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When taking a gas pipeline offline or installing a new one, utility crews must first treat the confined space with inert gas, such as nitrogen, to limit the chances of combustion. After the pipeline has been treated, workers should test the space for the presence of hazardous gases. This is what’s known as purge testing. However, this is not the same as conventional gas detection. The pipeline will contain little oxygen and high concentrations of natural gas, which could damage the gas detect …

Understanding the lower explosive limits (LEL) of combustible gases is crucial when it comes to protecting the health and safety of your employees. As a construction worker, maintenance professional or someone that works in confined spaces, you need to be aware of the LELs of certain hazardous gases, while measuring the amount of gas in the air as a percentage of the total volume using a gas monitor. If the amount of gas in the air suprasses the LEL, the gas could spontaneously combust, injur …

There’s nothing like feeling safe and comfortable at work. That’s why we’re excited to announce the release our new GRIT Flame Retardant (FR) cargo pants new color selections. GRIT is PK Safety’s exclusive line of FR clothing for hardworking professionals. All GRIT products are UL (Underwriters Laboratories) classified, which means they’ve been thoroughly inspected and approved by a licensed safety professional. With over 70 years in the business, we know what workers want whe …

When it comes to monitoring and detecting hazardous gases like carbon monoxide, chlorine, nitrogen dioxide, and phosgene (for example), there are two kinds of monitors: portable gas monitors and fixed system gas monitors. The user will wear a portable gas monitor on their lapel, or near what’s known as the breathing zone when working in potentially hazardous environments. Another choice would be a 'Fixed Point' gas detector. As the name implies, the sensor is typically mounted in place, and d …

Between the lack of fresh air and the potential for hazardous gases and particulates, working in high-dust sites offer a unique set of safety challenges. Worker safety has always been a top priority at PK Safety, and we’re now offering more options for confined space workers that need to breathe clean air. We carry a range of CleanSpace Respirators products and accessories, but we have two new respirator kits to consider when it comes to replacing or upgrading your current air quality s …

Commercial spaces can have a number of confined spaces as well as toxic or combustible atmospheres that make the environment dangerous for workers. Avoiding accidents, especially in manufacturing, comes down to having a reliable system for monitoring and detecting gases. Most gases are clear, odorless, and undetectable to human senses, so the right tools are necessary to identify problems before they become dangerous. There’s a lot of gas detection and monitoring products out there, so …

It’s the season for savings, and we at PK Safety think that saving money on workplace safety equipment that saves lives is a great idea. For a limited time, we’re having sales on confined space safety equipment, including BW Clip 2 year single gas detectors. Here’s some of the equipment you can save money during Black Friday week with PK Safety. Single Gas Detectors Single use gas detectors are a convenient option for ensuring that you can detect important gases reliably in a variety …

COLD WEATHER DANGERS A winterized workplace safety culture will be aware of the season’s unique safety hazards. Any workplace that has slip, trip, and fall hazards, falling object hazards, or fire hazards in normal weather conditions will still have those hazards when the weather gets colder. A danger unique to cold, wet, and windy conditions are cold stress hazards, which can take the form of trench foot, frostbite, and hypothermia. These conditions can set in when the body temperatur …

A davit is a popular crane-like device made of steel or aluminum and designed for supporting, raising, lateral moving, and lowering people, working platforms, boats, anchors, or other heavy equipment. Davit systems can be used to lower a lifeboat to the embarkation level for boarding. They can be utilized as man-overboard safety devices to retrieve people from the water. You can also see people using davits when they are working on buildings with various terrace levels. …

When working in confined spaces, it’s critical that workers stay safe from hidden and potentially deadly dangers. These spaces - which, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Health and Safety Administration, are usually small and difficult to exit - can include places like coal mines, manholes, grain elevators or wine tanks, along with many others. OSHA recognized this and created more confined space regulations in 2015.Why is OSHA Focusing on Confined Spaces?The danger of the …