Gas Detection Options for Contractors

Written by Jason Wright | Dec 13, 2022 1:15:00 PM

If you work as a contractor, you know it can be challenging to make sure you’re protected from worksite hazards. You can’t rely on a permanent room or systems for gas detectors when you move from site to site between jobs. You might not be allowed to pull from the gas detector fleet on-location, or the company might be short on spares.

Whatever the situation is, it’s crucial to protect yourself from atmospheric hazards with gas monitors. There are several options for contractors that can provide you with protection you can count on while meeting your needs.

Here is a list of things you should consider when deciding which gas detection option to use:

Price–You want to be safe and compliant without breaking the budget.
Shipping time—To keep your team on-schedule and efficient while staying safe, you need your gas monitors to ship quickly and arrive when you need them.
Industry-specific hazards—Depending on where a project takes your team, hazards vary. Oil refineries, paper mills, and chemical plants will all require sensor configurations specific to your environment. However, for many jobs, a standard four-gas monitor like the Ventis® MX4 is a great place to start and gives you the protection you need against atmospheric hazards.
Data—If the jobsite uses docking stations like our DSX™ docking station, the safety leaders may ask that contractors dock their gas detectors at the end of the day to ensure that they are bump tested, calibrated, and otherwise compliant and ready to use. If you have a gas detector that’s compatible with the facility’s docking stations, safety leaders can also access gas readings from throughout the day and use the data collected by gas detectors to prevent reportable incidents.

So now that you know what to look for, what are your options? The most common solutions include purchasing new gas detectors, short-term rentals, or buying certified pre-owned (CPO) detectors. Let’s dive into some of the reasons you might choose each option.

1. New Gas Monitors

Purchasing gas detection equipment is an option that might be right for you if you have the time and resources to maintain a fleet and want to have new gas detectors available from project to project.

2. Rental Gas Monitors

Short-term rental may be the best option for you if you know that a project is only going to last for a limited amount of time, from a few hours to months, and you won’t need it again afterwards.

Rental is also a great choice if you want to avoid a large expense and the maintenance that comes along with gas detector ownership. It also gives you the flexibility to get extra gas detectors quickly if you need to add extra workers—24-48 hour shipping makes it easy to get the equipment you need when you need it.

3. Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Gas Detectors

CPO equipment combines the benefits of rentals and new gas detectors. While rental is a great option for short-term projects, with CPO equipment you get the durability, reliability, and dependable performance of a brand-new gas monitor at an exceptional value. At the end of the job, you will also have gas detectors that you can keep and continue to use. Industrial Scientific can ship in-stock CPO monitors to you and your team within one business day.

If you’re considering CPO monitors, be sure to check that your monitors have been inspected and approved for safety. All of our CPO monitors must pass a rigorous multi-point inspection, including intrinsic safety approvals, so you can trust the equipment to have your back.

The bottom line is, you need to make sure that you will make it home safely at the end of the day. Buying new, renting, and buying CPO gas monitors are all great options depending on your priorities and the demands of your worksite.

To learn more about CPO gas detectors and our available stock, read more on our website.

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