G7C HAS ACHIEVED ATEX CERTIFICATION

WIRELESS GAS DETECTOR SYSTEM GOES GLOBAL

With ATEX certification, G7c is revolutionizing the global gas detection industry, providing built-in 3G communication, two-way speakerphone, live monitoring and modular gas detection. Wireless connectivity increases situational awareness, accounting for everyone’s whereabouts — G7c communicates every safety incident and gas alert to live monitoring personnel in real-time, empowering an active and optimized emergency response, to make a difference for an employee who needs help.

ATEX CERTIFICATION — WHAT IS IT?

Under Directive 2014/34/EU, the European Union controls equipment that can be used in environments where there may be an explosive atmosphere due to the presence of gases, vapors, mists or dusts. The ATEX acronym comes from ‘atmospheric explosion’ and is the general term applied to equipment used in Europe and the United Kingdom that is certified intrinsically safe. Intrinsic safety refers to the careful electronic design of a product such that an explosion cannot be triggered by equipment use or a failure within the product.

Blackline’s G7c achieved ATEX certification according to standard EN 60079 and IEC 60079 for use in Zone 0 locations, where an expectation of explosive gases being present for more than 1,000 hours per year is assumed. G7c is now available to clients in over 200 countries, to make a difference and improve their safety programs. Blackline has certified G7c according to CSA C22.2 No. 60079 and UL 60079 standards, enabling use in Class I, Division 1, Groups A, B, C and D locations.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE — TRADITIONAL GAS DETECTORS ARE OBSOLETE

Gone are the days of traditional gas detectors that function like smoke alarms, notifying only the wearer and those in earshot of dangerous gas levels present in the area — potentially leaving the worker alone with no way to reach help. With two-way 3G connectivity and a built-in speakerphone, Blackline’s live 24/7 monitoring teams automatically connect with an employee and can manage a real-time emergency response when required — should they call for help using the SOS latch, a fall be detected, or a gas alert is triggered — delivering an optimized emergency response to their exact location.

Traditional personal gas detector programs have struggled to ensure ongoing compliance and to keep employees safe — G7c sets the bar for the gas detection industry where businesses can see the compliance status of all equipment, in real-time. Every calibration, bump test and all equipment used is summarized in an intuitive, online dashboard and through weekly reporting.

WEB-BASED MONITORING

The Blackline Live web portal provides you the opportunity to configure your G7c devices, manage all your workers and track compliance wirelessly, over-the-air — even when you’re not on site. Every event is communicated in real-time to Blackline’s servers and stored for reporting. Alert profiles are customizable to determine which devices should be notified in the event of an incident and what response protocol monitoring personnel will follow to ensure your team gets the help it needs. Real-time monitoring is complemented by live maps and customized facility floorplans for increased location accuracy and optimized response time.

THE MODULAR GAS DETECTION DIFFERENCE

To cater to the wide variety of hazardous work environments teams face, Blackline’s G7c and its cartridges are Zone 0 compliant and ATEX certified for use in potentially explosive environments. G7c features an exclusive modular design with a selection of customizable, field-replaceable cartridges — choose between a single- or quad-gas cartridge, then select from a range of gas sensors to suit work scenarios, including flammable gases, hydrogen sulfide, oxygen and carbon monoxide. With Blackline’s cartridge replacement program as part of your G7c service plan, never buy a cartridge again — increasing product up-time and ensuring seamless gas detection and safety monitoring while minimizing maintenance costs.

INDOOR / OUTDOOR LOCATION TECHNOLOGY — LOCATION BEACONS

G7c is Blackline’s second device to be certified Zone 0 compliant. Blackline’s location beacons works with G7c as a compact accessory, providing precise G7c positioning signals for areas where GPS signals alone may not be sufficient, such as around or inside complex facilities. For monitoring teams to quickly deliver resources to an employee, facility floorplans can also be uploaded to monitoring accounts and used together with beacons to ensure precise and accurate indoor location tracking in context of a workers surroundings.

