Application of Gas Detectors in Environmental Monitoring to Assist in the Development of Smart Cities
When many people think of all the safety equipment that an ordinary worker wears every day, they think of safety helmets, fall arrest devices, gloves, safety glasses, and earplugs. In the security industry, these items are referred to as personal protective equipment (PPE). If you walk around the workplace, warehouse, or factory, you will see many reminders and signs that read "Wear personal protective equipment", "Don't forget personal protective equipment", and "Need personal protective equipment". All these signs are important reminders of the dangers contained in these working environments. For example, fall protection (if used properly) can protect workers from potential fatal accidents.
However, I have bad news to tell you about gas detection. Gas detectors are not PPE. The gas detector does not actually protect you from any harm, but rather allows you to understand the atmospheric conditions. This protection comes from the correct handling of information. Think about it, if there is high concentration of H2S, will the gas detector generate magical bubbles in your breathing area? Does the gas detector reduce the volatility of explosive environments in any way? With the increasing use of gas detectors in industrial environments, people are increasingly hoping to overly "simplify" such equipment into another type of personal protective equipment that meets the requirements. Misunderstanding the basic principles and uses of this device can be fatal.
So what is the suggested solution? We need to start discussing gas detection as a personal safety device. We need to learn more about equipment maintenance (bump testing and calibration). We need to learn more about how to use gas detectors correctly (do readers of this article know the 2 by 2 rule for remote sampling?). We need to have a clearer understanding of how people use and act when these detectors sound an alarm.
Please remember that the core of a gas detector is a gas sensor, which can detect hazards that cannot be detected by current human organs (eyes, nose, ears). They convey information to the human brain, where appropriate actions are taken. The true protection is in your ears and eyes, not in a piece of hardware, with beeps and flashes in your hands. Please remember to adopt a more comprehensive approach to gas detection plans, and remember that in general, it is human behavior and actions (before and during events) that save lives. These behaviors and actions are based on appropriate training on the difficult to ignore facts of using gas detection.
