Instrument Depot, Inc.

The Importance of Respiratory Protection & Draeger Gas Detection
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a Georgia organization failed to protect its employees from workplace hazards, leading to the evacuation of about 50 workers.
Pilgrim’s Pride Corp.’s Ammonia leak ended up hospitalizing two workers – an emergency that could’ve been avoided by following the required safety standards and ensuring respiratory protection.
Uncontrolled temperature and pressure conditions on an ammonia refrigeration system led to the release of liquid and v***r ammonia, inundating the emergency exit doors, and putting employees at risk.
Inhalation and exposure to low concentrations of ammonia can cause coughing, and throat, nose, and eye irritation. Exposure to higher concentrations of ammonia can cause immediate burning of the eyes, throat, nose, and respiratory tract and can result in blindness, lung damage, and even death.
It’s critical that proper standard operating procedures are in place alongside Emergency Response Plans to ensure safe operations, especially when it comes to hazard monitoring and personal protection equipment (PPE). Draeger gas detectors and other products can assist with identifying and protecting against ammonia and other hazards in the workplace.
OSHA issued nine citations, stating the plant had failed to:
• Maintain safe walking and working surfaces
• Train workers on the physical and health hazards of anhydrous ammonia
• Ensure exit signs were properly illuminated and clearly identified
• Confirm a pre-startup safety review before introducing a highly hazardous chemical into an existing process, and include instructions to address process deviations
Breathing problems continue to rank as one of the most frequently cited OSHA standards and in today’s complex industrial environment, an increased focus on respiratory protection is paramount. In addition to ammonia, there are hundreds of dangerous gases and chemicals to beware of; not only for OSHA compliance but to ensure respiratory protection for everyone in the area.
Check out the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards to get general industrial hygiene information for various noxious chemicals and other hazardous substances.
If you want to learn more about the importance of specialty gases, Draeger gas detection, or purchase Draeger tubes, Instrument Depot is the leading distributor of precision calibration gas mixtures, accessories, and bump gas tests.
Ensure the respiratory protection of your work environment through air quality measurements and the detection of hazardous chemicals.

How Do Gas Detector Tubes Work? | Instrument Depot What are gas detector tubes used for and how do they work? At Instrument Depot, we're here to help with safely detecting toxic gases in harmful environments.

Staying Safe in Hazardous Environments with Portable Gas Detectors
Identifying Toxic Gases with Portable Detection Instruments
Calibration gases help protect workplaces from exposure to toxic gases. These harmful v***rs are often odorless and nearly impossible to detect without the use of quality gas detectors. Without calibration gas instruments, workers could enter and remain in a hazardous area for far too long and risk short- and long-term health effects.
Portable Gas Detectors
Portable gas monitors are great for utility workers, maintenance employees, first responders, and anyone who may/might come in contact with highly toxic gases. These personal instruments are battery-operated, easily carried, and are designed to keep workers safe in the field or any hazardous location.
Portable gas detectors work by alarming – with sounds, vibrations, and flashing – a user whenever toxic gases are present. The worker with the instrument equipped to their bag, collar, or belt will then hear, feel, and see the warning. These devices are ideal for all kinds of hazardous environments, including noisy construction areas and locations with little-to-no visibility.
Gas detectors and portable instruments are imperative for alerting the user to toxic gasses and hazardous environments.
Additionally, we offer semi-portable instruments, like the Draeger X-am 8000, for gas detection within confined spaces. This product is designed specifically to meet the requirements of clearance measurements in confined space entry and leak search. The X-am 8000 includes a powerful internal pump that connects to a hose up to 45 meters away. These multi-gas monitors are used to simultaneously detect and measure up to seven flammable and toxic gasses, v***rs, and oxygen.
At Instrument Depot, we have dozens of Draeger portable gas detectors, confined space gas monitors, carrying cases, calibration kits, sensors, and bump gas test cylinders. Bump gas, Bump Test is a cost-effective solution to verify calibration gas by exposing the instrument to a known concentration of test gas. If the response is within an acceptable tolerance range of the concentration, its calibration is verified. However, if the Bump Test results are not within the acceptable range, a full calibration must then be performed.
Instrument Depot is the leading distributor of precision calibration gas mixtures, bump gas tests, and calibration gas accessories. Contact us about single or multi calibration gas mixes, Draeger tubes, or other calibration gas detection accessories.

Importance of Calibration Gas Accuracy

Calibration Gas Helps Identify Harmful Gases in the Area
Calibration gas is used to ensure gas meters and gas detectors are working properly. These pieces of equipment are essential for testing gas levels and maintaining optimal performance in hazardous job sites.
These meters, detectors, and additional instruments require regular calibration to ensure accurate readings and avoid potentially catastrophic situations. Calibration means to correlate the readings of an instrument - like gas deters or meters - with a standard scale in order to check the instrument's accuracy.
If analytical accuracy is not maintained, an extremely dangerous environment could wrongly be verified as nontoxic, jeopardizing the health and safety of everyone nearby.
In order to be a calibration gas, the gas must be traceable to an international or national standard. The calibration gas process involves applying a known concentration of a certain type of gas to the detection system and subsequently analyzing and adjusting the gas and the instrument's response to the gas value.
By introducing a known concentration of a specific gas to the meter or detector's sensors, the system can then be verified for further use or safety protocols can be implemented if toxic gases or oxygen deficiencies are detected.
Additionally, calibration checks the safety of the contained gas and the general condition, display, and other components of the device, as well.
Without calibration gas devices, it would be difficult to determine if certain noxious gases are present within a confined space. Toxic gas is often odorless and extremely hard to detect without using a gas meter or detector. Calibration gas kits and detectors can identify these harmful gases and the actual amount of toxic gas in the nearby air.
Preventing disastrous accidents should always be a high priority. Knowing when an area contains combustible, flammable, or toxic gases is paramount for worksites such as industrial and manufacturing plants, oil refineries, and hazmat operations.
Instrument Depot is the leading distributor of precision calibration gas mixtures, bump gas tests, and calibration gas accessories. Calibration gas is available as single calibration gases or multi calibration gas mixtures. Contact us to learn more.