POSTED BY JAIME SEAMAN

H2S DETECTOR — WHAT BLACKLINE’S NEW G7 DELIVERS

H2S EXPOSURE

As we talked about in Part One of our H2S Series, hydrogen sulfide is a fast acting poison, impacting many systems within the body. Wearable gas sensors are necessary for early detection and alerting, as the body’s senses are not reliable indicators. Exposure to low levels of H2S gas within a short period of time will not usually produce adverse effects in a healthy person, though long-term exposure or exposure to high levels of the gas may result in immediate, lasting effects. To keep your team safe, an H2S detector with a fast response time and sturdy construction are important for use in the environments where H2S gas may occur.

THE G7 DIFFERENCE

Traditional gas detectors function similarly to smoke alarms, alerting only the wearer and those in earshot of potentially hazardous surroundings. For gas detectors to deliver maximum value to users, wireless connectivity and live monitoring are crucial enhancements over traditional gas detection equipment. Blackline’s new G7 solution provides encompassing, connected safety monitoring to supplement gas detection, for dangerous environments where H2S may incapacitate or render workers unconscious in no time.

G7 connects employees to Blackline’s live 24/7 monitoring teams, who react instantly when an alert is communicated, providing immediate emergency response when required — should an employee call for help using G7’s SOS latch, a fall be detected, or a gas alert triggered. With connectivity, worker confidence increases in hazardous environments, knowing they are connected and being monitored by real people.

H2S SENSORS

Blackline Safety utilises the industry-standard electrochemical sensor for its H2S detector products, plus carbon monoxide and ammonia. In electrochemical sensors, the target gas undergoes a chemical reaction producing a current inside the sensor that is proportional to the concentration of gas present. A sensing electrode and counter electrode are in contact with and separated by an electrolyte. Gas enters the sensor and interacts with the working electrode where it is either oxidised, accepting oxygen and/or releasing electrons, or reduced, releasing oxygen and/or accepting electrons. The current produced is a direct result of how much of the target gas is oxidised or reduced at the working electrode. Blackline’s electrochemical sensor has a lower detection limit for H2S of 0.5 ppm.

H2S DETECTOR — THE BENEFITS OF LIVE MONITORING

H2S is a gas capable of rendering workers unconscious within just a few breaths at high levels — yet even when a worker can no longer self-rescue, it is not too late. Traditional gas detectors function similarly to smoke alarms, alerting only the wearer and those in earshot of potentially hazardous situations. In addition to a t90 response time providing a gas reading for H2S in 20 seconds, G7 also communicates any H2S detector readings above pre-set thresholds in real-time to live monitoring personnel. Employees who face an incident experience extreme stress. Even when they can’t respond, monitoring personnel can be in constant contact with the affected worker via industrial two-way speakerphone.

REAL-TIME EMERGENCY RESPONSE MANAGEMENT

Following an incident, every second counts. In life-threatening situations, how an emergency response is managed could mean the difference between an optimised rescue and a recovery. When an alarm is triggered, should it be an H2S detector reading or a fallen employee, Blackline’s live monitoring personnel spring into action.

• 00m 01s: G7 sends a high H2S alarm to the Blackline Live network
• 00m 02s: Blackline’s live monitoring team receives the H2S detector reading and worker’s location
• 00m 31s: Voice call is established with the worker
• 00m 40s: Team member receives voice alert, mustering them to a safe area OR nearest responders are notified and directed to the worker’s location

With G7, rescues are optimised so more lives can be saved.

GAS DETECTION COMPLIANCE AND REPORTING

With G7, all incident and gas detection data is communicated in real-time to the Blackline Safety Network for storage and reporting. Though H2S does not usually create lasting health effects after minor exposure to low levels, continued or prolonged exposure may result in chronic ailments. With G7 incident reporting, areas with persistent leaks can be identified so appropriate safety precautions can be taken.

An H2S detector or personal safety monitor cannot warn of a threatening event if they are not properly used. G7 is an all-in-one solution, cutting down the number of devices a worker needs to carry with them, and constantly tracks usage for reporting. Should an employee neglect to wear their device or use it appropriately, safety managers have the data to follow up with them accordingly.

Though H2S electrochemical sensors are very reliable, it is best-practice to ensure the sensor is regularly bump tested and calibrated to ensure accurate readings. G7 manages all calibration and bump test reminders over-the-air, alerting the using of upcoming due dates so compliance can be maintained. Data is then stored for reporting, communicated to Blackline’s servers. With G7, the tools to manage your fleet and ensure compliance is available in real-time, at your fingertips.

