Dräger
The risk of commoditization is a very real challenge for safety product manufacturers in the oil and gas industry. Safety solutions are less separated in terms of quality and performance than ever before. Consequently they run the risk of being treated as commodities.
Organizations may be tempted to veer in the direction of a more cost-effective safety solution, but it must be discussed whether the upfront savings outweigh the benefits of a detector that may require a greater investment but will provide superior safety. Companies that place a premium on safety should seek out gas detectors with the following features:
• Greater documentation — Some manufacturers are beginning to incorporate documentation capabilities into their safety solutions. Robust sets of analytics can be generated to allow companies to track compliance and mitigate safety risks. By using gas detectors capable of recording bump tests and calibration checks, companies can not only correct noncompliant conduct, but they can also adjust on-site safety measures to align with worker behavior. With today’s technologies, documentation has never been easier for companies, and they can rest easy knowing their instrumentation is ready to go and will contribute to greater worker safety.
• Enhanced accuracy — Over the past decade, manufacturers have seen great leaps in technological advancements in sensor technology that have resulted in reducing sensor response time (or increasing sensor speed). The difference between 5 and 10 seconds can mean everything when workers are faced with a life-threatening situation. Consider the following example showcasing the difference between a sensor with a t-90 time (the time it takes for a sensor to read 90 percent of the test gas concentration) of 15 seconds versus a sensor with a t-90 time of 25-40 seconds, using hydrogen sulfide (H2S) as the test gas:
Simultaneous introduction of H2S gas will not cause either monitor to react immediately, but after a few seconds, the instrument with a t-90 time of 15 seconds will begin to register a gas amount. After 15 seconds, the device with the t-90 time of 15 seconds continues to climb until reaching a reading of 10 ppm, but the other device with the longer t-90 time will have yet to register a reading. Workers wearing this second device will start to suffer from a decreased level of muscle activity and oxygen in the blood.
After 1 minute and 35 seconds, the device with the 15 second t-90 time will measure 15 ppm, going into an A2 alarm and alerting the worker to the dangerous conditions. However, it will take an additional 42 seconds for the t-90 time of 25 seconds device to reach a full A2 alarm and notify its wearer of the presence of 15 ppm of H2S, all while the worker experiences potential eye irritation, headache, dizziness, nausea, throat and eye irritation, and coughing and breathing difficulty.
Price should never be the deciding factor when it comes to selecting safety devices for your worksite. By making a greater investment in safety at the onset, companies can position themselves and their workers for a promising and protected future.
For more information, visit www.Draeger.com or call (800) 858-1737.
