Maintaining Your Portable Gas Detector

Although portable and fixed gas detectors have different use cases, the way they are maintained is very similar. Discover the key areas to consider when scheduling regular maintenance for your portable gas detectors.

Check for Physical Damage

While physical damage to the housing of your portable gas detector may just be cosmetic, it could potentially affect function. You should regularly check for cracks, scuffs and dents on the exterior of the detector, and make a note of any that you find. Also, check the sensors for any blockages that may affect its ability to detect hazardous gases.

Portable gas detectors are designed to be easily carried, or attached to other PPE to allow for hands-free movement. With this in mind, it’s important to check any clips or handles carefully for any damage — identifying a weak clip before it breaks will avoid it falling off a worker, resulting in a potentially damaging fall or losing the detector altogether.

Schedule Regular Calibration

Just like fixed gas detectors, you need to ensure the sensors have been calibrated regularly. In between full calibrations, you should also carry out bump testing as often as your safety assessments and detector manufacturer indicate. This ensures that the alarms are working as they should, so you can be confident that you’re protected when entering a hazardous environment.

Keep Your Portable Gas Detector Clean

Ensuring your display screen is easy to read is paramount to safety — You need to be able to know at a quick glance of the screen whether you are in danger.

When cleaning, stay away from solvent-based or hydrocarbon-based cleaners and lubricants, as they can contaminate sensors and cause inaccurate readings, reducing the effectiveness of your detector.

Scheduling regular maintenance of your portable gas detector is paramount to keeping you and your workforce safe. Ensure you maintain an accurate record, and follow up on any issues to keep your gas detector working as efficiently as possible.