holiday and everyday activities.
Carbon Monoxide Survivor A website made by poisoning survivors that brings a view that can only come from those that know what it is like to have been poisoned - as well as live with the long term impact.
National Conference of State Legislatures
Carbon Monoxide Detectors State Statutes
Twenty-five U.S. states have statutes that require carbon monoxide detectors in certain residential buildings. Updated Nov. 2011
Alaska | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Florida | Georgia | Illinois | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts| Michigan | Minnesota | Montana | New Jersey | New Hampshire | New York | North Carolina | Oregon | Rhode Island | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | Wisconsin | West Virginia
Google Maps to reference the locations referenced in these Internet headlines.
Bald Eagle Camera Alcoa Bald Eagle Camera, Davenport, Iowa.
Placed here for now for something other than carbon monoxide news.
The following companies are acknowledged for their continued support of carbon monoxide safety education and this daily news blog. They may just have what you are looking for.
Fieldpiece
The Energy Conservatory
IntelliTec Colleges
CO Experts
Masimo (See the non-invasive RAD-57)
Mahugh Fire & Safety
Every Day is Carbon Monoxide Safety Day!
