Can gas detectors be used as personal protective equipment?
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 goggles, 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 work environments. For example, fall protection (if used properly) can protect workers from potential fatal accidents.
However, regarding gas detection, I have some bad news to tell you. The gas detector is not PPE. A gas detector does not actually protect you from any harm, but rather allows you to understand the atmospheric conditions. This protection comes from the proper handling of information. Think about it, if there is a high concentration of H2S, will the gas detector produce 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 "simplify" this equipment into another type of personal protective equipment that meets the requirements. Misunderstandings about the basic principles and purposes 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 (ventilation testing and calibration). We need to learn more about how to use gas detectors correctly (do the readers of this article know the 2x2 rule for remote sampling?). We need 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 that can detect dangers that current human organs (eyes, nose, ears) cannot detect. They convey information to the human brain, where appropriate actions are decided upon. The real protection is in your ears and eyes, not in a piece of hardware, it's the beeps and flashes in your hands. Please remember to take a more comprehensive approach to gas detection plans, and remember that it is often human behavior and actions (before and during events) that save lives, based on appropriate training on the difficult to ignore facts of using gas detection.