 POSTED BY JAIME SEAMAN

RED DOT AWARD — G7 GAS DETECTOR IS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED

Blackline Safety’s G7 wireless gas detector and connected safety solution has been awarded a sought-after Red Dot Award. The expert jury panel, comprised of 39 product designers, professors, architects, ergonomic engineers and other industry leaders, selected G7 as the winner of a Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017 from over 5,500 submissions sent in from 54 countries, for its innovation and design quality.

The Red Dot Awards: Product Design is recognised as one of the world’s most prestigious design competitions, awarding only products that feature outstanding design. Headquartered in Essen, Germany Red Dot initially convened more than 60 years ago to assess the best designs of the day. Since then, the Red Dot jury has been awarding their seal of quality for exceptional products of the year. Manufacturers and designers around the globe entered their products in the 2017 competition and were judged on degree of innovation, functionality, ergonomics, durability and overall quality of design.

“THE RED DOT WINNERS ARE PURSUING THE RIGHT DESIGN STRATEGY,” SAID PROFESSOR DR. PETER ZEC, FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE RED DOT AWARD. “THEY HAVE RECOGNISED THAT GOOD DESIGN AND ECONOMIC SUCCESS GO HAND IN HAND. THE AWARD BY THE CRITICAL RED DOT JURY DOCUMENTS THEIR HIGH DESIGN QUALITY AND IS INDICATIVE OF THEIR SUCCESSFUL DESIGN POLICY.”

DEFINING THE WIRELESS GAS DETECTOR OF THE FUTURE

Industrial work for employees can be risky. Many organisations use a personal gas detector to monitor for toxic or combustible gases, but they are traditionally disconnected and cannot call for help. With G7 a new level of personal safety is defined — as the world’s first wireless gas detector with 3G wireless, two-way speakerphone and live monitoring, G7 provides comprehensive safety coverage for even the most hazardous working conditions. With constant connectivity, every incident is communicated and managed in real-time, allowing teams to deliver optimised emergency responses tailored to the situation.

“THE HALLMARK OF ANY GOOD DESIGN IS ONE THAT ENABLES USERS TO DO NEW THINGS WITHOUT THINKING TOO MUCH ABOUT IT,” SAID BARRY MOORE, VP PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AT BLACKLINE SAFETY. “G7 NOT ONLY LOOKS GREAT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT MAKES AN EMPLOYEE’S JOB EASIER BY COMBINING THREE DEVICES INTO ONE — A GAS DETECTOR, A LONE WORKER SAFETY DEVICE AND A COMMUNICATION TOOL. THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES THE EFFORTS OF OUR DEDICATED DESIGN TEAM WHO DEFINED A NEW LEVEL OF PERSONAL SAFETY FOR OUR CLIENTS.”

G7 features an exclusive modular design to support customisation that caters to diverse working conditions. Gas detection is customised to teams’ working environments with the choice of field-replaceable single- or quad-gas cartridges, and a selection of gas sensors including combustible gases, oxygen, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide. G7 solves the old problem of replacing sensors inside a gas detector, traditionally requiring a device be removed from the field for maintenance, with the Blackline Cartridge Replacement Program. Cartridges arrive ready to use and can be easily switched out on-site, increasing product up-time and fleet efficiency without teams having to worry about complex ordering processes.

OUTSTANDING WIRELESS GAS DETECTOR DESIGN MEETS CONNECTIVITY

Should a fall, no-motion or dangerous gas level be detected, G7 instantly connects workers with the Blackline 24/7 Safety Operations Centre, teams. Using seamless 3G or satellite connectivity, G7 gas detectors communicate environmental conditions in real-time directly with Blackline’s teams, who are then empowered to mobilise the appropriate response based on businesses’ pre-determined response protocols. The safety operations teams also leverage wireless gas detection insights to notify responders of possible hazards to be prepared for during emergency responses, should they need protective equipment or respirators— keeping everyone involved informed and safe.

