A family of fail-safe toxic gas detectors that flash an immediate alarm if the electrochemical sensing element goes bad has been announced by Minneapolis-based Sensor Electronics. These detectors are designed to meet anticipated OSHA/EPA safety regulations.     

Problem with conventional toxic gas detectors is that their electrochemical sensors can temporarily fail or even die without warning.  “Solution” has been to bump test each sensor, or periodically replace it.  Either method is costly, time –consuming, inefficient. In contrast, this new detector eliminates need for any maintenance schedules.  Instead the detector continually electronically tests its sensor, flashing an alarm the instant the sensor fails.     

This new fail-safe detector can check any of more than 70 toxic gases including ammonia, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen cyanide, chlorine plus exotics like arsine, PFC’s, silane.     

The detectors work with dedicated transmitters that show ambient toxic gas levels on digital readout panels; color coded LED’s glow green/amber/red if gas concentrations increase.  (Detectors can also tie into existing alarm networks.)