Page 50 - Occupational Health & Safety, June 2017

IH/GAS DETECTION
Apps should enhance the instrument, not shift attention from the gas detector.
tivity channels including Wi-Fi, cell, and satellite. Some gas detection solutions are partnering with specific cell providers, which means customers must invest in both gas detection programs and a specific data provider.
Focus on simplicity of design. Some gas detection vendors are providing real-time
data apps, which require workers to take actions such as pushing a button every few hours to check in. Instead, look for vendors that allow workers to focus on their jobs without needing to use a safety app. If they are already carrying a gas detector, why burden them with other devices that may be redundant? Let the gas detector do its job, leverage the gas detector fully to maxi- mize your investment, and any apps should enhance the instrument, not shift attention from the gas detector.
■ Pick a gas detection vendor with
Pick a gas detection vendor with built-in man down and panic alarms because these are the most essential real-time alerts.
built-in man down and panic alarms be- cause these are the most essential real-time alerts. Picking multiple vendors could mean multiple devices and multiple apps.
■ Look for a gas detection vendor that supports communication across the gas detection fleet, spanning personal and area monitors. You need a single software solu- tion to provide real-time alerts on all types of gas detectors.
■ Look for gas detection vendors that offer real-time alerts to supervisors that will also display alerts on instruments in close range. When working in a small team, it is helpful to see all readings from all workers on the instruments and also ensure those readings are sent to the su- pervisor in real time.
■ Look for solutions that give you flex- ibility to detect hazardous gases depending on your situation. A good rule of thumb is to look for instruments that detect five gases.
■ Look for vendors who open up data to customers, and make sure data is avail- able via an API.
With real-time data at their fingertips, safety leaders can view a map of workers at any time during the work day and see their statuses. Real-time data eliminates the need for check-ins, automatic or otherwise, because supervisors can easily view a map and understand both worker and instru- ment status.
As investment increases in consumer electronics for safety, let’s also consider in- novation in gas detection programs. Don’t pick between historical data and real-time data—find a gas detection program that uses both types of data. Don’t choose be- tween analyzing trends and dispatching emergency services at the right time, be- cause you need both to stay safe in the mo- ment.
Kimberly Madia is director, product man- agement, cloud solutions at Industrial Sci- entific Corporation. She can be reached at kmadia@indsci.com.
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