Have a Question? Talk to a Specialist! Call 800.739.7706Contact Us Now!

Protection Checklist: 10 Gas-Detection Instruments to Maintain Safety

Protection Checklist: 10 Gas-Detection Instruments to Maintain Safety

Safety is the most important thing on the job, so we must monitor applicable environments for harmful gases.

You need quality, trustworthy gas monitors anywhere naturally occurring or produced gases could be in the air. Some are harmless, while others can be a danger or poison to human, animal, plant and aquatic life. Many harmful gases are insidious with no odor, color, texture or other characteristics that make their presence obvious, or they might be harmless until mixed in a certain ratio with air, water or other materials.

Many different kinds of gases can cause trouble in industrial and other environments, including:

  • Ammonia
  • Arsine
  • Carbon monoxide
  • Carbonyl sulfide
  • Chlorine
  • Chlorine dioxide
  • Diborane
  • Dichlorosilane
  • Disilane
  • Ethyl chloride
  • Fluorine
  • Germane
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Hydrogen acetylene
  • Hydrogen bromide
  • Hydrogen chloride
  • Hydrogen cyanide
  • Hydrogen fluoride
  • Hydrogen sulfide
  • Isobutene
  • Methane
  • Methyl bromide
  • Natural gas
  • Nitric oxide
  • Nitrogen dioxide
  • Ozone
  • Phosgene
  • Phosphine
  • Propane
  • Silane
  • Sulfur dioxide
  • Sulfur tetrafluoride
  • Trifluorides
  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulate the allowable amounts of dangerous gases and measure them in parts per million. The objective for the agencies and for business owners and managers is to monitor gases to detect lethal-concentration levels of any harmful materials. Fresh air contains about 21% oxygen, and the objective is to maintain that healthy level as well as meet government regulations.

Escaping or invading gases can threaten health and be a fire or an explosion hazard, so monitoring gases with a fixed gas-detection system or series of mobile gas-detection tools is a must in many businesses. Even where it is not required by law, monitoring makes good businesses sense if safety is the number-one priority.

Many broad industries use some kind of gas and air-monitoring tools, as well as many pockets and niche businesses within each one

  • Agriculture
  • Automotive
  • Building ownership and management
  • Construction
  • Engineering
  • Environmental
  • Firefighting and rescue
  • Food service and production
  • Mining
  • Oil and gas
  • Parking garages
  • Power and energy
  • Refrigeration
  • Transportation: tunnels, trains, planes
  • Utilities
  • Waste management/landfill
  • Wastewater treatment

Tools to Use

Environmental Equipment & Supply offers a full line of RKI multi-gas instruments , which have enabled reliable gas-monitoring since 1994. They offer standard and special features for nearly any application your business or industry may require, such as instruments that are waterproof, resist shock, have built-in pumps, log data and display information clearly.

Each of the multi-gas detection tools, of course, can serve one or several purposes, and generally the instruments use these detection principles:

  • Catalytic combustion for combustible gases
  • Thermal conductivity for percent-volume of methane
  • MOS/catalytic for parts-per-million of methane
  • Galvanic cell for oxygen
  • Electrochemical cell for carbon monoxide

The following of gas-monitor models help you achieve safety

  1. The RKI GX 2009 Multi-Gas Monitor
  2. This device detects up to four gases: oxygen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and the percent-volume of combustibles, which is also called the low-explosive limit or LEL. The GX 2009 is ideal for use in confined spaces such as those encountered in mines, tunnels, underground construction and other applications in which monitoring is required using a device approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

    Its detection and accuracy ranges address many concerns

    • Combustible gases from zero to 5% with accuracy of ±5 or 0.1% volume
    • Oxygen from zero to 40% with accuracy of ±0.5%
    • Hydrogen sulfide from zero to 100 ppm with accuracy of ±5% or ±2 ppm
    • Carbon monoxide from zero to 500 ppm with accuracy of ±5% or ±5 ppm

    The GX 2009 fits in the palm of your hand and is the smallest and lightest of the multi-gas monitors at a weight of about five ounces. It includes a clear, easy-to-read LED display as well as an audible and a vibration alarm to alert you and your employees even if you work in a loud environment. Though small, this monitor is designed with workers in mind with features such as glow-in-the-dark buttons and controls you can manipulate while wearing gloves.

    Data-logging features on the GX 2009 multi-gas monitor are compatible with most stationary and mobile operating systems. The tool also calibrates automatically and includes a design that is waterproof and coated with impact-resistant rubber to make it extra tough. It is RKI’s most popular rental model.

