Companies that have significant stores of ammonia or even waste treatment plants with chlorine run the risk of serious hazards if things go from all is normal to all heck breaking loose. Refrigeration plant operators, supervisors, and facility managers are all aware of the dangers, but in the heat of the moment well-placed safety equipment can make all the difference.
Most folks who work in an ice or refrigeration plant or other facilities that store, use, or create byproducts of hazardous chemicals know where the exit doors are. Self-contained breathing apparatus (sc SCBA equipment) are part of the safety program for all these locations, but placement of the SCBA wall cases is almost as important as the units themselves.
These are exit-only units. Unless you are part of a team that is specifically tasked with entry and rescue, these SCBA units need to be located in the heart of the facility strategically placed moving outward from the deepest, most inaccessible areas that are serviced by repairmen and operators.
30-minute tanks on units like the Survivair Cougar SCBA Industrial System are going to be sucked dry well before the 30 minutes has elapsed when the plant is looking like a Die Hard movie set. Well-marked exit corridors will help when there is a cloud of hazardous gas wafting around. (I'm guessing here as I haven't personally been in a cloud of chlorine gas with a tank strapped to my back, but I really think it's true.)
If you have questions about SCBA wall hanging units or compliance SCBA units give our Customer Service Experts a call at 800-829-9580. They haven't been in a toxic gas cloud either, but they know the regulations and best practices backward and forward.
Thanks for reading. Stay safe.