A beautiful appearance is not enough — a Red Dot Award is presented only to those products that help users cope with daily life, to make working environments safer, or to make daily activities more comfortable. The Blackline Live web portal is a core of the G7 wireless gas detector solution — as an alert management tool, the portal serves up all pertinent information needed to deal with an emergency effectively. Available on desktop or mobile, Blackline Live provides easy wireless gas detector management, employee location mapping and alert management tools. When designing Blackline Live, we understood that the people requiring safety solutions aren’t always those wearing the equipment or the ones that are in the field. The people that need and value the safety information are often safety managers, operations teams, industrial hygienists or first responders. Blackline Live is the window they need to get useful, necessary and timely information easily. G7 wireless gas detectors are easily configured through the portal for specific working environments, where alert settings, emergency protocols and calibrations schedules are managed.

THE RED DOT AWARD DISTINCTION

The Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017 will conclude in Essen on July 3, 2017, where, at the Red Dot Gala award ceremony, the Red Dot best of the best laureates receive their trophies. At the subsequent Designers’ Night after-show party, the award winners receive their certificates and celebrate in the midst of all the prize-winning products inside the Red Dot Design Museum Essen. The Red Dot museums, located in Essen, Singapore and Taipei feature past and present award winners from diverse industries and applications. In a repurposed coal mine designated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, the Essen museum celebrates the award-winning design and quality of everyday objects. Visitors experience the innovations first-hand, touching and testing the latest inventions alongside historic industrial architecture. For five weeks, the special museum exhibition “Design on Stage” in Essen will present the awarded products of the year as part of the world’s largest exhibition of contemporary design.

G7 will also be featured in the Red Dot Design Yearbook for award-winning design 2017/2018, coming out on July 3. This international reference presents the year’s winning products and is available online, via the Red Dot App and on the design platform, Red Dot 21. For more information on Red Dot visit www.red-dot.org.

Photo courtesy of 

 POSTED BY JAIME SEAMAN

H2S GAS — WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HYDROGEN SULFIDE

WHAT IS H2S GAS?

Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) is a gas commonly found during the drilling and production of crude oil and natural gas, plus in wastewater treatment and utility facilities and sewers. The gas is produced as a result of the microbial breakdown of organic materials in the absence of oxygen. Colourless, flammable, poisonous and corrosive, H2S gas is noticeable by its rotten egg smell. With toxicity similar to carbon monoxide, which prevents cellular respiration, monitoring and early detection of H2S could mean the difference between life and death.

IMPACT ON SAFETY (SHORT-TERM)

Gas is a silent threat, often invisible to the body’s senses. Inhalation is the primary route of exposure to hydrogen sulfide. Though it may be easily smelled by some people at small concentrations, continuous exposure to even low levels of H2S quickly deadens the sense of smell (olfactory desensitization). Exposure to high levels of the gas can deaden the sense of smell instantly. Although the scent of H2S is a characteristic, smell is not a dependable indicator of H2S gas presence or for indicating increasing concentrations of the gas.

H2S irritates the mucous membranes of the body and the respiratory tract, among other things. Following exposure, short-term, or acute, symptoms may include a headache, nausea, convulsions, and eye and skin irritation. Injury to the central nervous system can be immediate and serious after exposure. At high concentrations, only a few breaths are needed to induce unconsciousness, coma, respiratory paralysis, seizures, even death.

IMPACT ON HEALTH (LONG-TERM)

Those having prolonged exposure to high enough levels of H2S gas to cause unconsciousness may continue to experience headaches, reduced attention span and motor functions. Pulmonary effects of H2S gas exposure may not be apparent for up to 72 hours following removal from the affected environment. Delayed pulmonary edema, a buildup of excess fluid in the lungs, may also occur following exposure to high concentrations.

H2S does not accumulate in the body, but repeated/prolonged exposure to moderate levels can cause low blood pressure, headache, loss of appetite and weight loss. Prolonged exposure to low levels may cause painful skin rashes and irritated eyes. Repeated exposure over time to high levels of H2S may cause convulsions, coma, brain and heart damage, even death.

IMPACT ON FACILITIES

Heavier than air, H2S gas accumulates in low lying areas of poorly ventilated spaces. In oil and gas applications, sour gas (products containing H2S gas) in the presence of air and moisture may form sulfuric acid, capable of corroding metals. Facility equipment, including the internal surfaces of various components, faces reduced durability and impact strength, potentially leading to premature failure.

