Thursday 9 June 2011

Confined Space Entry – is your gas detector right for the job?



Working in confined spaces is difficult at the best of times. Operators often have to wear full PPE (personal protective equipment), are usually harnessed and may be carrying tools and equipment.

The last thing a worker in this arduous environment needs to worry about is his or her gas detector. It should be designed specifically for confined space entry (CSE) applications, be unobtrusive and have a clear display that is easy to see at a glance.

There is a wide range of safety equipment required for CSE environments, but gas detection is one of the most important and commonly overlooked instruments.

Users of gas detectors have typically had to make a choice between pumped units, diffusion models, or with ‘parasitic’ pumps. Handheld detectors are supplied in differing sizes and many are not optimised for confined space work.

So, what are the requirements of the ‘ideal’ CSE gas detector?

Crowcon has undertaken extensive market research among users and fleet managers. This has identified five essential features:

• Simple to use
• Bright, easy to read display
• Long battery life (for at least one full shift, and preferably two)
• Robust design and construction
• Reliable detection (unreliable detectors can quickly holt a project)

These features may all seem obvious, but finding a gas detector that includes all of them, has, until now, been impossible.

With this feedback in mind, Crowcon went back to the drawing board. The result is the newly launched Crowcon Gas-Pro, a design perfectly for CSE applications.

Specific CSE features of the new Gas-Pro include:


Compact size
The Crowcon Gas-Pro has been kept to a minimum size. It is designed so as not to get in the way of other PPE device and not to interfere with the worker’s primary activity.

Top Mounted Display
Unlike other gas detection instrument, Crowcon has developed the Gas-Pro with a bright, top-mount display that can be read at a glance without having to even touch the detector.

+ve Safety
Unique to the Crowcon Gas-Pro, +ve Safety provides tri-colour status indication, giving quick and effective monitoring of gas test (bump), calibration, over range and recent alarm notification. The indication light is visible to all, offering the fleet manager a quick, simple, yet comprehensive visible indication of monitor status.

Multiple Gas Sensors
Multiple gas sensors for up to five potentially hazardous gases from an extremely wide range of sensors and configurations. Crowcon has spent considerable investment into sensor design to eliminate potential configuration issues.

Enhanced Construction
The Crowcon Gas-Pro is extremely rugged and has IP65 &IP67 ingress protection with an extremely loud >95 dB alarm as well as a vibrating and dual colour visual warnings as standard.

Internal Pump
An internal pump means that pre-entry testing can be done quickly and easily. Problems of poor sealing and the need for extra equipment associated with parasitic pumps has been removed.

The Crowcon Gas-Pro is a new category of product designed for just one purpose – ensuring gas safety in confined spaces. Free from worries about what risks might come with compromise, personnel entering these spaces will be more focused on their core activities, safe in the knowledge that their gas detector is focused on its core activity.

Click for more information on the Crowcon Gas-Pro