Portable Gas Detection Guide

Portable Gas Detection

Portable gas detection devices provide employees working in potentially harmful environments the means to monitor their air quality. Harmful environments may include those with high levels of toxic or combustible gases or oxygen deficient air. As many of these conditions can’t be detected by smell or sight, portable gas detectors are instrumental in allowing employees to monitor their air quality levels.

A portable gas detector generally describes a small, handheld device that can be used for testing an atmosphere in a confined space, to give an early warning of the presence of flammable gas or vapour in a hazardous area. They can be used in diffusion or aspirated mode and can be fitted with probes for leak seeking or testing inside confined spaces beyond the normal reach of the user.

Providing portable gas detection devices to employees, helps employers adhere to the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 – known as DSEAR – which aims to protect people from fire and explosion risks related to dangerous substances and potentially explosive atmospheres.

Considerations that need to be taken in to account when choosing a portable gas detector include, the sensor type, operating conditions, required use, accuracy and the manufacturer’s guidance to assess the frequency of inspection and calibration.

Every time a portable gas detector is used, they should be inspected for damage. This inspection should include checking that a zero reading is achieved in a clean atmosphere away from known hazards, checking for a response to a known flammable vapour, checking that the level of battery charge and any other reservoirs is adequate for the job and checking the logging period (if required) to ensure the required duration of measurement can be stored in memory.

Cromwell have a great selection of portable gas detectors to suit your requirements and our expert guide provides you with the legislation and information you need to select the right products.