Electricity + Control December 2016

HAZARDOUS AREAS + SAFETY

Raising the Benchmark for Multi-gas and VOC Detection

Suraksha Mohun, MSA Africa

W ith worker-safety increasingly under the spotlight, especially in the mining industry, the latest technology being incorporated in these instruments has set a new benchmark in the safety- equipment industry. A gas detector is an instrument for the detection of particular gases in a certain area, such as an industrial or mining environment. Often forming part of an overarching safety system, this equipment also has the capability of interfacing with a control system in order to shut down a process automatically in the event of a hazardous situation. The gas detector can sound an alarm to alert operators in the location of the leak, allowing a speedy and safe evacuation. Gas detectors Gas detectors are classified according to the operating mechanism, such as semiconductors, oxidation, catalytic, photo ionisation, and infrared, among others. They are available either as portable or fixed devices. Portable instruments monitor the atmosphere around personnel, and are either handheld or attached to clothing via a belt or harness. These gas detectors are usually battery operated, transmitting warnings via both audible and visible signals, when levels of dangerous vapours exceed preset levels. Fixed gas detectors are generally mounted near the process area of a plant or control room. While the principles behind gas-detection instruments are well un- derstood and applied, the technology itself has gone through various iterations of sophistication, particularly with the advent of advances in electronics and software development. MSA Africa, which offers safety equipment for a range of industries and applications, is constantly in- troducing new features to its gas-detection instruments, particularly to its portable Altair series. Advanced PID The latest in this regard is an advanced PID (Photo- ionisation Detector) option. PID is a requisite for industrial hygiene, HazMat (Hazardous Materials) and specialised detection applications. The particular benefit of this new feature is that PID instrument data can now integrate seamlessly into the company’s proven fleet-management infrastructure. This means that the benchmark for gas detection has been raised even higher, as well as meeting the evolving and diverse Advances in electronics and software development have resulted in the latest generation of portable multi-gas detectors with increased functionality and sensitivity.

Electricity+Control December ‘16

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