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Confined environments like mines and sewer systems can be hazardous places to work. One of the most dangerous threats in these worksites is gas, which can be lethal but undetectable by human senses. Consequently, gas detection systems are a critical safety measure.
Carbon monoxide poisoning alone causes 430 deaths each year1 in the U.S. Workers in mines and other confined spaces may encounter other toxic gases, too, but thankfully, detection mechanisms have seen considerable improvements recently. Connected devices, in particular, could revolutionise this area of workplace safety.
The need for improved systems
Gas-related hazards are serious, but they can easily go overlooked. Despite how deadly some fumes can be, they may not immediately come to mind for many safety managers, as threats like electrical or slip hazards are easier to spot. As gas-related deaths have declined, it’s also become easier to grow complacent about these dangers, falsely assuming they’re no longer as threatening.
Given the risk of this complacency, gas detection systems must be straightforward enough to encourage use. Many older sampling and testing technologies are complex, multi-step processes. As a result, workers may see them as an inconvenience and gloss over using them to accomplish their work sooner.
Similarly, conventional testing systems aren’t always reliable. A 2020 bulletin from the U.K.’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) outlines a fatal incident2 from unreliable equipment. An extended sample tube’s material absorbed the flammable gas before reaching the detector, leading to a false reading that there was no gas in the area. Consequently, the team proceeded with their work, causing a fatal ignition.
As other safety technologies advance, becoming more accurate, reliable and easy to use, so must gas detection systems. Connected devices could provide those needed upgrades.
Gas detection technologies
Connected gas sensing devices can use several different technologies to detect hazardous fumes. Some of the most common are catalytic bead (CB) systems. CB detectors use a heated wire coil that burns the gas in question, so as the coil’s temperature increases, it suggests higher concentrations of flammable fumes.
Electrochemical sensors are another option. These systems convert gas into an electrical current, measuring the strength of that reaction to determine the concentration of various gases. If teams must work with toxic rather than flammable fumes or require precise parts-per-million measurements, these sensors are ideal.
Infrared sensors, which come in point (PIR) and open path (OPIR) variants, use infrared light to detect gases. These small, low-maintenance devices can easily fit in wearables or monitor open environments for hydrocarbon gases. However, they cannot detect hydrogen, which workspaces with high heat or open flames must monitor.
Other technologies like laser or ultraviolet detection systems can also be helpful in more niche environments with specific requirements but may not be suitable for most purposes. Which of these other alternatives is best depends on the specific worksite and application at hand.
“as other safety technologies advance, so must gas detection systems”
Could this revolutionise gas detection?
The internet of things (IoT) brings several improvements to any of these gas detection technologies. Communications protocols like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 5G or Zigbee can bring online connectivity to virtually any electronic device. In gas monitoring applications, this means detection systems can wirelessly communicate with other devices.
While this connectivity may seem inconsequential at first, it unlocks many health and safety benefits. Here’s how these technologies can revolutionise gas monitoring
and detection.
1. Providing real-time alerts
IoT devices use wireless communication protocols to transmit crucial data in real-time. In gas detection, this means workers can receive immediate alerts when these portable sensors detect unsafe levels of various gases. This immediacy, in turn, can save lives through faster reactions.
Connected gas sensors today often take the form of wearable devices that each worker wears while working. Keeping these gadgets so close further shortens the time between when a sensor detects dangerous gas levels and when employees evacuate the areas. These time savings may seem small initially, but considering how carbon monoxide poisoning can become deadly in mere minutes3, any improvement can be life-saving.
Because these IoT sensors continuously monitor the environment, workers don’t have to stop to check for hazards, either. The devices will alert them as soon as gas concentrations reach a concerning threshold, letting them evacuate before endangering anyone’s health.
2. Streamlining communication
Similarly, connected devices also streamline the chain of communication when a gas hazard arises. Gases may reach dangerous concentrations in one area before sensors in another can detect them. That can be an obstacle with conventional gas detection solutions, but not for the IoT.
When IoT sensors in one area detect gas, they can share this data with all other IoT devices in the workplace. As a result, information from one device can inform real-time alerts throughout the entire network. Workers even in the areas furthest away from the danger can see the update and evacuate, helping ensure a smoother, faster process.
Similarly, these devices can also alert relevant stakeholders who may not be on-site. Off-site managers or safety officers can also learn of potential issues on the jobsite without relying on slow, often error-prone manual communication.
3. Simplifying compliance
These real-time alerts and streamlined communication make gas detection an overall easier process. That ease of use can be a critical safety advantage. When it’s easier to measure these dangerous hazards, workers are more likely to do so. As a result, IoT connectivity can improve compliance with safety standards.
Official benchmarks and required processes are essential for effective risk management. However, these regulations are only effective to the extent that employees will actually adhere to them. One of the best ways to boost this compliance is to make it less complex, time-consuming, or otherwise unengaging. The IoT’s convenience does just that.
Because connected devices alert workers automatically, teams don’t have to stop their work to check for hazards. Similarly, sending these alerts to relevant stakeholders automatically removes the burden of communication from employees. By reducing people’s role in regulatory compliance, IoT connectivity makes it easier, and thus, more likely, for teams to adhere to the rules.
4. Improving reliability
Another advantage of connected gas sensors is that their interconnectivity can improve reliability. Different sensor types are ideal for different gases, and IoT connectivity can combine these various devices into a cohesive unit. Alerts from one can transmit to another, giving workers real-time updates about all gas types regardless of which specific sensor they’re closest to.
