Area Gas Detectors help safety personnel protect their workers from gas hazards in situations, in addition to—or sometimes in substitution of—personal, portable gas monitors used as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Area gas detectors can be positioned to produce a guard between potential hazards and workers, to notify what they are heading into or what potential hazards are coming their way. This occurs most often when work takes place outside of normal operations where the risks are higher and/or different such as special projects, construction, maintenance, shutdowns, temporary sites or rigs, etc. In this way, they can be used to form a barrier around a tank or along a portion of pipeline close to the location of work being carried out.

How do you use one?

Units can be connected by cables. However wireless connection between individual area gas detectors is also available and avoids introducing a potential trip hazard. This could add significantly to an already risky task, for example, if working at height. Some wireless systems create a “self-healing” mesh network. In this case, should the wireless connection between two devices weaken, the network will automatically re-route communications via alternate enabled devices, creating a mesh type network allowing a more robust and efficient wireless network.