ATMOSPHERIC MONITORING OPERATIONS FOR NATURAL GAS LEAKS AND CARBON MONOXIDE INCIDENTS

ATMOSPHERIC MONITORING OPERATIONS FOR NATURAL GAS LEAKS AND CARBON MONOXIDE

INCIDENTS

Sugar Grove

4-GAS METERS

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS AND NOISES MEAN?

TRAINING OBJECTIVES

• OSFM Hazardous Materials Technician “A”– 24-6.2 Identify the types of monitoring equipment used to

determine the following hazards. (NFPA 472: 4-2.1.3.2)• b. Flammability• d. Oxygen deficiency

– 24-6.3 Given examples of various hazardous materials and the following monitoring equipment, select the appropriate monitoring equipment to identify and quantify the materials. (NFPA 472: 4-2.1.3.4)

• a. Carbon monoxide meter• c. Combustible gas meter• d. Oxygen meter

DIGITAL NUMBERS AND SPONTANEOUS BEEPS

• It is important to understand what you are monitoring for but also what the numbers indicate throughout your investigations process

• Do not wait for the monitor to exhibit an audible alarm for you to realize you are in a bad place

• Understanding what the digital numbers indicate are integral to everyday monitoring operations we may encounter during carbon monoxide incidents or natural gas leak investigations

• Pre-Use Inspection– The “Pre-Use Inspection” should be done

each morning during the engine’s daily inspection

– Remove the unit into a fresh outside air environment

– Turn the monitor on by depressing the “on/off” button

– The monitor will perform its warm up operation

INSPECTION PROCEDURES

• Pre-Use Inspection– Perform the “Fresh Air Set-Up” (in fresh air)

• On the Industrial scientific follow prompt• On the MSA when starting up the ZERO square will flash.• While flashing press and hold the RESET button until the

ZERO stays on.• Once the Zero disappears it will be ready for use

– Allow the monitor to obtain its readings– Shut the monitor off by depressing the “on/off” button

when finished• Be sure all normal values are restored before shutting

off

INSPECTION PROCEDURES

PRE-USE INSPECTION

• Visual Check– Ensure there is no damage to the outer case

of the device– Inspect the sensor filters to ensure they are

intact and free of obstruction (on Industrial scientific quad gas and co monitors)

– Inspect the top of the MSA monitors for dirt or thread damage.

PRE-USE INSPECTION

• The DO NOTs of Pre-Use Inspection– Never turn on the device in the vicinity of

apparatus that is running– Never intentionally expose the device to

hazardous or toxic substances (ie: exhaust from diesel motor or natural gas stove burner)

– Never shut off the device unless you are in a fresh air environment

PURPOSE OF MONITORING

• In the event of a suspected or confirmed hazardous atmosphere, the process of atmospheric monitoring shall be used to:– Begin Baseline Monitoring– Establish Operational Zones– Protect Responders and Public– Identify Chemical or Chemical Family– Observe Incident Mitigation Progress

MONITORING CONSIDERATIONS

• To gain better results while engaged in monitoring, the firefighter must adhere to following considerations while using the device– What you are attempting to monitor– Source of the hazardous atmospheric

condition– Vapor Density Awareness


• What you are attempting to monitor– What information was given at time of

dispatch?– What information has the occupant made

available upon arrival at the scene?– Is the information consistent with what you

believe to be the problem?

• Common Sources to Investigate for CO– Furnaces– Hot water heaters– Fireplaces– Kerosene heaters


• Common Sources to Investigate for CO– Gasoline engines running inside garages or

basements– BBQ grills– Faulty flues or exhaust pipes


• Common Sources to Investigate for Flammable Gas– Furnaces– Hot water heaters– Fireplaces– Kerosene heaters



• Vapor Density Awareness– Remember that you are more than likely

monitoring the atmosphere for a substance that has taken the state of matter commonly known as a “gas”

– Gases have the tendency to lie or rise in areas that correlate with their vapor density

– When monitoring, be cognizant of the device’s position in relation to the substance’s vapor density

GENERAL MONITORING CONSIDERATIONS

• Common Monitoring Errors– Wrong monitoring equipment– Activating the monitoring device once entry

has been made into the hazardous environment

– Monitoring technique is too fast– Not monitoring according to physical property

of actual substance

MONITORING TECHNIQUES

• To gain better results while engaged in monitoring, the firefighter must adhere to following techniques while using the device:– X and Y Axis Monitoring


