Gas detectors: Not just hot air

16th September 2024

As employees worldwide report increasing worries about their safety, it’s no surprise that the global gas detection market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 11% through to 2030.

Of the estimated 15 to 20% of global employees who work alone, 44% say they feel unsafe on the job – for good reason. According to a survey by the National Safety Council, almost 70% of organisations reported a safety incident involving a lone worker from 2019 to 2021, with one in five incidents described as “quite or very severe”. While these numbers are staggering, they’re driving urgently needed change in industries that employ lone workers, including mining, power, transportation, and manufacturing.

PROACTIVE SAFETY MEASURES NEEDED

More companies are recognising that in emergencies, it’s no longer sufficient to have safety devices that simply beep and flash to alert employees to harm. What’s needed to best protect workers is a proactive, comprehensive view of the circumstances in which people work alone and the hazards they face.

As a result, there’s a growing movement towards companies developing robust safety programmes that clearly define roles, responsibilities, training, and resources. These programmes equip workers with the best available technology to keep them informed, connected, and safe. In most cases, reliable gas detection tops the priority list.

TRADITIONAL DETECTOR LIMITATIONS

Long considered the cornerstone of safety, traditional gas detectors fall short of offering full protection due to several limitations. These devices typically operate in isolation, rely solely on local alarms, and lack automatic fall detection, leaving workers vulnerable. Often, employers feel their only option is to load employees with multiple protection devices, leaving them struggling to manage diverse products and functions to enforce complex device usage and compliance protocols.

It’s no wonder that an all-in-one connected safety device, complete with gas detection, is increasingly becoming the preferred solution. These devices give workers the confidence to get the job done and return home safely at the end of the day.

Benefits of connected safety

As various workplaces undergo digital transformation, organisations are increasingly seeking safety devices that link employees with live monitoring, enable real-time information sharing, collect vital location data, support more informed decision-making, and facilitate faster emergency responses.

For example, market demand for Blackline Safety’s all-in-one connected G7 wearables is growing exponentially. These devices offer features such as gas detection, SOS latch, fall and no motion detection, push-to-talk capability, and real-time connectivity. Coupled with Blackline’s 24/7 live monitoring and Blackline Analytics, G7’s lone worker protection ensures that if someone has an incident on the job – whether it’s a gas exposure, a fall, a health event, electrocution, or a sudden weather hazard – someone else will know about it and be able to send help immediately.

Agents at Blackline Safety’s in-house safety operations centre and global alarm receiving centres respond to alerts within seconds, escalating to local emergency services as needed. The centres adhere to the highest industry standards, including dual back-up internet connections, redundant power supplies, support for 20 languages, and a secondary location in the event of evacuation, to ensure full protection 365 days a year.

To support critical decision making, the Blackline Analytics platform provides a standard suite of essential reports, including compliance and fleet management analytics as well as performance and safety analytics. Automated reporting means companies don’t have to wait to upload manual data from standalone monitoring devices or update spreadsheets. Instead, easy-to-read visuals and interactive dashboards are delivered via email or accessed in the Blackline Live portal.

PRODUCT EXPANSION AND DEMO

Blackline Safety’s G6 single-gas detectors, now offer an emergency SOS trigger at the push of a button and an expanded suite of data and reporting analytics, as well as two new service plans: Protect and Protect Plus.

The company also provides the industry’s only direct-to-cloud area gas monitor in the EXO, which offers real-time area monitoring of up to 19 gases with swappable cartridges. “The advent of connected gas detectors is a major advance in gas detection technology. By embracing connected safety solutions, organisations can meet regulatory requirements, save lives, prevent accidents, and foster a safety excellence culture,” says Deon Naidoo, Blackline Safety region sales manager for South and sub-Saharan Africa.

Blackline Safety’s partner Trigas will be demonstrating the Blackline range of connected safety devices at Electra Mining in September. Visit Hall 6, Stand A29 to see the solutions in person.