DETECTION OF H2S GAS

Hydrogen sulfide is a fast acting poison, impacting many systems within the body. Wearable gas sensors are necessary for early detection and alerting, as the body’s senses are not reliable indicators. Importantly, gas detectors such as Blackline’s G7 wireless gas detector, should be considered as they alert live monitoring personnel of worker H2S gas exposure. Lone worker protection devices with a fast response time and sturdy construction are important for use in harsh environments where H2S may occur. Additionally, as H2S may desensitise and render the body unconscious in no time at high concentrations, connected personal monitoring equipment is crucial.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) to H2S gas as follows:

• General Industry Ceiling Limit: 20 ppm
• General Industry Peak Limit: 50 ppm (up to 10 minutes if no other exposure during shift)
• Construction 8-hour Limit: 10 ppm
• Shipyard 8-hour limit: 10 ppm

TREATMENT

Those exposed to H2S gas should remove themselves from the toxic environment immediately. Rescuers need to take caution when approaching victims who cannot evacuate independently, as to not be harmed themselves by H2S exposure. Respiratory protection is recommended when entering an H2S environment, as is a safety line, because of the very rapid toxic effects of the gas. There are no proven antidotes to H2S gas poisoning, but side-effects and symptoms can be treated or managed. In serious cases, hospitalization may be necessary.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) recommends you call your doctor or visit emergency should you develop any unusual side effects or symptoms within 24 hours:

• Coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
• Chest pain or tightness
• Stomach pain, vomiting
• Headache­
• Increased redness, pain or pus from the area of a skin burn

It is important to remain vigilant and avoid complacency with your safety program. Gas detection equipment must be calibrated regularly and frequently bump tested.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

• OSHA: Symptoms of hydrogen sulfide gas exposure
• ATSDR: H2S general information

POSTED BY JAIME SEAMAN

LEL SENSORS — WHICH IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

IR AND PELLISTOR LEL SENSOR OPTIONS

With the introduction of the Blackline Safety G7 comes a new-wave in customisable portable gas detection. The all-new G7’s modular design and selection of field-replaceable cartridges allow you to tailor G7 devices based on your needs and working environments. With single-gas and quad-gas cartridge options, up to four gases are detectable using one device — including combustible or flammable gases using LEL sensors. G7 and its cartridges are certified intrinsically safe for use in environments that present a risk of an explosive atmosphere.

To detect explosive gases, Blackline offers two LEL sensors, an LEL pellistor sensor and an LEL infrared sensor. Pellistor sensors and infrared sensors each detect a range of gases using two very different techniques — this determines which sensors to use in any given work environment.

Read on to learn about both LEL gas sensor options and see which solution is right for your work scenario.

LEL — WHAT IS IT?

Flammable gases are commonly hydrocarbons, made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Such gases can burn in the presence of oxygen — in some cases such as furnaces, this planned combustion is very controlled, while unplanned gas leaks could cause a violent reaction or explosion.  Industry offers a measure of the degree that an environment may be explosive due to combustible gases present. So-called lower explosive limit (LEL) indicates the minimum concentration of these gases required in the air to be explosive. This number is typically represented as a percentage of the lower explosive limit where 100% is considered to be explosive if a spark or other combustion source were introduced. An LEL level of 0% indicates that no detectable level of flammable gases is present.

Blackline’s G7 not only provides its user a real-time reading of LEL but also communicates these gas readings to the Blackline Safety Network. Should G7 detect a sufficient LEL reading to trigger a high gas alarm — for example, 20% — a safety alert is communicated in real-time to monitoring personnel, who then contact the worker to ensure his or her safe egress from the environment.

PELLISTOR LEL SENSORS

Pellistor sensors use controlled combustion to detect and measure a wide variety of flammable gases. Pellistor sensors contain within them two platinum coils each embedded in separate ceramic beads. The first bead is coated with a catalyst to promote oxidation when exposed to flammable gases. The second bead is treated to discourage catalytic oxidation, and acts as a reference. The first bead allows for the combustion of a very small amount of flammable gas — generating heat and changing the resistance of the platinum coil. The resistance change is proportional to the amount of flammable gas present in an environment and is translated into an LEL% reading on the detector’s screen.

