Shared on behalf Capital & Facilities and Occupational Health and Safety
As many of you have noticed, wildfire smoke in the community has resulted in a noticeable smoke odor in some areas of the Hospital. We understand this may be concerning and want to provide an update on our indoor air quality monitoring.
The primary health concern associated with wildfire smoke is exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can affect respiratory health. To assess indoor air quality, particulate levels (PM2.5 and PM10) were measured throughout the Hospital.
The monitoring results show that both PM2.5 and PM10 levels remain within acceptable ranges, indicating that the concentration of airborne particles associated with wildfire smoke is low inside the facility.
These results demonstrate that the Hospital’s ventilation and filtration systems are effectively reducing airborne particulate matter from the outdoor wildfire smoke. While a smoke odor may still be noticeable indoors, this is likely due to gases and volatile compounds produced by the wildfire that can be detected by smell but are not measured by particulate monitoring equipment.
Although the presence of a smoke odor can be unpleasant, it does not necessarily indicate that harmful levels of smoke particles are present. Based on the monitoring completed, indoor particulate levels remain within acceptable limits, and the Hospital’s air handling systems continue to provide effective filtration.
Our Maintenance team is actively monitoring indoor air quality and testing areas throughout the Hospital on a daily basis to ensure ventilation and filtration systems continue to perform effectively. If you have concerns about the air quality in your work area, please submit a work order so that an assessment can be completed.
We will continue to monitor indoor air quality and outdoor wildfire conditions and will take additional measures if conditions change.
Please note that due to poor external air quality, the outdoor courtyards and terraces are closed until further notice.
Thank you for your continued dedication to providing safe, high-quality care to our patients and community.