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GAS TESTING COURSE

INTRODUCTION : Why carry out a gas test?

Possibility of gas escaping from enclosed pipe work
with a risk of explosion and/or toxic hazard.
Risk from lack of oxygen leading to suffocation or
incomplete burning which would lead to CO poisoning.
Risk from oxygen enrichment and fire hazard.
Toxicity with risk of poisoning the life support system.
Risk of explosion or fire from flammable gases.
To certify atmosphere is safe for personnel to work
in.
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GAS TESTING COURSE
SAFE ATMOSPHERE
.
Air = 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, 1% Argon, etc..
Safe level 19 - 23% Oxygen.
Oxygen deficiency:
19% Minimum permissible oxygen level.
15 - 19% Decreases ability to work.
12 - 14% Respiration increased with work, pulse up
10 - 12% Impaired co-ordination and judgment.
8 - 10% Mental failure, nausea and fainting
4 - 8% Respiration ceases and death occurs
Oxygen enrichment enhances combustion causing materials that
would not normally burn to ignite e.g. steel wool.
Incomplete burning caused by oxygen deficiency during welding or
cutting operations may produce toxic by-products e.g. Carbon Monoxide
Gas monitoring instruments need minimum of 13 % O2.
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The temperature at which a substance will ignite when
an outside ignition source is applied, i.e. methane remains
a gas at all temperatures and has no flashpoint temperature.

Propane gases off at 105C and will ignite once
an ignition source is applied.
GAS TESTING COURSE
IGNITION TEMPERATURE
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FLASHPOINT
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Sometimes known as the spontaneous ignition temperature
or just as the ignition temperature.
Heating a gas so that it will ignite spontaneously without an outside
ignition source being applied.
Methane 590C
Propane 467C
At certain concentrations in air, all petroleum gases
will ignite at normal temperatures once an outside ignition source
has been applied.
Provided no ignition sources are applied
it will take extreme heating of the gas for it to spontaneously ignite.
GAS TESTING COURSE
IGNITION TEMPERATURE
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AUTO IGNITION TEMPERATURE
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LEL AND UEL
Lower Explosive Limit - Given as a percentage mixture by volume
compared to that of air the lowest percentage mixture
when ignition could take place.

Upper Explosive Limit - The highest percentage mixture by volume
in air when ignition could take place.
GAS TESTING COURSE
RANGE OF FLAMMABILITY
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A gas will only ignite in air if it is in the correct mixture.
Too Lean - Insufficient gas vapour in air to ignite
Too Rich - Insufficient air for gas mixture to ignite.

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SIMPLE ASPHYIANTS
Gases such as Methane, Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen
have no effect on the body in small doses.
Large volumes of these gases will reduce
the oxygen content in the atmosphere to cause suffocation.

CHEMICAL ASPHYXIANTS
Gases such as Carbon Monoxide, Hydrogen Sulphide
can poison the life support system. These types of gases
can cause sickness, paralysis or death even when in the
atmosphere in minute concentrations.
GAS TESTING COURSE
TOXICITY OF A GAS





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GAS TESTING COURSE
TOXICITY OF A GAS




IRRITANTS
Substances such as Sulphur Dioxide,
Chlorine and Ammonia can irritate the respiratory tract, and lungs.


BLOOD POISONS
Substances such as Benzene, Arsine can damage red and white
blood cells



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OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE LIMITS (OEL)
Limit below which no health damage can occur.
i.e. dose at which a person can cope.
OEL set by Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
published annually in Guidance Note EH/40
Maximum Exposure Limit (MEL).
Occupational Exposure Standard (OES)
Long term Exposure Limit (LTEL) 8 hour time weighted average.
Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL)
Single 10 minute exposure threshold limit Value (TLV)
GAS TESTING COURSE
EXPOSURE LIMITS




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Gases that are lighter than air have a number less than 1
e.g. Methane 0.55
Gases that are heavier than air have a number greater than 1
e.g. H2S 1.2

GAS CLOUDS
Gases move from place to place under two influences:
Gravity and natural buoyancy, normal turbulence
In event of a leak gases remain mixed until each component
is removed by condensation, diffusion or bulk air movement.
-Natural and Mechanical ventilation affects the
movement of gas/air mixtures.
GAS TESTING COURSE
DENSITY




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WARNING DEVICES
Both audio and visible alarms are situated on each instrument
to alarm at a designated reading.
i.e.
19%+23% for oxygen

10% LEL for flammable gases

10 ppm for Hydrogen Sulphide
GAS TESTING COURSE
GAS METERS




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1. ELECTRO CHEMICAL SENSORS O2 AND TOXIC GASES

2. CATALYTIC SENSORS FLAMMABLE GASES

3. THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY SENSORS
O2 DEPLETED ATMOSPHERE
GAS TESTING COURSE
SENSORS




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TO DETECT GAS VOLUME BY PERCENTAGE
OR CONCENTRATION IN PPM

DIFFERENT TYPES OF TUBES & PUMPS
GAS TESTING COURSE
DETECTOR TUBES




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MANDATORY SEQUENCE FOR GAS TESTING

1. Oxygen
2. Flammable
3. Toxic
GAS TESTING COURSE
GAS TEST




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CONFINED SPACE ENTRY
HOT WORK
VEHICLE ENTRY
GAS TESTING COURSE
GAS TEST




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GAS TEST CERTIFICATE
PERMIT TO WORK
GAS TESTING COURSE
GAS TEST