“There’s been quite an evolution in gas detection, between features, functions, and technology,” says Kay Mangieri, director Industrial Scientific Corporation, Oakdale, PA. “In fact, huge advances
have been made.”

There have been, Mangieri explains, major improvements in not only the workings of the sensor itself, the “heart” of the detection device, but also new iterations of design have introduced and refined
chip technology so it can transmit data to computers anywhere. Moreover, the basic chip technology has been electrochemical, but, Mangieri says, there has been an increasing acceptance of newer
even more precise technologies.

These include infrared, acoustic wave, ionization and wireless technologies. These newer options are in various degrees of acceptance mainly due to cost.

But as with most, technologies that are largely cost prohibitive when first introduced, come down in price as they become more established.

“There have also been developments in the battery technologies, in the software, gas monitors and other related products,” Mangieri says. “You now have data input, data logging, and data output capabilities. You can combine not only gas but also user, location, and even temperature information.”

She adds thatyou can have all this data when and where you want it. If there is an incident on site, all of the data has gone into records off site.

The machine has taken over the task of calibrating the meter. Instead of having to push a button, the automated docking station can do that. The charging of the instrument through various stages and the
record keeping are automatic. With calibration you can do a quick “bump” test, and then calibrate it to test daily or do a full calibration every month or within any programmable time frame. “What’s also
becoming very popular is automated maintenance,” Mangieri says.

“The calibration stations have evolved even more so they can be networked so safety or plant managers or others can view all of the instrumentation around the plant from the office, from home or from anywhere around the world. We are the leader in the progression of calibration and documentation on our docking stations. And we’ve taken it a step further with wrapping services around the whole monitoring and maintenance elements. If a customer doesn’t want to do the maintenance or even to buy the equipment, we offer a four year lease program in which we do all the maintenance, the sensor and maintenance replacement, and any repairs.”

All of this, Mangieri continues, refers to hand held gas monitors. The other side has to do with the fixed gas monitors, which also serve as an employee protection device, but is more for facility protection.
It can be used not only for protecting a plant from explosion, but also for process monitoring.

A lot of losses in the manufacturing process may not represent a hazard but can be a loss of money, so these devices can monitor that aspect as well. These permanent mechanisms do the essentials,
such as sound alarms and shut down valves, but are not as far along as the hand held devices. One reason, Mangieri says, is that once they’re hardwired into the facility, upgrading by tearing them out is extremely expensive, so they’re not as likely to keep up with the latest innovations.

Walter Fournet, a sales associate for the Pittsburgh, PA based Mine Safety Appliances Company (MSA), has been in the business for 25 years. He comments on the cost factor trends.

“The costs, not only of the basic product, but also the maintenance and operations costs are dropping considerably,” he says. “This includes labor costs. As an example, just two years ago someone would have to sit with the meter to get it calibrated. The machine will do that now. The computerization has also been a great benefit. Now someone working in the field might not be looking at the meter, but a controller can receive the signal that perhaps the gases are starting to rise, and he can notify the worker to make the necessary adjustments.”

The four “death” meters, which account for about 80 percent of sales in the marketplace, are flammable gases, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide (CO), and oxygen loss, Fournet says. “All of them sound an alarm, and have been around for many years.”

What has been changing for these four death units have been the price, Fournet continues. Five years ago, the price would range from $1500 to $3000. Now what would have been a $2000 unit can be purchased for about $500. “A $3000 unit had a warranty of one year, but now a $500 unit has a two year warranty, which might go to three. You’re also starting to see two year warranties on the consumables. In fact, we’re moving toward a $400 meter for all four deaths, which can be thrown
away in two years so you can purchase a new one rather than maintain the used one. A single gas meter for only one of the four deaths can be purchased for $200 with a two year warranty.”

Commenting on the new technologies, Fournet says infrared will make the electrochemical
sensors, which have been around since the 1940s, obsolete. “The infrared is much more accurate and lasts much longer. We have it for CO and flammable gases, but it’s generally cost prohibitive,
and we have to get the costs down.”

In terms of surface acoustic wave technology, “It’s here today and has been on the market close to 10 years,” Fournet says. “We’re just tapping its capabilities.

It can detect nerve gas. The cost is still high, about $12,000, but the costs are lowering.”

The multiple gas thermo ionization detector also goes a step beyond the four death unit, spotting nerve gas, radiation, volatile organic compounds and other industrial toxics, Fournet says. The cellular
radio communication signal emerged after September 11th, and is just now gaining acceptance, with various grant funding and chemical companies incorporating them.

The Chesapeake, VA-based Air Systems International, Inc., started out in a garage some 20 years ago, and focuses on meeting the 1910.134 requirement for workers wearing respirators, whether it  is for pressure on demand, as with firefighters, or a more constant flow. “Our systems exceed the requirements of both the U.S. and Canadian standards,” says Marketing Manager, Maria Rowland.

She explains that the compressed air going into the respirator can be contaminated by carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, particulates, organic vapors or other impurities. The “breather box” detects these contaminants in order to maintain grade-D quality air required by OSHA.

"We recommend that system air quality should be tested for but not limited to the following Grade-D air components: CO, oxygen, carbon dioxide, moisture content, hydrocarbons, and total
particulates prior to putting the filtration system into place.

Typically the compressed air is carried by the workers, but not necessarily,” Rowland says. For instance air may be coming from the plant or on the outside going down into a sewer where men are working.