  3. The RKI GX 2012 Multi-Gas Monitor
  4. This monitor uses a microprocessor and keeps watch on five gases: oxygen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, LEL and the percent-volume of methane. This handheld model resembles a small communications radio and is ideal for any confined spaces as with underground utility work, any enclosed project and projects involved in mining or tunnels. Other uses include gas-line purge testing and standard safety testing.

    Accuracy and detection ranges of this instrument cover many situations:

    • Combustible gases from zero to 100% LEL with accuracy of ±5% of reading or ±2%
    • Oxygen from zero to 40% with accuracy of ±0.5%
    • Hydrogen sulfide from zero to 100 ppm with accuracy of ±5% of reading or ±2 ppm
    • Carbon monoxide from zero to 500 ppm with accuracy of ±5% or ± 5 ppm
    • Percent-volume of methane from zero to 100% with accuracy of ±5% of reading or 2% of full scale

      The GX 2012 offers one operating mode for confined spaces and another for bar-hole type testing. The tool has a simple, backlit, clear LED readout that displays the gas-level numbers and alarms that the user sees, hears and feels. This model continuously self-checks for normal circuit, flow, calibration, sensor connection and battery.

    At a weight of about 12 ounces, the GX 2012 is RKI’s smallest five-gas monitor with an internal sample-drawing pump. It can draw samples within a 50-foot range and has two options for power, alkaline or lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. This model includes automatic or single calibration, buttons that are easy to navigate while wearing gloves and high resistance to dust and water.

  5. The RKI Gas Tracer/Methane Leak Detector/Multi-Gas Monitor
  6. This device serves as a five-gas detector as well as a monitor for up to three kinds of explosive gas. The tracer is often used for leak detection, gas-pipeline monitoring and purge testing.

    This tool gives you information on the percent of LEL, oxygen and carbon monoxide. For methane detection, the RKI Gas Tracer can be fitted with a sensor that reads to 10 parts-per-million and with a thermal conductivity sensor, will read up to 100% of the volume methane.

    The tracer’s detection range and accuracy address a variety of needs:

    • Combustible gases from zero to 100% with accuracy of ±5% of reading or ±2% LEL
    • Oxygen from zero to 40% with accuracy of ±0.5%
    • Carbon monoxide from zero to 500 ppm with accuracy of ±5% or ±5 ppm
    • Percent volume of methane from zero to 100% with accuracy of ±5% of reading or ±2% full scale
    • PPM methane from zero to 5,000 ppm with accuracy of ±10% of reading or ±50 ppm

    The gas tracer also includes an internal sampling pump and easy-read LED display, weighs 12.3 ounces and features interchangeable power sources of alkaline or rechargeable batteries that enable 600 hours of data logging.

  7. RKI Instruments Eagle Gas Monitor
  8. This instrument provides a versatile tool that detects up to six gases simultaneously and offers as many as 400 different gas-monitoring configurations . A powerful internal pump reaches up to 125 feet away with filters.

    Its powerful operation features a practically all-encompassing array of detection ranges and high-ranking accuracy, including most of the “super toxic” gases that can invade our air:

    • Oxygen from zero to 40%
    • Carbon monoxide from zero to 500 ppm
    • Percent volume of methane from zero to 100% of LEL and volume
    • Hydrogen sulfide from zero to 100 ppm
    • Hydrocarbons from zero to 100% LEL

    The Eagle Portable Gas Monitor puts the air-monitoring power of infrared technology into your hands. The sampling pump delivers 6,000 hours of life for testing, and the instrument will run continuously for a 30-hour minimum with alkaline batteries.

  9. The GX-6000
  10. The RKI Instruments Photo-Ionization Detectors sense up to six gases, the “standard four” of confined spaces, as well as two more toxic gases you can choose to monitor with the applicable filter, including a list of more than 600 volatile-organic compounds.

    These handheld, portable detectors can be used in many applications:

    • Confined-space entry
    • Hazardous-materials response
    • Landfill monitoring
    • Arson forensics
    • Remediation work
    • Leak detecting
    • Perimeter monitoring

    The GX-6000 handheld model can go with you into harsh conditions to give reliable readings. It also features a simple display and easy-to-use buttons, as well as man-down and panic alarms and a strong, internal pump.

