Our Safety Monitors team are here to spread the word about Safety Instrumentation Monitoring and we work in numbers to bust these myths!
Myth one: "Bump Tests are not required as long as you calibrate "
This is a common myth you may have already heard that actually puts individuals in direct danger. There is no way to ensure that a safety instrument work properly unless gas (or the target hazard) is applied and alarms and readings are verified.
It doesn’t matter whether your fleet includes disposable alarming instruments or direct reading instruments, bump testing is essential every time you use them to ensure accuracy and performance. There have been recent cases of oxygen sensors ‘frozen’ on a 20.9% volume reading and unresponsive carbon dioxide sensors displaying stable zero readings, this is clear evidence that testing indicates whether safety measures are in place.
To make life easier for users, manufacturers have developed bump and automatic calibration stations which are specific to the instrument, this piece of equipment helps to simplify the calibration process.
While several manufacturers offer innovative ways to verify sensor life and health, there is no current automatic solution to determine that sensor outer membranes are clogged with invisible polymers or dirt, which is an issue that can prevent gas from reaching sensors.
If your instrument is unresponsive after a bump test or is reading measurements incorrectly please contact one of our team and we will be more than happy to discuss your instrument, the issues that have arisen and it's timeline - and if we still haven't got to the bottom of it, you can send in your instrument in to our service centre for one of our engineers to inspect and give you a call!
Myth two: "Gas detection is straightforward; I don't need training"
Most manufacturers design portable gas detectors to be as intuitive and as simple to use as possible, offering quick-start guides and electronic simulators. However we would still strongly recommend training that is related to the monitor itself.
Safety Instrumentation education is extremely important for individuals that work in high exposure areas, we find that training and refresher training courses are sometimes overlooked or can even be focusing on the wrong subjects. An understanding of Gas Detection is great for individuals however it isn't essential! Education in your own working environment, understanding the hazard(s) that could be present and the safety instrumentation you use are essential in maintaining best practise when it comes to safety.
What you must understand as a user is that a Safety Instrument will do what it is designed to do: provide alarms that sound and light or vibrate when a hazard that the unit is equipped to detect is present. However it is up to you as the user to interpret the data correctly and apply the correct safety measurements.
In order to do this you will need to understand your environmental influences and the technological limitations, without any guidance and training it will be hard to implement any risk mitigation and understand the source of the hazard.
Safety Monitors provides user training for all of our products. If you wish to discuss our training options please give one of our team a call.
Myth three: "All instruments provide the same safety level "
Not all detectors are created the same.
While all gas detectors are approved to meet certain standards, only some are designed to meet stringent performance standards and will hold up to the harshest conditions.
Where costs are concerned, it saves to know what's important to you and your application; sensor life, response time, warranty, rugged design, total cost of ownership, etc. differ significantly when comparing safety instrumentation.
Faster-responding sensors not only alert you more quickly to potentially hazardous situations, but also save you gas and labour time with every calibration and bump test.
Our team see instruments being used for all kinds of applications, unreliable sensors and poorly constructed instruments are something that we just don't supply. All of our instruments are trusted or in partnership with us to ensure that when you use or purchase one of our instruments you are receiving a reputable brand with excellent performance.
This means you can avoid unnecessary downtime and shutdowns, costing more than you ever imagined.
Safety Monitors provide updated information regarding accessories and parts, if you wish to discuss your monitor, accessories or parts please give one of our team a call.
Myth four: "Safety Instruments don’t require routine maintenance"
Maintenance is part of life. You need to maintain your car and your home; even your body needs a periodic check-up to ensure that all parts work properly. Why would you not expect to maintain a device that is designed to save your life?
Periodic maintenance is needed to keep your company safe, operating and profitable by minimizing unexpected failures and possible accidents; safety instruments are no different in that respect.
While maintenance is viewed as a necessary evil, a critical look at maintenance frequency and actual total cost can really pay dividends.
Simply speaking, if the application of your safety instrument includes harsher conditions (for example using safety instrumentation for off-shore monitoring) you may need to inspect and maintain your instrument more frequently as the environment could affect its performance.
Other variables that could affect performance are poisoned filters, physical damaged and water damage.
Safety Monitors provides maintenance for all of our products. If you wish to discuss our maintenance options please give one of our team a call.
Myth five: "Air pollution is an outdoor problem"
Whenever we think of air pollution, we imagine toxic vehicle exhausts or factory fumes expelling grey smoke. However, indoor air pollution is just as lethal as its outdoor counterpart. There are many variables that are responsible for deteriorating the air quality that surrounds us.
From fresh paint to cleansers, disinfectants, room fresheners, furnishings and varnishes, the air we breathe indoors is often over-looked. This can be especially important when we discuss confined spaces.
A transmission risk monitor would not be suitable for confined spaces however is a cost-effective monitor for use in schools, restaurants, and other small-to-medium-sized buildings that alerts to the potential increase of exposure to airborne transmissions by monitoring CO2 and activity levels in an indoor area.
Myth six: "Only look at the instrument's data following an accident"
Safety Instrumentation has have evolved just like other technologies do and so too have their data-logging capabilities, making accurate reviewing of data now easier than ever. In addition to offering insights to achieving a safer and more productive work environment, regular review of data from gas detection technology can benefit you as an individual and as a collective company.
The advantages of data logging does not stop with Health and Safety, it can assist with insurance and liability, estimate cost of human error and maintenance from past recorded data and identify any potential risk.
Without data logging capabilities planning and managing health and safety for your site could prove more difficult. To get the most out of your instrument(s) we would recommend a regular review of your data.
If you are unsure about data logging and would like to know more or would like one of our team to download data from your instrument for you to review then please contact one of our team and we will be happy to assist you.
We Care
At Safety Monitors we care about what we do and how we do it, that's why it's so important to us that individuals have correct and updated knowledge to keep themselves and other individuals safe.
We Understand
We understand that familiarity can lead to complacency and important aspects of life such as structure and routine can make activities more efficient and productive. However, it can also make activities predictable and automated. This predictability and automation means that individuals may make errors in their due diligence, leading to undetected areas of high risk exposure.
It is imperative that those working in high risk exposure conditions remain alert and ever-vigilant to the maintenance, storage and use of their instrument.
At Safety Monitors we believe our work should enrich our lives not cost them. This is why we take such pride supporting individuals, businesses and public services providing them with guidance, instruments and accessories so that once you have finished monitoring your activities you can return home safety. Alex Graft (Managing Director)
"I think I may need Safety Instrumentation Monitoring, but I don’t know anything about it!"
You don’t need to understand Safety Instrumentation Monitoring to be safe at work! If you are unsure whether you need a monitor, please call one of the team on the below number.
Call The Team: 01489 326031
You cannot create the need for Safety Instrumentation, the need is either there or isn’t – that why the best way to make sure you are keeping yourself and your own team as safe as possible is to give one of our experienced team members a call! You can speak to us about your site and our team will be able to advise you based off extensive working knowledge, existing and pre-existing clients/projects and industry specific hazards. Our team remain informed in the world of Safety Instrumentation so that we can provide up to date advice in line with best practices. This means whenever you speak to our team you know you are receiving updated support from people who care.
"Our work should enrich our lives, not cost them" - Alex Graft (Managing Director)