Oxygen Monitors Guide

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) facilities have the same thing in common, helium. Helium is used as part of the cooling process for a MRI magnet. PureAire Monitoring Systems Oxygen Monitors are becoming the newest safety product amongst MRI users, thanks to its 10 + year sensor. PureAire’s sensors do not require maintenance, or require replacement parts. Helium is a nontoxic, odorless, colorless, nonflammable gas stored in cylinders at high pressure. It can cause rapid suffocation when concentrations are sufficient to reduce oxygen levels below 19.5%. It is lighter than air and may collect in high points or along ceilings. Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) may be required by rescue workers.

The above statement is from an Air products MSDS sheet. In addition, ACGIH considers Helium a simple asphyxiant. PureAire has been in business for 14 years selling their highly revered O2 Monitors for safety in MRI facilities for physicians, and clients. MRI facilities are beginning to become aware of the dangers associated with helium storage. Clients only have good things to say about our O2 Monitors:

“Thanks again for your support. The oxygen monitors are in their respective locations and are functioning as designed. Nice unit! Everyone thinks they are a great product. The software menu is easy to use and could not be easier to operate.” -Dominion Nuclear

“The O2 monitors are working well and doing a great job! Alarm relays are configured with the exhaust fan and is triggered a couple of times a day if we have LN2 bottles in the area. Excellent product, repeatable, and reliable as advertised.” -Gulfstream Aerospace

Currently PureAire’s O2 Monitors are being used at MRI facilities around the world. O2 Monitors have been used for over 30 years, though most people are accustomed to using an O2 monitor with sensors only lasting 12-18 months. In addition to, they must be calibrated and maintained to function correctly. PureAire’s 10+ Year O2 Deficiency Monitor is much more reliable, requires no maintenance, and does not need to be calibrated. There zirconium sensor does not have the biases associated with the disposable sensor technology. This means no more false alarms and drifting, and an always-accurate reading.

“When it comes to safety, why not use something that’s going to last?” -Brandon Alan.

If you have anymore questions, please feel free to contact us at www.PureAireMonitoring.com, or www.MonitorOxygen.com.

1) Air Products. (1997). MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET. http://avogadro.chem.iastate.edu/MSDS/helium.pdf

The danger of asphyxiation due to deficiency of breathable oxygen in the air is one of the risks faced by workers in many industrial settings. The highest risks are in industries that involve heavy use of chemicals in their processes and where organizational policies do not prioritize or emphasize establishment of adequate protection and safety protocols for personnel.

Past incidents of serious or fatal accidents have pushed Federal agencies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to implement stricter rules that pertain to worker safety in the industrial setting.

The ironic thing about it is that all accidents involving toxic gases or chemical exposure are easily preventable through installation of appropriate safety protocols that involve devices called oxygen deficiency monitors since most accidents actually happen because toxic gases displace the oxygen that we need to live. A simple installation of toxic gas detectors or oxygen monitors reduces the risks significantly because modern monitors have become very good at what they do.

Installation of oxygen deficiency monitors or other types of gas alarm systems should be done in places where the risk of exposure is high such as in confined spaces inside chemical plants, refineries, storage vats and tanks, sewers, pipes, etc.

If you are unsure about how to implement such a protocol, there are a lot of consulting firms specializing in occupational safety assessment that you can get in touch with. If you are unsure of whom to contact, a call to your local fire department or even your insurance company will probably do the trick to finding the right contacts.

The importance of installing oxygen monitor and other gas detector devices should become a priority in any industrial work setting. Company policies should be established that will make sure that personnel are adequately protected. The costs of doing so will be easily justified because the cost of accidents, of lives lost due to safety negligence, will be severely higher.

Image Credit: aoi-corp.com

Oxygen monitors are basically devices that detect, measure or monitor oxygen levels in air or gas for safety or industrial purposes. As safety devices, it becomes an oxygen deficiency monitor that can be a room fixture or handy portable device that you can take with you to potentially hazardous locations. Applications of these devices are vast and can be found in the chemical, manufacturing, oil, telecommunications industries or any other fields that can involve employees getting exposed to hazardous materials and gases.

They can also be used for general purposes as in homes or in hospitals. They come in different models of hospital and home oxygen monitors. One good application of these devices in the hospital setting is for monitoring oxygen levels inside the MRI examination room.

Versus Oxygen Saturation Monitors

It has to be clarified that the oxygen monitor products defined above are totally different from health safety devices known as the oxygen saturation detector or monitor. The former being machines that measure air air quality or oxygen composition while the latter being devices that measure oxygen levels in the blood stream. Also called pulse oximeters, blood oximeters, etc., they measure oxygen saturation in the blood stream during anesthetic operations or for any other hospital conditions. They also have portable versions for home use.

Versus Natural Gas Detectors

Natural gas detectors are safety devices that measure natural gas in the air. It basically works the same way as oxygen monitors but they serve different purposes. Homes that are hooked up to natural gas lines for their energy are subjected to fire hazard risks due to gas leakage and hence, gas detectors are usually installed to mitigate this risk.

The above air quality and safety devices were developed for different purposes and knowing the basic difference between them can help clear some of the confusion for first time buyers.