• X and Y Axis Monitoring– Within the room you are monitoring, place an

imaginary X and Y axis directly in front of you and spot the device where the lines intersect

X

Y


• X and Y Axis Monitoring– Move the device from side to side on the “X”

axis and up and down on the “Y” axis

X

Y


• X and Y Axis Monitoring– As you move over the

lines on the axis, move slowly allowing the device to sample and interpret the atmospheric counts

MSA SOLARIS

LEL O2

0 20.3CO H2S

0 0

• Capabilities of the Monitoring Device– CO: Carbon Monoxide– O2: Oxygen– H2S: Hydrogen Sulfide– %LEL**

**Conversion Charts available for various combustible gases, MSA ORION Operator’s Manual; Pages 7-3.

WHAT CAN BE MONITORED

MEASURING COMBUSTIBLE GAS CONCENTRATIONS

• The Multi-gas Detectors are equipped to detect combustible gases in the atmosphere

• Alarms sound when concentrations reach:– Alarm Set point– 100% LEL (Lower Explosive Limit), 5%

CH4(methane)


• When the combustible gas indication reaches the Alarm Set point:– Alarm sounds– Alarm lights flash

• To silence the alarm, press the RESET button– NOTE: The alarm will stay silent only if the alarm condition has

cleared.– When the combustible gas indication reaches 100% LEL or 5%

CH4, the LockAlarm™ circuit locks the combustible gas reading and alarm and:

• Alarm sounds• Alarm lights flash• 100 appears on the display and flashes• This alarm cannot be reset with the RESET button


• The LEL Number– Lower Explosive Level (LEL) and Upper

Explosive Level (UEL) comprise what is known as the flammable range

– The UEL variable is what a fire company must understand and be prepared to interpret

– UEL is dangerous being that it is the minimum variable in the flammable range


• The LEL Number– When the device monitors for LEL, it is

calibrated to interpret pentane– When the monitor displays its reading it will

present as a percentage (%)– The percentage is a percentage of the overall

LEL


EXAMPLE:

Engine 3 is monitoring for gasoline vapors. Gasoline’s LEL is 1.4%. During the monitoring operation, it is noted the LEL reads 4%. Being that our monitors are calibrated to pentane, a conversion needs to be computed. Per the

MSA ORION Operator’s Manual Cross Reference chart, the responder must multiply the LEL % reading by 1.3.

So, multiply 0.04 x 1.3. The result should equate to 0.05. This means there is 5% percent of the total 1.4%

in the ambient atmosphere.


INSTURMENT WITH ACTIVATED LEL DISPLAY

MEASURING TOXIC GAS CONCETRATIONS

• The Multi-gas Detectors are equipped to detect:– Carbon Monoxide (CO)– Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)

• When the alarm set point is reached for Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S):– Alarm Sounds– Alarm Lights flash


• Carbon Monoxide is measured in “parts per million” (PPM)

• PPM is the dose per million units of volume– In this case, PPM refers the dose of CO per

million units of air


Example:

1 PPM = 1/1,000,000 particle per volume

1 PPM is 0.0001% of the atmosphere by volume

1,000,000 PPM

1 PPM


Example:

Engine 3 is dispatched for a carbon monoxide investigation. While monitoring the atmosphere,

the device indicates there is 42 PPM of CO.

If we take 42/1,000,000 we calculate that as 0.000042 or 0.042%

0.042% of the atmosphere is comprised of CO


• Be cognizant that Carbon Monoxide has a Threshold Limit Value (TLV) of 35 PPM

• The “35 PPM” variable represents conditions under which it is believed a firefighter may be exposed day after day with no adverse effect

• The 35 PPM is only an exposure guideline not a standard

• If you suspect you are going to be exposed to any level of CO, it is advisable to protect your respiratory tract by donning SCBA

