In the hospital or at home, medical oxygen can be a life saver. During the coronavirus pandemic, millions of Covid-19 patients worldwide have been administered with medicinal oxygen to support their recovery. In the right hands, oxygen is highly therapeutic – but during its manufacture it can present hazards which must be mitigated to ensure the safety of personnel and plant assets.
Flammable, toxic and asphyxiant gases are processed 24 hours per day in the industrial gases sector. A myriad of preventative processes, such as HAZOP and risk assessments are undertaken to minimise the operational risks. Also, real-time monitoring techniques such as gas detection are used to sound the alarm if a gas leak does take place. Fixed sniffers can protect equipment, wearable units can protect people, and portable units can support maintenance activities.
The most appropriate mix of gas detection equipment is largely influenced by the potential hazards of the gases onsite. Across medical oxygen production operations and cylinder filling, gas detection has a major role to play. Investment in safety is a mindset which can take the form of low-risk process selection, reliable equipment specification and encouraging behavioural or cultural best practices. The installation of gas detection instrumentation to sound the alarm before a situation escalates to a dangerous level, can also play an essential role in a mix of mitigation and prevention strategies. The links between the gas detection equipment and automated responses or human behaviour are also essential to work through.
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