How Calibration Gases Help Ensure Workplace Safety

Calibration gases are essential to analyzers, monitors and detectors. Gas detectors serve the purpose of monitoring any gases that may be present in any given environment whether it be someone’s home or a work facility.

Gas detectors tell us whether there is a potential hazard present and are important in maintaining the safety of homeowners and workplace personnel. Without these detectors and monitors, people could be at risk and potentially become ill.

What is a Calibration Gas?
Calibration gases are a few compressed gases or gas components that are mixed together to create a gas mixture. Typically, the gas mixture is composed of 1 main compressed gas that is then enhanced with other components.

Gas mixtures are used for multi gas detectors that can be used to detect multiple types of hazardous gases. There are also single gas detectors that will require you to use a single calibration gas instead of a mixture.

Depending on the type of gas monitor you’re calibrating will determine the type of gas or gas mixture you need to calibrate the device. There are also particular multi-gas detectors that require specific gases that are related to the brand of the detector. If used with any other gas aside from the one specified in the instructions the device may not be calibrated properly which can lead to false readings.

When choosing a gas to use for calibration, it is common for people to use a flammable or toxic gas. Reason for this is to ensure that the alarm goes off when a hazardous gas is detected. Some of the common toxic gas mixes used in multi-gas detectors are: carbon monoxide, hydrogen fluoride and other flammable gases, like methane for example.

Other gases used in calibration testing are nitrogen. Nitrogen is generally used in the calibration of laboratory tools, which require an ultra high purity level. The same goes for other gases like oxygen and argon. If you’re curious about how gases are used in laboratories, make sure to read our recent blog post on “High Purity Gases & Their Applications in Laboratories”.

Calibration gases must also be traceable to a known standard. Essentially, the results or values need to be compared to previous calibration metrics to avoid any risk, errors, or confusion and to ensure what the value of the results mean. This is a way to ensure quality. 

What Calibration Gases Are Used For
Gas detectors serve the purpose of ensuring that workers or personnel are protected from unknown hazards that could be present in the workplace. These hazards consist of high gas levels in the atmosphere that can cause serious injury.

In order for gas detectors to work properly, they need to be calibrated and that’s where calibration gases come in.

Calibration gases are used to make sure analyzing tools, like gas detectors, are working properly and measuring accurate gas results. They specifically calibrate the gas detector device to ensure it is able to capture any potential gas hazards in the workplace.

Calibration Importance & Safety
Calibrating your devices regularly helps ensure the safety of personnel in the environment where the potential gas hazards could be present. This comes in handy in situations where there could be a gas leak for example.

Calibrating your device is important because aside from making sure it’s taking accurate results, it also ensures that features like the alarm are also in working order. If the alarm isn’t going off during a potential gas hazard, then it could result in a very bad situation.

Poisonous or hazardous gases are also able to affect the device you are using which is another reason why it’s important to regularly calibrate your device. Not maintaining your gas detector can pose serious risks, injuries or potential fatalities.

OSHA recommends setting a standard procedure for calibrating your gas detectors. It is very important to make sure the gases you are using to calibrate your device are not expired. It is also recommended to calibrate your devices in a replicated environment where the gas detectors live because temperatures and humidity can affect the results.

When calibrating a device ensure that you are following the manufacturer’s instructions. As we stated earlier, some name brand devices require you to test with a specified gas or gas mixture.

Air Source Has You Covered
The workplace can be a very hazardous and dangerous place. Toxic gases can cause serious damage which is why gas detectors are so important.

If you work in an industry that involves potential hazardous conditions where employees could be exposed to toxic fumes or gases, then calibration testing is a must. We have the gases and mixtures you need to calibrate your devices to ensure worker safety.

We are able to provide specialty gas mixes for various applications and can provide next business day delivery in the local LA and Orange County areas. If you have any questions regarding our gas mixtures, feel free to give us a call for assistance at (562) 426-4017 or fill out our quote form online for a free quote.

 

Sources:
https://mesagas.com/blog/the-different-types-of-calibration-gas/
https://newcastlesafetyservicing.com/what-is-calibration-gas-used-for/
http://www.obsnap.com/importance-of-calibration-traceability/
https://semagases.com/choose-calibration-span-gas/