IR LEL SENSORS

Infrared (IR) sensors (sometimes referred to as optical sensors, or non-dispersive infrared/NDIR) detect the presence of flammable gases by precisely measuring the absorption of infrared light at specific frequencies by various hydrocarbon molecules. Inside the sensor, an infrared emitter passes light through two paths. One path is used to measure the absorption of light by gases, the other is used as a reference. Light detectors on both paths allow the LEL sensor to measure the amount of flammable or combustible gases present by comparing how much light is absorbed in each path.

PROS AND CONS OF PELLISTOR LEL SENSORS

Pellistor sensors are very well established in many industries as a staple of safety equipment. These sensors detect a broader range of gases, including hydrocarbons, hydrogen and acetylene. Pellistor LEL sensors detect flammable gases using a catalyst that oxidises gases behind an explosion-proof screen. As a result, this process requires sufficient oxygen to cause the combustion and detect flammable gases. Pellistor LEL sensors also should not be used in environments where there may be oxygen deficiencies.

Certain chemicals can reduce pellistor LEL sensor sensitivity, poisoning the catalytic process. The result can be a reduced LEL sensor reading compared to the actual atmospheric LEL percentage. Work environments where silicon, lead, sulfur and phosphorus, among other chemicals, are used should be avoided in order to prevent sensor poisoning.

Prolonged exposure to combustible gases may cause a pellistor LEL sensor’s zero reading to shift, resulting in inaccurate readings. Pellistor LEL sensors do not positively confirm a sensor fault and instead falsely indicate a 0% LEL reading. Exposing pellistor sensors to high gas concentrations, even for short periods of time, may stress the sensor leading it to produce poor readings or even causing sensor failure.

PROS AND CONS OF IR LEL SENSORS

IR LEL sensors are an ideal choice for many working scenarios, including those where pellistor function would be limited. Long-living, infrared sensors are not susceptible to poisoning by chemicals in the environment. Further, IR LEL sensors do not suffer a shift in zero reading due to long-term exposure to combustible gases. Due to their measurement method, LEL sensors confirm a failure if the system is not working correctly. As they do not utilize combustion, these low power sensors perform well in low/no oxygen environments.

IR LEL sensors should not be used in environments with risk of exposure to hydrogen or acetylene, as their single-atom structure does not absorb infrared the same way as hydrocarbons, and therefore do not produce accurate sensor readings.

SUITABILITY OF LEL SENSORS FOR DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES

Both pellistor and IR LEL sensors can be used in many of the same applications and industries, but each has their specializations.

Pellistor sensors are ideal for use in environments where combustible hydrocarbon gases could be present without low-oxygen levels. Industries for pellistor use include oil & gas, telecom, manufacturing and wastewater industries. Applications that incorporate hydrogen and acetylene into processing will require pellistor LEL sensors, including manufacturing of metals, semiconductors, petrochemicals and foods, plus flame-cutting, welding, brazing and heating applications. To maximize sensor performance over its operating life, contaminants that could poison the sensor and consistent exposure to high combustible gas levels should be avoided.

Infrared sensors can also be used in many similar scenarios but with the additional benefit of operating in low-oxygen environments or environments with consistently higher levels of combustible gases. Infrared sensors are ideal for use in many environments, including those with high flammable gas percentages and/or low oxygen environments where pellistor sensors may not provide a long-term, reliable LEL measurement. IR sensors are also ideal for scenarios where contaminants could poison a pellistor sensor’s catalytic chemical process. These sensors are suitable for oil & gas applications where the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is possible, and the use of silicone defoamers may be common. IR sensors are also ideal for waste water processing facilities, where explosive methane can accumulate.

WE’RE HERE TO HELP

They key to complete gas detection coverage is understanding your environment and the benefits and limitations of each sensor type. No one sensor accommodates every situation. Blackline’s G7 cartridges support both IR and pellistor LEL sensors, delivering flexibility with coverage for diverse environments. With Blackline’s cartridge replacement program, it’s easy to quickly switch out cartridges at the end of their service life with another pre-calibrated cartridge of your choosing, increasing efficiency and minimising safety equipment down-time.

Let us know how we can help you with your gas detection program.

POSTED BY JAIME SEAMAN 

PORTABLE GAS DETECTION — 5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT OUR NEW G7

HOW IS G7 CHANGING THE GAME?

