|
Confined space entry isn't something you come across every day in the electrical industry but it's nonetheless something that does need to be thought of for worker safety. Every year workers die in confined spaces occur because employers or works fail to recognize a confined space hazard or through an incorrect emergency response. However, many of these accidents would be prevented if works/rescue works had used a gas detector for confined space entry, such as the Gas Alert line of gas monitors from BW Technologies by Honeywell.
What Exactly Is a Confined Space? A confined space is any space that meets the following criteria:
- “Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; and
- Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry.); and
- Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy."
Atmospheric hazards can be detected by many standard gas detectors, especially those that come in a confined space entry kit where necessary accessries are included. Hazards to pay attention include oxygen deficiency, high concentration of flammable vapours and toxic air contaminants. In the electrical industry, examples are spaces around transformers and inside electrical rooms in basements where there might be poor ventilation, especially where engines & generators might be consuming oxygen to burn fuel to create electricity. Circumstances like these can create conditions of oxygen deprevation, leading to incomplete combution, that creates a risk of toxic carbon monoxide build-up, and unspent fuel vapours which pose the threat of spontaneous combustion as they approach the LEL. Occassionaly toxic hydrogen sulphide (or hydrogen sulfide in the US) H2S - also known as sewer gas - may also be a risk.
Because of these common risks, manufacturers of gas detectors like BW Technologies have developed multi-gas detectors that monitor for all these conditions in a single unit. The Gas Alert Micro and Gas Alert Micro Clip multi-gas detector (also called a four gas detector) are great examples of monitors that can be worn while working in a confined space.
However, OSHA requirements may also require you to sample the confined space PRIOR to entry. In this case you'd need to add the remote sampling pump to the Gas Alert Micro Clip or instead opt for a gas monitor that has one already built-in, like the Gas Alert Max XT. This multi-gas detector can be used to sample the area remotely prior to entry and also be clipped to a worker and function as a portable gas detector to monitor for atmospheric risks while working in the confined space.
As with all gas detectors, you'll need some specialized gas detection accessories to keep your monitor in service. This may include calibration gas standards, remote sampling pumps, hoses, tubes, gas flow regulators, batteries & chargers etc. That's why manufacturers like BW Technologies offer confined space entry kits that include all the gas detection accessories you'll need along with the gas monitor of your choice. That way you can be sure you have everything you need.
As an aside, if you know for certain that you are only facing the threat from one of these atmospheric hazards, you can always choose a single gas detector for a specific gas, like a CO detector or an O2 detector and save yourself a few dollars on the purchase price. Check out the Gas Alert Extreme which is a single gas detector which will read any one of a large number of gases.
Whichever method and brand of gas detector you choose, be sure to chose one and keep it with you at all times. There is no need to fall victim to life-threatening atmospheric conditions that exist in confined spaces if you are well prepared.
For additional questions and further information on gas detectors, gas monitors, confined space entry or BW Technologies products, please visit CanarySense.com or call us toll free on 1-877-766-5412 or see below:
Our top gas detectors & monitors
See the full line of Gas Alert gas detectors and gas monitors from B W Technologies at CanarySense.com
For more information, please visit : www.optimumenergy.com
| 
