Why Is Gas Monitor Training Essential for Confined Space Safety?

 

As detection equipment becomes a critical tool for protecting workers in confined spaces, inspecting industrial facilities and working around potentially hazardous atmospheres, it is important to keep in mind how it can help you. Whether it's in a manufacturing plant, utility or wastewater treatment plant, or maintenance facility, monitoring for dangerous conditions can begin before it's too late. Just having a detector is not sufficient though. They should know how to operate it, how to read the values on it, the alarms it has and how to react to changes in conditions.

 

Ventis gas monitors come in different types and configurations and are intended to identify dangers in the atmosphere depending upon the type of gas monitoring equipment and sensors(s) in the instrument. These hazards can include lack of oxygen, presence of combustible gases, toxic gases (e.g., carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide). The effectiveness of a detector is dependent on the correct operation, the choice of appropriate sensor, regular maintenance and testing. Lack of training can result in no warnings being received or a misreading, or even an unsafe decision, during an emergency.

 

Ventis Gas Monitor Training is designed to impart practical knowledge to use the equipment as opposed to just general safety information. This is important because the OSHA standard governing the confined space atmosphere testing and monitoring (OSHA 1910.146) does not take the place of having knowledge of the specific gas detection instrument being used. Workers should be familiar with checks that are necessary, how to read it, what the sensors are telling them and what the rules are for entering and evacuating.



 

A structured course can include the basics of bump testing, calibration, alarm response, limitations of sensors, troubleshooting, and more. A bump test is used to determine if the gas sensors and alarm functions are responding to a test gas and a calibration is used to adjust the sensor and alarm functions to a known calibration concentration. These are not appropriate to substitute one for the other, and the instructions of the manufacturer dictate which and when of these procedures should be conducted. It is also important that workers know the difference between diffusion and pumped sampling and how samples are arranged can impact on gas detection.

 

When using the BW Micro5 gas monitor, organizations can help close the gap between knowing to take safety precautions and confidently using the instrument by providing equipment specific instruction. The Gas Monitor Competence Training – BW Micro5 Gas Monitor course will address issues of practical knowledge of the gas monitors – including basic and advanced functions, peak exposures, battery and water resistance, as well as common troubleshooting issues. This length of time is about 60 minutes online and is designed to be a convenient, alternative review of key material that will not require extra time in the classroom. The training is in addition to the manufacturer's operating manual and is not a substitute for the operating manual. The user(s) should operate, inspect, maintain and test in accordance with the manual.

 

Online Gas Monitor Training can also be useful for employers in making it easier to train workers in the use of the equipment, irrespective of shifts or location. This is especially helpful for industrial teams, contractors and maintenance staff that must receive the same training prior to performing hazardous tasks. Employers need to make sure that online learning is accompanied by practical assessment (if required), procedures for confined space work, and the proper training on confined space work. The worker should NOT be allowed in a hazardous area because he has taken an online training course.



 

An important part of the effective training is instructions on the actions to take if an alarm sounds. Employers should have emergency procedures and follow them, and workers should exit the area, if necessary, never disregard an alarm, or presume that reading is safe if there is no alarm. The results of gas detection can be affected by the limitations of an instrument, environmental conditions, sensor cross-sensitivity and sampling delays.

 

Gas Monitor Competence Training is equipment focused on learning which is designed to enable workers to gain a greater understanding of their gas detection equipment and to be more confident in using it. Check out gasmonitorcompetence.com; there are several courses available, such as training for the BW Micro5 gas monitor. Investing in relevant training can improve preparedness for the work place and enable organizations to assist in safer confined space operations.

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