Useful Information
The list below are links to information pdf files that you might find useful. Simply click the link to view the pdf.
MoD Health and Safety Handbook JSP375 Vol 3 Chapters 1 Policy and 2 Common Requirements
Gas Monitors / Gas Detection Units
Know by various names such as GDU’s Gas Detection Units, Multi Gas Monitors, 4 in 1 Gas Monitors, whatever you call it, it is the most important piece of equipment that you will use.
These are some of the most modern gas monitors on the market, starting with basic functionality and reduced price, to man down sensors and even intrinsically built in comms.
The Blackline GC7 includes intrinsically safe comms utilising the SIM technology and includes man down functionality with remote call monitoring. It also has a cartridge sensor pack that can simply be changed for a replacement cartridge with the same or different set of sensors by simply removing two grub screws.
The Scientific PGD3 IR is the only unit that can be turned on anywhere because it has infrared sensing.
The MSA AltAir 4XR may be one of the more expensive units, but it also has a man down alarm and has a 4 year warranty on the sensors. The sensors also react faster than most other monitors thereby giving a quicker warning and using less gas to calibrate and do bump tests.
The Crowcon T4 has multiple icons on the bottom of the display and prompts you what to do once you access the menu with a double tap of the button.
The BW Microclip range all have ‘Alarm Latch’ and ‘Forced Cal’ feature that can be turned on/off with the software interface. With Alarm latch off the monitor only alarms while it is actually in an area where the gas level exceed acceptable levels, With Alarm Latch on as soon as the monitors goes into alarm and displays it until you manually acknowledge the alarm and clear it. With Forced Cal the monitor will turn itself off if it is out of calibration, stopping you from using it. This is an excellent feature for rental units.
With all that said and all the features added to these units it can not compensate for the human factor. The amount of people who do not know how to recall PEAK GAS READINGS from their selected monitors is scary.
As a trainer this is one of the biggest issues I have to address for delegates that are returning on a subsequent courses from another training provider. All too often when questioned they simply tell me ‘they get out of the hole when the alarm goes off’!
All this is fully covered on our courses and we also offer 6 monthly calibration on some units such as the MSA AltAir and BW Microclips at competitive prices of £30 per unit plus postage.
