Technical Reprint TR-001
Sierra Monitor Corp. 1991 Tarob Ct., Milpitas, California 95035 USA 408-262-6611, 800-727-4377 FAX: 408-262-9042
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To minimize risks, a plant-wide gas monitoring system must meet the specific needs of
the facility in terms of system inputs and outputs and data acquisition.
Plant-Wide Gas Monitoring for Risk Control
as monitoring has become an integral part of many environmental protection and safety programs. Because of
increased attention to risks posed by gas, systems that simply annunciate an alarm condition are no longer
adequate. Gas monitoring programs now comprise employee training, data analysis, multiple alarm strategies,
self-diagnostic system verification, and documentation. Data communication has also become a fundamental
component of system design and operation as well. And finally, environmental factors help guide the program
selection process.
GAS MONITORING RATIONALE
Gas Monitoring is an integral part of environmental protection and safety programs. There are three major
categories of hazardous gases.
Combustible gases
pose a risk to personnel and facilities through fire or explosion..
Oxygen displacing gases
deplete workers'
oxygen supply in confined spaces.
Toxic gases
create both immediate
and long term risks to personnel. Toxic gases are those OSHA and other organizations have defined as hazardous to
human health. They are typically monitored both below and above the threshold limit value (TLV). TLV is an
8-hour time weighted average concentration that is the highest value acceptable as a safe working environment.
System design requirements such as the number of sensors required, sensor placement, and system alarm levels will
vary according to the type of gas.
A properly designed gas risk management program can reduce risk. A successful program needs to first, identify the
hazards at the facility, then assess the risk of a hazardous event to the plant, personnel, the community and the
environment. Next, the program needs to comply with insurance, legal and regulatory requirements. Also, liabilities
and financial risks need to be evaluated. Finally, the program must incorporate company safety philosophies.
Through such a program you can reduce the risks associated with hazardous gas leaks at your facility. Sierra
Monitor offers products that provide critical data to prompt corrective action before a minor leak becomes a major
event. Information can be retrieved from the equipment display, printed locally or recorded by a computer. This
information aids in evaluating potential hazards in relation to operating practices.
G
Insurance
R equirem ents
C om pany
Philosophy
R isk to
Personnel
R isk to
Environm ent
R isk to
Facility
H azard Identification &
A ssessm ent
C ontrol System
C apability/C ost
Tradeoffs
Law s &
R egulations
Decision,
C ontrol Strategy,
System Selection
Financial
R isks
Liability
R is k R e d u c tio n
