W
ith worker-safety increasingly under the spotlight, especially in
the mining industry, the latest technology being incorporated
in these instruments has set a new benchmark in the safety-
equipment industry. A gas detector is an instrument for the detection
of particular gases in a certain area, such as an industrial or mining
environment. Often forming part of an overarching safety system, this
equipment also has the capability of interfacing with a control system in
order to shut down a process automatically in the event of a hazardous
situation. The gas detector can sound an alarm to alert operators in the
location of the leak, allowing a speedy and safe evacuation.
Gas detectors
Gas detectors are classified according to the operating mechanism, such
as semiconductors, oxidation, catalytic, photo ionisation, and infrared,
among others. They are available either as portable or fixed devices.
Portable instruments monitor the atmosphere around personnel, and
are either handheld or attached to clothing via a belt or harness. These
gas detectors are usually battery operated, transmitting warnings via
both audible and visible signals, when levels of dangerous vapours
exceed preset levels. Fixed gas detectors are generally mounted near
the process area of a plant or control room.
While the principles behind gas-detection instruments are well un-
derstood and applied, the technology itself has gone through various
iterations of sophistication, particularly with the advent of advances in
electronics and software development. MSA Africa, which offers safety
equipment for a range of industries and applications, is constantly in-
troducing new features to its gas-detection instruments, particularly
to its portable Altair series.
Advanced PID
The latest in this regard is an advanced PID (Photo-
ionisation Detector) option. PID is a requisite for
industrial hygiene, HazMat (Hazardous Materials)
and specialised detection applications. The particular
benefit of this new feature is that PID instrument data
can now integrate seamlessly into the company’s
proven fleet-management infrastructure. This means
that the benchmark for gas detection has been raised
even higher, as well as meeting the evolving and diverse
Advances in electronics and software development have resulted in
the latest generation of portable multi-gas detectors with increased
functionality and sensitivity.
Suraksha Mohun, MSA Africa
HAZARDOUS AREAS + SAFETY
Raising the Benchmark for Multi-gas and VOC DetectionElectricity+Control
December ‘16
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