Why it’s important to keep your gas detectors clean
Any laboratory that works or experiments with chemicals is likely to be at risk of toxic gas production. Even brief toxic gas exposure can sometimes have lifelong consequences. That’s why it’s absolutely vital to have a functioning fixed gas detection system – both for the safety of yourself, and for that of your staff. Many toxic gases are colourless and odourless, making them impossible to expose without the help of a detection device. For this reason, it’s crucial that these devices are kept clean, allowing them to protect everyone efficiently.
Here at Gas Alarm Systems, we offer an unrivalled range of products to meet the demands of a wide range of sectors, giving you peace of mind that your staff have complete protection from asphyxiate, toxic and flammable gases. Still, like any other piece of equipment, gas detectors require regular maintenance to ensure they’re fully capable of properly protecting you.
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Why is keeping gas detectors clean so pivotal?
Gas detectors are lifesaving pieces of equipment, and in any industry that deals with many toxic chemicals and substances, they’re vital to ensure the protection and peace of mind of you and your staff. Due to the high potency of the toxic fumes, gas detectors have to be highly sensitive. As a result, the sensitivity of the responsive sensors can easily be compromised if the device isn’t cleaned. Dust, dirt, and any remnants of previous gases it may have detected can all affect the performance of the device, potentially exposing anyone nearby to increasingly severe risks.
It protects your staff
High concentrations of carbon monoxide can kill in less than five minutes. Even in lower doses, it can have adverse health effects. In some cases it can even cause permanent damage to the body, from which there may be no chance of recovery – all before someone affected may know it was even present. Toxic fuel inhalation of any kind due to equipment failure is extremely dangerous, but crucially, it’s also preventable. Keeping on top of cleaning your gas detection systems protects you and your staff from immediate asphyxiation, long-term bodily damage, airway inflammation and a host of complicated illnesses.
They can protect your company from legal consequences
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), it is an employer’s duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and any other people affected by the work carried out by the company. Installing and keeping your gas detectors clean is an efficient way to protect your staff and any visitors from any kind of gas-related poisonings or problems. To maintain this safe standard, a regular cleaning schedule for any detection systems needs to be put into place. Ideally, cleaning should take place daily, or at the very least weekly.
They protect your property and assets
If a gas leak goes undiscovered, not only does it pose significant safety risks, but it increases the risk of fire within the building or laboratory. As we touched on earlier, many gases do not have a smell or a colour, so detecting them is practically impossible without the proper equipment. A regularly cleaned gas detection system will be able to signal the problem before it becomes a risk to any staff or equipment, facilitating prompt evacuation and safeguarding.
For all these reasons and more, gas detection maintenance always needs to be a top priority for any organisation – not only does it avert the risk of property damage and legal consequences, but critically, it could ultimately help to save a life.
And if you’re looking to replace your own gas detectors, that’s exactly where we come in here at Gas Alarms Systems. Feel free to browse our range of fixed gas detection systems and portable gas detection monitors here on our site, or if you have any questions or need any advice, then by all means, give our in-house experts a call on 01423 862240. We’re here to help!
