FIRST RESPONDER- GAS MONITOR SELECTION

GAS MONITOR SELECTION

DIRECT READING, DIGITAL, REAL TIME MONITORS

FIRST RESPONDER OPERATIONS

USE:

5 MAJOR CATAGORIES ARE IDENTIFIED:

     STRUCTURAL FIREFIGHTING

     USAR

     HAZMAT

     CO CALLS

     GAS CALLS

OCCURANCE:

FREQUENCY OF GAS PRESENCE BY USE CATEGORY.

GAS HAZARD SELECTION:

5 MAJOR CATAGORIES ARE IDENTIFIED:

     PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION

     HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS- FIRESCOPE CONFORMANCE

     CONFINED SPACE OPERATIONS

     CARBON MONOXIDE

     EXPLOSIVE GASES

RISK GROUPS:

5 MAJOR GROUPS ARE IDENTIFIED:

     FIRE RESPONDERS

     OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS

     FIRE COMMAND

     OPERATIONS COMMAND

     PUBLIC

DETECTION TYPES:

2 MAJOR CATAGORIES ARE IDENTIFIED:

     TOXIC SPECIFIC SENSORS

     NON-SPECIFIC SENSORS

SUMMARY OF APPLICATION DATA:

BY CHEMICAL HAZARD (RANKED BY OCCURANCE):

     METHANE & OTHER EXPLOSIVE GASES (NON-SPECIFIC)

     OTHER TOXIC GASES (NON-SPECIFIC)

     OTHER VOLITILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (NON-SPECIFIC)

     HYDROGEN SULPHIDE

BY TOXIC SPECIFIC SENSOR (RANKED BY OCCURANCE):

     CARBON MONOXIDE

     HYDROGEN SULPHIDE

BY NON-SPECIFIC SENSOR (RANKED BY OCCURANCE)

     METHANE & OTHER EXPLOSIVE GASES (NON-SPECIFIC)

     OTHER TOXIC GASES (NON-SPECIFIC)

     OTHER VOLITILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (NON-SPECIFIC)

     HYDROGEN SULPHIDE

IDENTIFICATION OF OPERATIONAL CRITERIA:

CATEGORY A:

            SINGLE SENSING CAPABILITY

            MULTIPLE SENSING CAPABILITY

            SPECIFIC SENSING CAPABILITY

            NON-SPECIFIC SENSING CAPABILITY

FREQUENCY OF OCCURANCE

CATEGORY B:

EASE OF USE

COST

ANALYSIS & CONCLUSIONS:

SENSOR SELECTION- ALL SENSORS (CATEGORY A):

            NON SPECIFIC SENSORS LEL

            NON-SPECIFIC SENSORS PID

            NON-SPECIFIC SENSOR O2 (CONFINED SPACE)

            HYDROGEN SULPHIDE

            CARBON MONOXIDE

SENSOR SELECTION- TOXIC SPECIFIC SENSORS (CATEGORY A):

            HYDROGEN SULPHIDE

            CARBON MONOXIDE

            HYDROGEN CYANIDE

SENSOR SELECTION- NON-SPECIFIC SENSORS (CATEGORY A):

            NON SPECIFIC SENSORS LEL

            NON-SPECIFIC SENSORS PID

            NON-SPECIFIC SENSOR O2 (CONFINED SPACE)

EASE OF USE (CATEGORY B) SIMPLE TO COMPLEX:

            TOXIC SPECIFIC SINGLE GAS INSTRUMENT

            NON-SPECIFIC SINGLE GAS INSTRUMENT

            TOXIC SPECIFIC MULTI-GAS INSTRUMENT

            NON-SPECIFIC MULTI-GAS INSTRUMENT (LEL-O2-PID IN COMBINATION)

            SPECIFIC/NON-SPECIFIC MULTI-GAS INSTRUMENT

COST (CATEGORY B) LOW TO HIGH:

            O2 MONITOR

            TOXIC SPECIFIC SINGLE GAS INSTRUMENT

            NON-SPECIFIC SINGLE GAS INSTRUMENT

            TOXIC SPECIFIC MULTI-GAS INSTRUMENT

            NON-SPECIFIC MULTI GAS INSTRUMENT (LEL-O2-PID IN COMBINATION)

            SPECIFIC/NON-SPECIFIC MULTI-GAS INSTRUMENT

CONCLUSIONS:

            HAZMAT TO BE EQUIPED WITH SPECIFIC/NON-SPECIFIC MULTI-GAS

INSTRUMENTS WITH A MINIMUM CAPABILITY OF:

                        LEL-O2-CO-H2S-PID

                        ADDITION OF A 3^rd TOXIC SENSOR FOR HCN IS
                        RECOMMENDED.

            TRUCKS AND/OR ENGINES TO BE EQUIPED WITH TOXIC SPECIFIC
            SINGLE GAS INSTRUMENTS FOR:

CARBON MONOXIDE

METHANE & OTHER EXPLOSIVE GASES

2 GAS INSTRUMENTS (CO-CH4) MAY BE CONSIDERED AS

ALTERNATIVES.