The monitor is designed to detect and monitor potentially hazardous toxic gas leaks to ensure a safe working environment for plant operators and provides an early warning alarm if gas escapes, allowing for timely remedial or protective actions to be undertaken.    

In addition to improving safety, ATi says companies will save money, with no gas to buy or testers to pay.

 

The F12 employs SMART sensor technology, meaning customers can take advantage of ATi’s ‘Calibration Sensor Exchange Programme’. Customers can arrange for sensors to be returned to ATi for re-calibration and certification, removing the need for expensive service engineer call-outs.

Gas detection research

The announcement of the F12’s Atex certification comes on the back of alarming results from industry-wide research into gas detection in the workplace. The research reveals:

•  Only 32% of managers were confident that the gas detectors in their workplace actually worked.

•  40% of managers indicated concern that gas detection equipment is tested too infrequently

•  62% of  managers believed that their gas detectors were not tested regularly enough.

•  90% of managers said the frequency of gas detector testing is important for safety.

•  80% of factory/plant workers were concerned about the risks that gas poses in their workplace, and in many cases are unaware if there were any gas detectors in place to ensure their safety.

•  92% of workers said they would feel reassured if their organisation installed detectors with auto-test.

The results make it clear that there is an urgent need to review and implement upgraded procedures, enabling improved workforce safety and compliance with industry regulations. Devices that can measure and monitor harmful levels of gas, providing early warning of leaks are essential for allowing timely remedial or protective actions to be undertaken.

The study, carried out by third party researchers, was commissioned by specialist electrochemical-sensor manufacturer Analytical Technology in response to expressed concerns in the water/utility industry about methods of safe gas detection. The research focused on three main areas of interest – current awareness and concerns around gas detection, the purchasing of gas detectors and factors influencing it, and the testing of gas detectors.

 A total of 100 people were interviewed, working in six different industries – food and beverage manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, petrochemical, water/utility, metal plating/printed circuit board manufacturing and healthcare. Employees interviewed were from a range of job titles at managerial level (plant and facility managers, project managers and health and safety managers) and at workforce level (factory/shop floor workers, engineers, machine operators, instrument technicians/engineers and service engineers).

Michael Strahand, general manager Europe of Analytical Technology, explains that the research was a necessary step to highlight the risks posed by gas in the workplace: “This research has highlighted alarming gas safety concerns and has allowed us to get an insight into the most important issues within the industry.  The findings make it clear that there is a need to review and implement upgraded procedures, enabling improved workforce safety and compliance with industry regulations.”

For more information and to download a whitepaper detailing the results of the survey into gas detection, please visit www.workplace-gas-safety.org.uk