Council of Gas Detection and Environmental Monitoring

CoGDEM (UK) is the Council of Gas Detection and Environmental Monitoring, a trade association with a membership of over fifty companies involved in the gas detection industry. We are pleased to have ETP (the publishers of this IET magazine) as an Associate Member, so we will place a regular column of news from the gas detection industry in IET magazine.

CoGDEM held its 2013 AGM in June and was pleased to report it has been joined by several new companies, including BSI, Analytical Technologies Inc (ATI), Net Safety Monitors (Emerson), EnviroTech Publications (ETP/IET) and Air Liquide. All members were reminded that next year will see the 40th anniversary of CoGDEM’s formation, an event worthy of note and perhaps celebration. At this year’s AGM, the Steering Group slightly changed as a new Chairman for the Industrial Sub Group was elected. Noor Ali from Air Products has taken over the role from Jonathan Gilby of City Technology, who stepped down after eight very productive and successful years. Jonathan was presented with a pair of breath alcohol analysers bearing the CoGDEM logo, as he travels to France regularly and a pair of such testers is now required to be carried in all vehicles using French roads.

As readers prepare to take their summer vacations, whether in France or elsewhere, they should be aware that gas detection may still be relevant even when they are relaxing away from their normal workplace. Carbon monoxide poisoning has affected many holidaymakers, and in recent years there have been holiday fatalities in villas, cottages, caravans, cabins, tents and pleasure boats, where the CO risk might not appear to be obvious as first thought. However, fumes from faulty or misused cooking, lighting or heating appliances, engines, generators or smouldering charcoal barbecues are all capable of producing toxic concentrations of the gas known as ‘the silent killer’. CO alarms which are compliant with the tough safety standard EN 50291 can give suitable protection on holiday, and are widely available from retailers, gas suppliers or domestic heating appliance engineers. But always ensure the heating/lighting appliances are safe, and that there is sufficient ventilation where they are being used. And never take a used charcoal barbecue into the confined space of a tent, awning or similar space, even non-flaming and apparently cool charcoal can produce fatally high concentrations of CO.

Still on the subject of carbon monoxide, emergency service personnel who are called on to deal with domestic incidents where a CO alarm has been activated are now increasingly carrying their own CO PPE. Employers have recognised the risk to their own personnel of potential CO exposure when they are called out, so lapel-mounted instruments certified for hazardous area usage are often being issued and worn. At a recent conference organised by IGEM in the UK, an action was taken to ensure a consistent approach to alarm threshold setting amongst not only the blue-light emergency services but also the gas utilities’ own emergency staff, CoGDEM has agreed to support and help to coordinate this initiative.