On Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:36:04 -0800, "Bruce L. Bergman (munged human
readable)" wrote:

On Sat, 25 Feb 2012 07:37:41 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
"Pete C." wrote
Stormin Mormon wrote:

Not sure if they are "certified", but some heatinig and AC supply houses
have gas leak detectors for hydrocarbons. I got a used TPI from Ebay,
which
works fine. Runs on D cells.

Hydrocarbons, or halogens?


Hydrocarbons. I tested it by using the natural gas range top, but not yet
lit. Didn't work. I called TPI customer service, and he walked me through a
couple things, and now it detects hydrocarbons just fine.

My halogen detector is by Tif, whole different sensetivity.

I got the TIF 8800 Hydrocarbon detector when I needed to track down an
Idiots' multiple leaks on a dryer line - threaded multiple short
nipples and couplings through a wall and didn't know how to apply dope
or use a pipe wrench... (Before TracPipe came out.)

It would be enough to know if opening the manhole lid was going to set
off a "Kaboom!" Or even just a little "whoompf" which could be almost
as bad.

But of course if anything goes wrong or the Helpful OSHA Rep happens
to be wandering by it won't be the "right" tester for the job with an
aspirating tube and bulb/pump setup.

-- Bruce --

Bruce, I've been retired a couple years, but the biggie for confined
space entry in an industrial setting was oxygen in addition to
flammables. I think our company probably lost way more folks to
passing out in an inert atmosphere than ever got blown up. Sometimes
followed by another going into rescue and passing out for the same
reason. Lots of things can deplete or displace oxygen in an enclosed
space, from rusting to rotting vegetation. There was also a
requirement for ventilation and a trained standby person with SCBA.
Confined space entry was such an exercise that most departments had a
policy of NO confined space entry except by emergency personnel and an
annual audit to locate and label all such spaces.

I don't remember the brands of our oxygen testers. I think the
flammables testers were MSA. Worked well, kept on ticking. Pretty
rigorous testing and documentation on both. I mostly dealt with area
O2 and flammable monitors due to nitrogen purging of equipment in
Class I Div. 2 process research labs.


Pete Keillor