Gas Test Atmospheres

This Gas Test Atmospheres training course is for individuals who may be required to carry out gas testing of an atmosphere prior to entering a specific area or workspace. This can include work environments that are hazardous, unpredictable, subject to time pressure, chaotic and expose responders to risk, on land or water, or workplace atmospheres which may include visible and invisible hazards and hazardous surfaces.

The course covers the skills and knowledge required to test the working atmosphere using electronic test apparatus to find out if it is safe for the proposed work, interpret readings and take actions based on the interpretation.

Areas that may need to be atmospherically tested can include:

• Confined Spaces
• Enclosed and partially enclosed spaces
• Hot works
• Storage tanks, silos, pits, pipes, shafts and ducts
• Testing as part of issuing a work permit
• Monitoring as part of working under a permit
• Open areas

Students will learn:

• Legislative framework for gas detection
• Determining when is gas testing required
• Gas testing permits to work and hot work requirements
• Supervisor responsibilities
• Risk assessments and the need to consider atmospheric monitoring requirements during the risk assessment
• Confined space permit overview
• Air densities of common gases
• Oxygen deficiency, oxygen enrichment, lower explosive levels, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide, methane and other gases
• Exposure limits: TWAs, STELs, IDLHs etc
• Gas testing log sheets
• Gas detector maintenance
• Gas detector bump testing and calibration requirements
• Gas detector records