In our Gas Detection Applications Primer, we describe the notion of recommended and regulatory limits, as applied to toxic gases in the workplace. Discussed therein are the OSHA parameters of Permissible Exposure Limit, Action Level, and Ceiling Value. If this “Action Level” is detected during initial monitoring of the occupancy in question, that is the…
Many years ago, we had a sales rep who took great pride in his home swimming pool. He did all the maintenance himself, and was a top customer at his local pool supply store. Being an engineer, and also knowing some chemistry, he figured that the chemicals obtained on the residential market were overpriced and…
One of our older sales reps faced this issue many years ago, on a source monitoring job. His instruments were set up in a trailer, ready to demo to a prospective customer. The customer had provided a nice new cylinder labeled “sulfur dioxide in air, 500 ppm.” However, when this gas was applied to an…
Have you ever heard that “The solution to pollution is dilution”? This little aphorism is usually stated as a sort of inside joke, although it is public policy for radon in residences. We saw this principle in action when home builders affected by the Chinese drywall disaster would sometimes open all windows while the homes…