Why Failing To Implement A Confined Space Monitor Maintenance Program Could Be A Mistake

When workers are required to enter confined spaces in the course of their daily duties, employers are required to equip them with monitors that are designed to detect harmful substances in the space before they pose too much of a threat to the worker. If your workplace utilizes confined space monitors, you need to ensure that you have an appropriate maintenance program in place.

There are a number of reasons why a maintenance program is so important, including:

• Ensuring that the monitor will accurately measure the presence of atmospheric hazards in the space.
• Ensuring that the worker will be immediately alerted to the occurrence of dangerous conditions.

Potentially, maintenance is integral to ensuring the safety of the enclosed areas of your workplace.

Failing to implement an appropriate maintenance program can result in problems, including:

• Establishing the monitor’s clean-air reference point in a space that contains significant levels of hazardous substances.
• Failure to complete bump-tests (which verifies the accuracy of the sensor) and calibrations on the monitor.

Both of these problems, if not rectified as soon as possible, could result in serious injury or accidents.

The use of confined space monitors is vital in ensuring that the more enclosed areas of your workspace are safe to enter, but your measurements could be inaccurate if you have not implemented an appropriate maintenance program for the device.