Connected devices also help ensure sensing technologies maintain peak performance for longer. Preventative maintenance reduces the risk of breakdowns4 in any machine, and IoT sensors can alert relevant workers when a piece of equipment needs repair. This practice, called predictive maintenance, ensures businesses address issues before they cause larger, potentially dangerous problems.
Maintaining gas-sensing equipment this way helps prevent errors that could jeopardise workers’ health. Even if something does go wrong, the IoT can mitigate the impact. Because these systems are interconnected, if one sensor fails, another will still pick up on the gas and alert the entire system.
“when it’s easier to measure these dangerous hazards, workers are more likely to do so”
5. Informing long-term improvements
Finally, connected devices enable ongoing, longer-term improvements in workplace safety. As IoT sensors gather data and report hazards, they create a digital record of when and where gas hazards arise. Safety managers can then use this information to make necessary adjustments.
Given the IoT’s distributed nature, employees can pinpoint the specific areas where sensors detected gas, not just when they did. Over time, this location-specific information may reveal trends. These trends could suggest areas of the workplace that are too dangerous to continue working in or specific workers who often encounter hazards, requiring behavioural changes.
As safety managers review and react to this historical data, they can address the root causes of hazards. They can then prevent gas-related risks, not just mitigate them.
Potential concerns
While the IoT has many advantages for gas detection, it carries a few unique concerns, too. Most notably, increased connectivity opens the door for higher cybersecurity risks in workplaces that may not be used to dealing with them.
IoT devices are notoriously challenging to secure5, largely from their limited built-in security features and how they introduce new vulnerabilities to networks. With more connected devices, there are more potential entry points for cybercriminals. If a criminal breaches one of these devices, they could stop it from working correctly, potentially endangering workers.
Managing IoT connectivity can be challenging, too. For these networks to work effectively, all devices should use the same communications protocols, but the IoT lacks universal standards, limiting compatibility. Some of these protocols may also be insufficient for some workplaces, given limited space or cellular signal.
Implementing connected devices
If workplace safety managers want to capitalise on IoT gas detection fully, they must take care when implementing these devices. That falls into three main steps:
- Selecting the optimal sensing technology for the job at hand
- Choosing the right IoT protocol for their needs
- Securing their IoT networks
Here’s a closer look at those steps in detail.
Select the optimal technology
The first step is to choose the sensing technology, be it CB, electrochemical or something else, that works the best for their specific worksite. To do that, organisations must determine which gases pose the most relevant risks, then find connected devices capable of detecting them.
Generally speaking, CB sensors are best suited for flammable fumes, while electrochemical systems are ideal when toxic gases are the main concern. Many IoT devices, especially wearables, which target convenience, can detect multiple types of gases. Teams should look at the available sensors on the market to see their options, then determine the best one based on their needs.
“connected devices enable ongoing, longer-term improvements in workplace safety”
If implementing multiple sensor types, they must ensure they’re all compatible. That means looking for devices that support the same IoT protocols and have cross-functionality. Thankfully, as the IoT market develops, cross-compatibility between connected devices is becoming increasingly common.
Choose the optimal IoT protocol
Next, businesses must address which communications protocol best suits their needs. Just as different sensor technologies have varying strengths and weaknesses, so do IoT platforms. Teams should start by listing what they need from an IoT network, then look for what’s available within the protocols that meet those needs.
5G can support up to one million devices per square kilometer6 but has limited accessibility, especially in remote workplaces like mines. Alternatively, Bluetooth enables device-to-device communication without additional infrastructure but has a shorter range. Many IoT sensors can switch between protocols, giving businesses more options, but they still must decide which one provides the most benefits.
In some circumstances, teams will have to install additional infrastructure to support the protocols their devices need. Consequently, businesses must account for things like range extenders and similar network devices in their IoT budgets.
Secure connected devices
Finally, organisations must implement higher cybersecurity standards to reduce hacking-related hazards. Two of the most important steps are changing connected devices’ default passwords and enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA). While relatively straightforward, these measures move past weak default options to make IoT devices harder to hack into.
Businesses must also only use IoT devices that support encrypted communication. Without encryption, cybercriminals can easily capture data in transit, potentially gaining access to sensitive information or devices. Some connected devices support encryption but don’t enable it by default, so teams must also ensure they check these settings.
Training all employees on how to practice good cyber hygiene is another essential cybersecurity step. Workers should understand the importance of using strong, unique passwords and MFA, with training emphasising the risks of ignoring these steps. Similarly, all employees should learn how to spot phishing attempts, which can give cybercriminals access to critical information or devices despite other security steps.
Connected devices could revolutionise gas detection
Gas hazards can pose serious threats to some workers, but connected devices provide a reliable defense. If organisations keep these technologies’ weaknesses in mind and implement them accordingly, they can substantially improve gas detection practices.
Connected devices may not be a silver bullet against gas hazards, but they offer several advantages. With these technologies, workplaces can shorten response times, improve detection accuracy, and enable long-term improvements to keep workers safe.
References
- www.cdc.gov/dotw/carbonmonoxide/index.html
- www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/failure-to-detect-dangerous-gas.htm
- my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15663-carbon-monoxide-poisoning
- thompsontrucksource.com/service
- revolutionized.com/protect-iot-devices-from-attack/
- www.statista.com/statistics/1183690/mobile-broadband-connection-density/
