When preparing for shutdowns/turnarounds, think about the gas detection equipment you need and how that equipment can protect workers. Since shutdowns/turnarounds usually last a few weeks or months, renting equipment is often the most economical choice.
Below, Jason Wright, Industrial Scientific’s rental sales manager, explains how to avoid common rental challenges while improving worker safety.
1. When do companies rent gas detectors?
“Companies rent gas detectors if they don’t have a gas detection program and have a short-term need, or if they have a gas detection program and need extra monitors,” said Wright. “Projects like turnarounds, outages or shutdowns require more workers using gas detection. Since these are short-term projects, renting gas detection equipment is ideal.”
2. What are the main challenges in renting gas detection equipment?
“It comes down to quality and support. Many suppliers distribute rental equipment that’s in less-than-desirable condition and can pose issues for the user,” Wright explained. “When renting, will the monitors you receive work for the whole rental period? Or will you get a monitor that hasn’t been serviced? Look for a supplier with factory-trained technicians who service their rental fleet before the device ships.
“As for support, renting equipment requires product knowledge. Rental suppliers without that knowledge might not get you the best gas detector. Before you rent, find out whether the supplier has the technical knowledge needed to support you.”
3. If a company needs gas detectors, there is potential that workers could encounter gas hazards. How can companies protect them?
“The first step is ensuring every worker has a gas detector — one that has been maintained, monitors the gases they could encounter and they know how to use,” Wright said. “That’s the baseline.
“We should take safety past the baseline, though. That’s where connected safety solutions come in. These go beyond basic gas detection, connecting personal gas monitors and area monitors to each other and to software for shared alarms and real-time monitoring. This system adds a layer of safety for workers and better visibility for managers.”
4. When is renting a connected safety solution helpful?
“An ideal case is to monitor mobile workers, remotely monitor an area in real time and connect teams — especially in confined spaces and during shutdowns/turnarounds when there are more people to monitor,” Wright responded.
5. Does a connected safety rental program complicate a short-term need?
“Not necessarily. Look for a solution that’s easy to set up and can communicate using multiple platforms,” Wright recommended. “This makes it easier to integrate into your network and provides an alternative if a platform loses signal.
“Look for a connected safety rental program that works with your infrastructure. Beyond that, ask your rental supplier if they can ship monitors that are pre-connected to each other so they’re ready to go out of the box.
“The bottom line is that with connected safety solutions, you can get the benefits of a connected gas detection program and provide better safety for any short-term need.”
For more information, visit www.indsci.com or call Rental Sales Manager Jason Wright at (412) 490-1912.
