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Air
Monitoring
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| Two-tape video series distributed by Moxie Media for emergency responders who carry out air sampling activities at hazmat incidents. | |||||||||
| Included FREE with your purchase: "Air Monitoring Instrumentation" by Carol and Steven Maslansky." A 300-page manual for emergency, investigatory and remedial responders. | |||||||||
| About
atmospheric monitoring The hazard of contaminated atmospheres can exist at any hazardous materials site. Air monitoring at such scenes is important for a number of reasons. It helps the emergency responder to verify what chemicals and dangers are involved, and it helps the incident commander to assess potential effects on the community and the environment. It also helps in determining what health and safety precautions the emergency responder should take. Both OSHA and NFPA have established standards that require hazmat technicians to be able to operate monitoring equipment, interpret readings and carry out field maintenance, testing and calibration checks. About the program Part One, "Contamination Assessment," describes the different types of contaminated atmospheres and explains the associated risks and hazards of each. This film takes an objective look at the basic instruments used by emergency responders, explaining that these instruments must be portable, durable and easy to operate. It explains the difference between direct reading instruments, which sample and analyze on-site, and air sampling, in which contaminants are collected at the site and analyzed in a lab. The various factors which can effect instrument readings are explained. Monitoring priorities for the incident commander are outlined, with the suggestion that radiation hazards and flammable atmospheres pose the greatest risks. Responders are warned that readings are not precise until analyzed at a lab, and are cautioned that monitoring activities must continue throughout the entire incident because atmospheric conditions can change rapidly. Other topics covered in this film include respiratory protection, protective clothing, back-up teams, fenceline monitoring, instrument failure, decontamination of personnel and instruments, and the special problems of confined spaces. (19 minutes)
Part Two of Air Monitoring is entitled "Direct Reading Instruments." This film takes a closer look at the primary air monitoring devices, telling the purpose of each and showing how they work, how to interpret readings and how to avoid common problems. The instruments covered include combustible gas indicators, oxygen meters, detector (colorimetric) tubes, survey instruments (PIDs and FIDs), radiation detectors, and gas and dust monitors. The tape shows these instruments being used, with graphics to clearly depict the principals behind their operation. The viewer is taught the safe and correct operation of each instrument, and the concept of intrinsically safe equipment-equipment recognized as safe by testing laboratories for use in flammable atmospheres. "Direct
Reading Instruments" discusses calibration of
instruments, reference gases and calibration checks, and how to use
a response curve to read meters. It explains how to conduct monitoring
to get accurate readings, and how an oxygen deficient or oxygen enriched
atmosphere and other factors will affect results. This video also
tells how each instrument must be maintained, and how to avoid damage.
Specific information for the different types of instruments is given.
(29 minutes)
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