How to Use Portable Direct-Read Gas Detectors
- Chemical Safety, Gas Detection, Hazardous Materials
- Anfeald Course # HAZ 317
- 4.0 Hours Nominal
- 0.4 CEU
- Colorado Certified Water Professionals Training Units: Pending
Target Audience
Anfeald’s “How to Use Portable Direct-Read Gas Detectors,” HAZ 317, is for anyone who uses gas detectors, regardless of industry, job, or situation. This includes safety professionals, maintenance staff, field technicians, leads and supervisors, and other personnel with potential or actual exposure to hazardous vapors and gases in industrial settings, confined spaces, and other situations.
Summary
This course provides learners with practical knowledge and skills to operate and maintain portable direct-read gas-detection equipment. It covers selection, use, limitations, calibration, bump test procedures, interpretation of readings for common hazardous gases, and decision-making based on those readings.
* The instructor will adjust the class to cover the portable direct-read instruments used by learners, including single- and multiple-gas devices, photoionization detectors (PID), colorimetric tubes (pull-tubes), and tape-based colorimetric gas detectors, regardless of manufacturer.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, learners will:
- List the different direct-read gas-detector types and underlying technologies.
- Explain the following occupational exposure limit concepts: time-weighted average (TWA), short-term exposure limit (STEL/ST), ceiling value (C), and immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH), and how these relate to gas detector readings.
- Demonstrate how to interpret readings from installed gas sensors, including oxygen, lower explosive limit (LEL), carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and other gases, and what actions to take based on those readings.
- Describe the limitations of portable direct-read instruments, common errors and issues, and how to address them.
- Explain how to apply specific gas detector readings to instructor-provided scenarios, make appropriate decisions, and take correct actions with a safety-first approach.
- Demonstrate how to perform bump tests, fresh-air calibrations, and span calibrations.
Facility, Classroom, and Other Needs
Facility, classroom, and equipment needs include the followiing:
- Comfortable seating, table space, and writing materials for each learner
- Sufficient space considering the anticipated headcount
- Display screen with HDMI input or screen and projector (let us know in advance if we need to bring a projector and screen)
- Gas detectors employees currently use or will use, fully charged
- Calibration and bump-check equipment, including a sufficient quantity of bump-gas and calibration-gas for employee practice and skill evaluation
Additional Details
Other Related Courses









