Improve your plant safety with comfort

Portable gas detectors have been standard safety equipment in the oil and gas industry for a long time. When it comes to choosing the right device, usually technical aspects (type and number of gases to be monitored simultaneously, sensor service life, battery life) and price are the decisive factors. However, by themselves, these criteria create a blind spot – the human nature.

Don't get me wrong. Each of these points of the requirements profile for portable gas detectors must be considered and our devices are designed to meet them all. But it’s a bit like hiring someone based only on his or her hard skills. It might work out, but usually you will check the soft and social skills of an applicant as well.

The soft skill of portable devices is comfort. Comfort is the one quality that counteracts the human tendency towards convenience. We tend to not use things purposefully that are perceived as a nuisance or even put them aside. Convenience is probably the most common cause when "human error" is mentioned in accident reports, not only in the oil and gas business.

That’s why we made our portable multi-gas detector Microtector III G888 not only one of the most powerful, but also one of the most comfortable to wear devices in the world.

Wear it correctly placed

Personal gas monitors depend on the principle of diffusion. The molecules of the contaminant being measured passively diffuse into the sensor. For the measurement to be accurate, the instrument should be worn in the “respirable breathing zone” of the worker. The readings should come from the same area as the air that is entering the worker’s lungs.

The larger the instrument, the less likely it will be used properly and the greater the risk that the wearer will put it aside, because it interferes with work or just feels uncomfortable. A key requirement for personal gas detectors is that they can be worn comfortably. Ideally, the instrument should be small enough and so easy to use that you forget it’s there – until an alarm is triggered!

Certified for safety

The G888C is ATEX certified as intrinsically safe for use in ex zone 1 hazardous locations. The G888M carries additional certification as a hazardous area group 1 mining monitor for use in underground hazardous locations and mines.

Connected Safety

Safety concerns the whole team, whether they are present at the monitoring site or coordinating emergency response. The G888 transmits measurement data, alarms and status in real time using dependable, secure RF (radio frequency) technology to the TeamLink, a central, portable communications hub. The TeamLink is a complete, ATEX certified, self-contained operations center for up to 10 wirelessly linked instruments. Real-time monitoring from a central point ensures that all members of the team are safe.