What is a confined space?
Many workplaces contain areas that are considered to be confined spaces. A confined space is an enclosed or partially enclosed area that, while it may be big enough for a worker to enter, are not designed for a person to work in regularly. These spaces often lack resources you would normally find in areas designed for continuous occupancy, such as proper ventilation systems, lighting or areas that would allow for easy entry (such as stairwells or doorways).
Common confined spaces can include areas such as large pipelines, manholes, tanks or wells. These less-than-ideal conditions pose a higher risk for workers, as they are prone to atmospheric hazards such as a toxic gas leak or lack of oxygen. Complicating matters, the route to exit the confined space can present some challenges, often requiring hands to grab handrails or ladders. Despite these risks, certain applications may require a worker to enter a confined space for a period of time.
Why use a gas detector with a pump?
Pumped gas detectors allow a user to easily sample air from a confined space with a length of tubing or probe, testing for potential hazardous gases. This type of gas monitor provides the user with gas level readings to determine if it’s safe before entering. After the user has confirmed that the space isn’t hazardous, they can safely enter and perform any work that needs to be done. In contrast, a regular personal gas instrument operates through diffusion, only sampling the breathing air nearby worker’s face. Long gone are the days of remotely lowering a diffusion-based instrument into a confined space to test for atmospheric hazards.
The world's smallest pump
Our G7 gas detection instruments are fully customizable with plug-and-play cartridges that accommodate for every gas detection application. As the newest addition to our cartridge portfolio, G7’s multi-gas pump cartridge features the world’s smallest integrated pump. Our new G7 pump instrument weighs only 19 grams (about half an ounce) more than our G7 with a diffusion-based cartridge. Equipping any G7 gas monitor with a pump takes seconds, requiring the removal of two retention screws. Simply snap your cartridge into place and G7 has you prepared for every confined space entry. G7 is the first pumped gas monitor in the industry to provide users with on-screen flow-rate monitoring. Users never have to wonder if their pump is working properly again.
Since different gas hazards can stratify at different levels in a confined space, dwelling at different heights can be necessary to ensure that all gas hazards are accounted for. We’ve made it easy for users to sample at each point long enough to accurately account for possible exposures. Combined with a tubing length setting, our sample timer provides a convenient countdown that lets users know when they can move from one sample location to the next.
Pump for when you need it, diffusion when you don't
We designed our G7 suite to help teams stay productive, and G7 pump makes no exception. Users can easily switch between diffusion and pump configuration modes without changing their hardware. With six configuration modes to choose from —including pre-entry mode — G7 pump has you your teams covered for every application. Configuration modes allow users to temporarily change G7’s behaviour for different applications. Users can simply turn the pump on when required. When the pump is no longer needed, or the pre-configured timeout period is reached, the cartridge will turn off and automatically switch to diffusion mode.
While users may be given the option for a continuous pump run mode, the additional benefit of using the pre-entry mode is the additional visibility that a business receives through data analytics.
For more information on configuration modes, visit our support site.
The power of analytics
G7’s built-in assisted GPS and location beacon technology means that every confined space entry is location tagged for mapping in Blackline Live. Know when and where workers are entering confined spaces, for what duration, and what a users peak exposures are.
With Blackline’s business analytics reporting, businesses gain knowledge into which confined spaces are safe and which spaces are potentially hazardous. Some businesses, particularly those without permit-required confined space entry, lose visibility of when personnel perform entries, where, for how long and if any hazards were encountered. G7 automatically documents each confined space entry for easy review and comparison, powering more informed decision making.
Are you ready to learn more about how connected confined space entry can empower your business? Contact us today or download our confined space entry e-book below!