Every major gas detection company creates portable gas detection solutions in much the same way — a collection of sensors that detect gas levels and display the readings on an LCD. If a hazardous environment is detected, the body-worn device emits an alarm sound and flashes its lights to call out to nearby coworkers.

Gas detection has not dramatically improved the status quo compared to systems launched half a decade ago, or longer. The current push in the industry is for a long-lasting battery life so the device can last for two-years and then be disposed of when both the battery and sensors run out. Convenient? Sure. Revolutionary? No. But what’s worse is that each these detectors will try in vain to call for help when no one nearby. This means that you can have a man down and no one knows any better in order to deliver help.

We’re here to solve this problem and we’ve innovated in the gas detection industry before. Blackline Safety has developed G7, the world’s first turnkey, work-anywhere wirelessly connected safety system with expandable gas detection. We’re not one-upping the other guys with more minor improvements — we offer a whole new suite that gives your workers complete safety awareness, in any situation, for an instant response.

We’ve already started to touch on the ground-breaking capability of G7 but let’s look more closely at five ways it’s changing up the portable gas detection game.

1. REAL-TIME CONNECTIVITY AND ALERTING

We offer two models of G7, one that incorporates 2G/3G cellular communications and the other with Iridium satellite communications. Together, G7 delivers true work-anywhere wireless communications that doesn’t rely on expensive Wi-Fi networks or a separate device with Bluetooth wireless communications.

The second that gas levels reach a hazardous concentration, the employee-worn G7 alerts the user using bright alarm lights and a loud audible alarm. G7 instantly communicates alerts to our Blackline Live monitoring portal and the live monitoring team. Blackline offers 24/7 Safety Operation Centre live monitoring while some customers have a control room or dedicated team members who can own this responsibility.

If an H2S leak occurs, G7 ensures that your teams have the complete picture. You can confidently send in a prepared response team with the proper safety gear, to the right location. By mapping the employee’s location on a map, your team can make the difference by saving precious minutes in emergency response time. And by geo-referencing every on-site gas reading, our G7 heat-map gas reading reports help you identify minor leaks before they become future problems.

2. AUTOMATIC AND FULL COMPLIANCE REPORTING

With traditional portable gas detection, collecting logs and proving compliance is a manual and tedious process. We don’t use SD cards, Ethernet cords or IR ports. G7 communicates all calibration logs and bump tests automatically and wirelessly to your user account, where you can easily review usage, exposure, and maintenance activity for each device. Bumps and calibrations are effortlessly handled and reported by the device, while efficiently using valuable calibration gas.

Compliance reports also highlight your employee’s use of equipment, helping you to ensure that employees not only use monitoring devices but that they use equipment correctly and conscientiously. G7 reports deliver green-yellow-red insights that highlights when everything is in compliance, when something is approaching out of compliance and when an item needs your immediate attention.

3. OVER-THE-AIR WIRELESS DEVICE CONFIGURATION AND FIRMWARE UPDATES

When you log into the Blackline Live portal, you have complete control over how to configure every safety monitoring device. Create G7 configuration profiles to customise device behaviours for each employee role and scenario. Device configurations ensure that no G7 is mis-configured — create separate profiles as needed, such as for operators, instrumentation techs and heavy-duty mechanics. Even if a device is powered off, it will automatically download the a new configuration upon connection to the Blackline Safety Network.

Configure all G7 safety settings including man down detection, fall detection, high and low-gas alert levels, time-weighted average (TWA) and short-term exposure limits (STEL). When you save the changes, the Blackline Safety network automatically updates all devices associated with that profile.. Similarly, Blackline Live features Alert Profiles that configures the response to each alert according to your business’ custom emergency response protocol.

At Blackline Safety, we continuously improve our solutions. When we deploy G7 product improvements through firmware updates, these occur wirelessly, seamlessly and automatically over-the-air. If a device happens to be off, when it connects to the Blackline Safety Network, it downloads new firmware and manages the update. We want to make your job easier and ensure safety for your workers around the clock.