    Its range and accuracy cover a number of needs:

    • Oxygen from zero to 40% with accuracy ±0.5%
    • Carbon monoxide from zero to 500 ppm with accuracy ±5% of reading or ±5 ppm
    • Percent volume of methane from zero to 100% of LEL and volume with accuracy ±5% of reading or ±2% of full scale
    • Hydrogen sulfide from zero to 100 ppm with accuracy ±5% of reading or ±2 ppm
    • Hydrocarbons from zero to 100% LEL with accuracy of ±5% of reading or ±2% LEL
  11. The RKI Eagle 2
  12. The other Photo-Ionization Detector monitors for up to six gases and gives you powerful protection against invading gases. Its capacity for detection and accuracy include about a dozen other toxic elements besides the "top five:"

    • Oxygen from zero to 40% with accuracy ±0.5%
    • Carbon monoxide from zero to 500 ppm with accuracy ±5% of reading or ±5 ppm
    • Percent volume of methane from zero to 100% of LEL and volume with accuracy ±5% of reading or ±2% of full s
    • Hydrogen sulfide from zero to 100 ppm with accuracy ±5% of reading or ±2 ppm
    • Hydrocarbons from zero to 100% LEL with accuracy of ±5% of reading or ±2% LEL

    The versatile Eagle can display your information using three modes to see all gases at once or one at a time. You can select a large-font readout and your choice of scrolling automatically or manually. Eagle makes the idea of safety more universal with this tool since it can give the readout information in any one of five languages: English, French, German, Italian or Spanish.

  13. RKI Instruments Single-Gas Instruments
  14. These devices will serve your needs if you’re dealing with a concern about one type of gas or want a separate monitor to detect one of four gases.

    • Oxygen from zero to 40% with accuracy of ±0.5%
    • Carbon monoxide from zero to 500 ppm with accuracy of ±5% of reading or ±5 ppm
    • Hydrogen sulfide from zero to 100 ppm with accuracy of ±5% of reading or ±2 ppm
    • Combustible gas from zero to 100% LEL with accuracy of ±0.5% or ±2% LEL
    • Any toxic gas needed as a single-gas monitor of this type

    They're pocket-sized instruments that weigh less than three ounces and will run for about 3,000 hours on two AAA alkaline batteries. Features of the single-gas monitors include data-logging software, protective boot, backlight, attachment clip and calibration station.

  15. GasWatch
  16. This instrument gives hands-free function among the single-gas monitors with a choice of carbon monoxide, oxygen and hydrogen sulfide. You wear it on your wrist and get all of the same function as a bigger single-gas monitor. GasWatch is the smallest, lightest monitor RKI offers and is popular in many industries where air quality is a concern:

    • Wastewater treatment
    • Chemical plant
    • Oil and gas refineries
    • Fire fighting
    • Transportation tunnels
    • Hazardous waste sites
    • Mining
  17. RKI Instruments Fixed Gas-Detection Systems
  18. These systems offer a series of 10 transmitter and receiver models to fit an array of needs in whatever environment you might have. They can be fitted to work alone or together in a series to detect everything from the basics and hydrogen to specific flammable or toxic gases, sometimes in a single-gas setup and others for multiple-gas detection.

    Many are designed to withstand explosion, and you find them at work in a variety of applications:

    • Automotive
    • Manufacturing
    • Paper mills
    • Petrochemicals
    • Wastewater
    • Semiconductor
    • Oil and gas refinery
  19. RKI Instruments Specialty Instruments
  20. Specialty instruments provide the tools needed to stay safe under what may be challenging or unusual circumstances. Maybe you need to protect against formaldehyde. Perhaps you have specific concerns about low oxygen levels or high methane. Specialty instruments can meet those needs and assuage your concern.

    • RKI Instruments OX-07 Personal Oxygen Monitor fits in a pocket and gives the wearer personal protection against low levels by sounding an alarm that is audible even in noisy environments.
    • RKI Instruments FP-30 Formaldehyde Detector features high sensitivity using photoelectric photometry, a colorimetric detection tab and a microprocessor. It achieves the sensitivity recommended by the World Health Organization.
    • RKI Instruments RI-85 detects carbon dioxide from zero to 10,000 ppm using infrared technology, and it has an internal pump for sampling. The handheld tool is compact, lightweight and has audible and visual alarms.
    • RKI Instruments SP-205ASC Leak Detector senses dangerous leaks when they’re small. It uses an internal pump to continuously intake air and is comfortable to wear using a shoulder strap. It is commonly found detecting special gases — for example, gaseous hydride in the semi-conductor industry.
    • RKI Instruments SP-210 and SP-210L have a high sensitivity to low gas levels and are usually found at work anywhere there is natural or liquefied petroleum (LP) gas. Many public entities such as cities, townships and counties might use them, as well as a number of private businesses. This reliable handheld tool has an easy-to-read LED bar as well as a vibrating alarm.

Environmental Equipment & Supply offers you the equipment and the expertise in how to use and maintain it. We encourage you to explore the options and let us help answer questions and establish the gas-detection system(s) that will keep you, your workers and your workplace safe and compliant.