Cross Sensitivity – What You Ought to Know to Keep Your Workers Safe?

Toxic gases cause threats to workplace safety. When working in risk conditions, you may not be sure about the gases present in your work environment. Gas detectors are widely used in industries to identify and measure specific gases and provide a precise reading in case of any emergency. In some instances, gas detectors face the challenge of cross sensitivities, which is also called as interfering gasses. In general, gas detectors identify a specific gas and send an alarm when the gas level exceeds the safety limit. Sometimes, this reading provided by the gas detectors is affected by a gas that isn’t meant to be monitored or detected. This results in false alarm or inaccurate reading put your workers at risk.

Different Options to Detect Gas

People use different gas detection option to identify and monitor the level of gas at their facility. One of the most common types used is a portable gas detector. Portable gas detectors are equipped to detect a single gas or multiple gasses. These detectors use different technologies to identify gas-related hazards.

- Catalytic diffusion and IR sensor – Detect combustible gases

- PID sensors – Detect Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and hydrocarbons

- Electrochemical sensors – Detect gases that are toxic and harmful to the human respiratory system.

The electrochemical sensor that detects the presence of toxic gases contain a sensing electrode, a counter electrode, and a reference electrode. These electrodes are placed in a sensor housing that is in contact with a liquid electrolyte. When a toxic gas is present in the work atmosphere, it diffuses into the sensor and works its way towards the electrolyte. A chemical reaction occurs when the gas reaches the electrolyte, and this creates energy. This electric current produced is directly proportional to the concentration of the gas. The gas level determined is displayed in Parts Per Million (PPM) for toxic gas detectors and percentage volume for oxygen sensors.

What is Cross Sensitivity?

Each gas detector is created to detect a specific type of gas. But some gases present in the environment causes the electrode to react even if no toxic gas is present. For instance, a detector designed to measure Carbon Monoxide can generate reading due to other gases even if CO is not present. This inaccuracy in readings is problematic for workers. It can also result in an unnecessary evacuation, ventilation, and downtime. This can be explained using the same example. When the CO detector shows false reading, the users will no longer trust the meters. Moreover, they ignore the fact that the working area had another concentrated gas that caused the alarm. So, it’s imperative to train your workers to use gas monitors and educate them on cross-sensitivity.

Wrapping Up

Cross sensitivity can affect the safety of the workers and cause headache to the management. Understanding how cross sensitivities apply to your facilities helps your workers narrow down what gases could be present and have caused the reading. So, it’s crucial to ensure that the staff involved in gas detection are aware of the nature and consequences of cross-sensitivity and its adverse effects.

The author of this article is a leading supplier of gas detectors and has over a decade of experience in the industry. In this article, he explains cross-sensitivity and how understanding it improves worker’s safety. Visit https://prodetec.com.au/product-category/gmi/ for more information.

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