4. PORTABLE GAS DETECTION WITH INTERCHANGEABLE SENSOR CARTRIDGES

G7 devices feature easily removable and replaceable portable gas detection cartridges — no need to take equipment out of the field, causing downtime and potentially interrupting employee monitoring programs either. Choose between a Standard Cartridge, Single-gas Cartridge or Quad-gas Cartridge and select the gas sensors that meet your requirements. Our current line of gases include H2S (hydrogen sulfide), LEL (lower explosive limit of combustible gases), CO (carbon monoxide), CO2 (carbon dioxide), O2 (oxygen) and NH3 (ammonia). If your teams’ need shift in the future, rest assured that you can repurpose G7 equipment with new cartridges easily and cost-effectively.

With G7, never pay to replace gas sensors again. When a sensor reaches the end of its life, we will send you a new, pre-calibrated cartridge automatically as part of your service program. Your portable gas detection fleet never has to experience any downtime while saving you time and money.

5. FUTURE EXPANSION

G7 offers many new features and capabilities, but a key G7 innovation is its cartridge-based interface. in this article, we spoke a lot about our portable gas detection cartridges. Our Standard Cartridge is a great example of how G7 is designed to support other applications, including plant evacuation management and lone working scenarios. We have other cartridges in our roadmap and we work tirelessly to deliver maximum value to our customers. We’re driven by customer feedback — let us know what challenges that we can help you solve through G7 expansion. 

Subscribe to our blog to be notified of future blog articles — next up, we will cover our 24/7 Safety Operations Centre and Alarm Receiving Centre live monitoring partners.

LONER MOBILE — NEW LOOK AND ENHANCED CAPABILITY

POSTED BY PHILLIP BENSON | JULY 12, 2016 | 

NEXT GENERATION APP NOW AVAILABLE

At Blackline Safety, it’s our mission to continuously improve our suite of lone worker safety monitoring solutions. Just recently, our usability team launched the latest version of Loner Mobile, release 1.4.0. 

STYLE MEETS FUNCTIONALITY

Our Loner® Mobile smartphone app for iPhone, Android and Blackberry platforms transforms the devices into robust safety monitoring smartphones — now with a new sleek interface and updated icon design.

In addition to a fresh look and feel, Loner mobile app incorporates an easy sign-in process and a new “getting started” feature to make it simpler for new users to familiarise themselves with the application. The app also includes a comprehensive configuration profile that automatically synchronises with the Blackline Safety Network.

As a standalone app that works with our cloud-hosted monitoring network, Loner Mobile addresses the needs of low-risk work-alone scenarios. Loner Mobile addresses the needs of medium and high-risk applications with the optional Loner Duo wearable accessory powered by Bluetooth® wireless communications. You can learn more about Loner Mobile here.

TRIGGERING AN EMERGENCY & SILENT ALERTS

Loner Mobile now offers easy on-screen instructions to trigger emergency or silent alerts. To trigger an emergency alert, swipe the red exclamation mark at the bottom of the screen, or for a more discreet option, press and hold to initiate a silent alert. Once triggered, a countdown notification allows you four seconds to cancel the alert.

When the countdown finishes, the safety alert is instantly communicated to the Blackline Safety Network. For emergency alerts, your smartphone will enter a high alarm state with visual and audible indicators. A silent alert will not trigger this alarm.

The communicated safety alert will reach the monitoring team for your organization and your emergency protocol will be initiated. If you have the auto-call emergency service enabled, your smart phone will automatically call whoever is specified in the server-synchronized device configuration.

THERE’S MORE!

The check-in process can be customized to any schedule — your lone workers can add quick, custom notes to provide more information as necessary.

Additionally, Loner Mobile configuration settings are now referred to as the configuration profile, where the complete configuration options are displayed, matching what you would see in the Blackline Live safety monitoring portal.

NOW AVAILABLE

Loner Mobile is now available from all three app providers. Download the update for your smartphone now.

Apple app store

Google play store

BlackBerry app world

ABOUT PHILLIP BENSON

With a Bachelor of Industrial Design from Carleton University, Phil now has five patents under his belt. Turning a vision into a reality comes naturally to Benson—he designed multi-gas detectors for BW Technologies by Honeywell and created hardware and software for the world’s first interactive learning center, the SMART Table at SMART Technologies. Phil is now the Senior User Experience Designer at Blackline Safety, where he manages the usability team and is responsible for designing interactive display devices. With the help of his very talented team, Phil orchestrates a holistic approach to user experience—spanning hardware, software and documentation.