MEASURING COMBUSTIBLE TOXIC GAS CONCENTRATIONS

INSTURMENT WITH ACTIVATED TOXIC GAS DISPLAY

CO INCIDENT RESPONSE GUIDELINES

CO INCIDENT RESPONSE GUIDELINES

• CO Investigation with no Illness– Still Engine

• Non-emergency response

• CO Investigation with Illness– Full Still

• Engine and Ambulance– Emergency response

CO INCIDENT OPERATIONS GUIDELINES

• Carbon Monoxide Incidents– Remove the unit into a fresh outside air environment– Turn the monitor on by depressing the “on/off” button– The monitor will perform its warm up operation– Perform the “Fresh Air Set-Up” (in fresh air)

• On the Industrial scientific follow prompt• On the MSA when starting up the ZERO square will flash.• While flashing press and hold the REST button until the

ZERO stays on.• Once the Zero disappears it will be ready for use


• Carbon Monoxide Incidents– Allow the monitor to obtain its readings– Begin the investigation within the occupancy– Bring the device to a fresh air environment

and allow all readings to return to normal• H2S, CO, and LEL should all indicate “0 PPM”• O2 should indicate between 19.5% and 23.5%

– Shut the monitor off by depressing the “on/off” button when finished



• CO without illness– Ensure firefighter and resident safety– Investigate the occupancy for the presence of

CO– Monitor the present level of CO– Determine a source or location of the CO

release


• CO without illness– Discontinue the release of CO– Ventilate appropriately– Re-monitor the occupancy and note any

improvement, worsening, or unchanged CO levels

– Document the incident accordingly


• CO with illness– Immediately remove the person(s) from the suspected

potential exposures – Triage and assess the patients

• Treat per SFV EMS System Protocols • Transport if necessary

– Observe use of proper personal protective equipment• Level “D” structural firefighting gear

– Investigate the occupancy for the presence of CO– Monitor the present level of CO


• CO with illness– Determine a source or location of the CO

release– Discontinue the release of CO– Ventilate appropriately– Re-monitor the occupancy and note any

improvement, worsening, or unchanged CO levels


NATURAL GAS LEAK INCIDENT RESPONSE

GUIDELINES

NATURAL GAS LEAK INCIDENT RESPONSE GUIDELINES

• Outside & Inside gas leak– Full Still Engine, Squad, ARFF961,

Command, Ambulance.• Emergency response

NATURAL GAS LEAK INCIDENT OPERATIONS GUIDELINES

• Natural Gas Leak Incidents– Remove the unit into a fresh outside air environment– Turn the monitor on by depressing the “on/off” button– The monitor will perform its warm up operation– Perform the “Fresh Air Set-Up” (in fresh air)

• On the Industrial scientific follow prompt• On the MSA when starting up the ZERO square will flash.• While flashing press and hold the REST button until the

ZERO stays on.• Once the Zero disappears it will be ready for use.


• Natural Gas Leak Incidents– Allow the monitor to obtain its readings– Begin the investigation within the occupancy– Bring the device to a fresh air environment

and allow all readings to return to normal• H2S, CO, and LEL should all indicate “0 PPM”• O2 should indicate between 19.5% and 23.5%

– Shut the monitor off by depressing the “on/off” button when finished



• Outside Gas Leak– Observe use of proper personal protective equipment

• Level “D” structural firefighting gear– Isolate area– Ensure firefighter and resident safety– Investigate the occupancy for the presence of gas– Make suppression considerations if exposures exist– Monitor the present level of combustible gas– Determine a source or location of the gas release


• Outside Gas Leak– Discontinue the release of gas– Ventilate appropriately– Re-monitor the occupancy and note any

improvement, worsening, or unchanged gas levels

– Notify NiCor – Document the incident accordingly


• Inside Gas Leak– Isolate area– Immediately remove the person(s) from the

suspected potential exposures – Triage and assess the patients

• Treat per SFV EMS System Protocols• Transport if necessary


• Inside Gas Leak– Observe use of proper personal protective

equipment• Level “D” structural firefighting gear

– Determine the need for water supply– Investigate the occupancy for the presence of gas– Monitor the present level of gas


• Inside Gas Leak– Determine a source or location of the gas

release– Discontinue the release of gas– Ventilate appropriately– Re-monitor the occupancy and note any

improvement, worsening, or unchanged gas levels


Documents

ATMOSPHERIC MONITORING OPERATIONS FOR NATURAL GAS LEAKS AND CARBON MONOXIDE INCIDENTS