CoGDEM Comment – Gas Detection Standards

CoGDEM (UK) is the Council of Gas Detection and Environmental Monitoring, a trade association with a membership of over fifty companies involved in the gas detection industry. We are pleased to have ILM/ETP (the publishers of this IET magazine) as an Associate Member, so we now place a regular column of news from the gas detection industry in IET magazine.

One of the key reasons for manufacturers of gas detection equipment to join a trade association such as CoGDEM is to be involved in the creation and modification process for the range of international standards that apply to the gas detection industry. For example, if a manufacturer of a flammable gas detector wanted to suggest an amendment to an existing standard that governs the performance of flammable gas detectors, that company cannot join the committee or working group for that standard in case there might be a conflict of interest. However, if the company is a member of a trade association such as CoGDEM, they can have their experts attend Working Group meetings or be committee members to represent the industry as a whole, not just their own company.

This representation is not just through the UK gas detection committee EXL/31/1 (with BSI providing the Secretariat), but globally.  Currently very active, the two European (CENELEC) gas detection committees TC 216 and SC 31/9 both have strong CoGDEM representation. TC 216 predominantly deals with gas detectors used in the domestic area, such as carbon monoxide and natural gas alarms and combustion gas analysers used by heating engineers.  In contrast, the scope of SC 31/9 is gas detectors used in the workplace, either for the protection of the workers or the plant. 

As an example of the important standards which are being worked on by these CENELEC committees, EN 45544 governs the performance requirements and test methods for toxic gas detectors, and a completely rewritten version will be published in the coming months.  Work will soon begin on an equivalent global standard, and the European experts will be actively ensuring that manufacturers and test laboratories find similar requirements no matter where in the world toxic gas detectors are being designed and tested.

At CoGDEM meetings, member companies discuss the current landscape of standards and whether there are any gaps in coverage. As technology advances, standards need to evolve to take into account new techniques or improved gas detection performance. Recently, CoGDEM members have started a discussion on the possible benefits of creating a new standard to cover the usage of ultrasonic-based detectors. These are used near high pressure gas pipelines so that leaks can immediately be ‘heard’ before the gas concentration builds up to a point where conventional gas detectors would be effective.  CoGDEM can use its position within the various committees mentioned above to raise the suggestion to the standards-writing bodies.

CoGDEM member companies have also been invited to participate in the recently announced consultation on changes to the guidance issued by the UK’s HSE to sit alongside the Confined Space Regulations. The guidance makes many mentions of the need to test the atmosphere using gas detectors.