HIGH-PERFORMANCE SENSORS UNDERPIN THE QUALITY OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT
The designers and developers of gas detection instruments and systems perform a vital role in supporting organisations to fulfil their duty of care and avoid the disastrous effects of failing to protect workers from dangerous levels of toxic and explosive gases. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) help their
customers to lower risk, and as such cannot utilise unproven or low-cost sensors that could increase risk. For this reason, ION Science’s mission is to provide premium quality, highly accurate sensors that are the most reliable in the world.
Risks from Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
VOCs exist widely in almost every industry as key components of fuels, petrochemicals, solvents, paints, adhesives, cleaners etc. Most VOCs are flammable and potentially explosive, as well as being harmful to both health and the environment. VOCs are organic compounds that evaporate under normal conditions. They may cause harm to skin and eyes, and can be absorbed, but their volatility means that VOCs can be inhaled, and may cause a wide variety of negative health effects ranging from minor irritation to cancer, and even death.
Generally speaking, high concentrations (% levels) are necessary for combustion or explosion risk; low
concentrations (ppm) can represent a toxic risk from short-term exposure, and trace levels (ppb) can cause long-term toxic effects.
In addition to the potentially lethal effects of inadequate industrial health and safety, organisations which fail in their duty also risk huge financial losses from prosecutions, fines, and critical damage to their brands. Investments in health and safety monitoring and personal protective equipment, such as reliable gas detectors, are therefore negligible in comparison with the consequences of failure.
Why monitor?
Accurate, reliable measurements are necessary for the rapid detection of risks to plant and workforces. Monitoring also informs the development of mitigation measures, and allows operators to check the performance of such measures, and to demonstrate compliance with workplace exposure regulations.
VOC Regulations
The minimum concentration of a combustible VOC necessary to support its combustion in air is defined as the Lower Explosive Limit (LEL). In the USA, OSHA advises: Atmospheres with a concentration of flammable vapours at or above 10 % of the LEL are considered hazardous when located in confined spaces. However, atmospheres with flammable vapours below 10 % of the LEL are not necessarily safe. When a space contains or produces measurable flammable vapours below the 10 % LEL, it might indicate that flammable vapours are being released into the space and could present a fire or explosion hazard in time. Therefore, the cause of the vapours should be investigated and, if possible, eliminated prior to entry.
Importantly, toxic VOCs concentrations are orders of magnitude lower than explosive limits, so it is vitally important for detection equipment to offer a wide range with sufficient sensitivity to measure trace toxic gases.
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