On the 4th of July, the UK is heading into its next stage of reducing lockdown restrictions. This will allow many businesses to reopen. One such sector is the hospitality industry which includes pubs, bars, coffee shops and restaurants. With many of these businesses preparing to reopen one of the major concerns is complying to UK COVID guidelines and ensuring the public is safe when entering these premises. However, there is also another hazard present within the hospitality industry which can be easily forgotten in these unprecedented times. Gas hazards from both toxic, in the form of carbon dioxide and asphyxiation in the form of nitrogen, represent significant dangers to staff. Both of these gases can be found in the cellars of bars, coffee shops, restaurants and pubs; as they are mainly used to pump beer to the bar and carbonating fizzy drinks. [Read our article here that discusses the dangers of CO2 and Oxygen and why you need to monitor for these]. Managers will need to ensure that they have a CO2 gas detector and oxygen depletion monitors in place before they reopen.
Already have a fixed CO2 gas detector and Oxygen monitor in place?
The UK hospitality industry has been in lockdown since the end of March. As the industry is now looking to reopen managers are now preparing their sites to be COVID safe. However, they also need to ensure their staff and premises are safe from gas hazards as well. Many of these premises will already have a fixed gas detection system in place and if they do, it most likely has not been serviced since March. Therefore, managers need to ensure that the fixed gas detection system they have in place has been serviced and working correctly before they connect gas supplies and reopen.
At IGD we can help with servicing of the gas detection equipment you have and can also provide training to your staff to ensure they understand why they have the system and help develop a safe operating procedure in case of an alarm activation. Contact our team here, to discuss your requirements and our solution.
Pictured: Our portable CO2-CHUM gas monitor. Able to detect at 0-5000ppm and very user friendly. Featuring high sensitive sensor and USB charging capability. Able to order online for next day delivery.
What if you have Portable CO2 gas detectors and/or oxygen monitors?
If you are a delivery driver supplying gases to pub cellars, then it is essential to have your own personal gas detector on hand and ready. [To learn more about our CO2 portable gas detectors read our article: Choosing The Right CO2 Gas Detector.
These monitors may not have been serviced or even switched on during lockdown in the UK. It is imperative to return portable monitors for service before reopening as these are the last line of defence when it comes to personal gas safety. Further to this, it is required that those using portable monitors are trained to use them. This is detailed out in section 4.1 in the British Compressed Gas Association, Guidance Note 9. You can read more about Guidance Note 9 here.
Do you not have a CO2 gas detector or oxygen monitor in place?
After reading the above have you realised that your premises do not currently have a CO2 gas detector and/or oxygen monitor in place? Or have you recently had the system or portable serviced and it is faulty and a replacement is required? International Gas Detectors can help with this. We have recently joined BFBi to help promote the legal requirement for gas detection in cellars, plus our range of gas detector solutions and our free training courses. We can provide a fixed CO2 gas detector and/or fixed oxygen monitors, that can be installed by your team without requiring an engineer. It features a self-setup software and all sensors are pre-calibrated before despatch; thus ensuring you can quickly and effectively deploy a working gas detection system before you reopen. We also have stock ready for: CO2 portable gas detectors, Oxygen portable monitors and combined CO2 and Oxygen monitors. Ready to be delivered to site, to meet your demands.
Free Gas Detection Training
We can help set up a service program to ensure that your system is continually serviced, and health checked. We can provide flexible service programs to meet your needs and requirements. Finally, our team can provide free training both online and in-person to enable your staff to understand the gas hazards, safe working principles, how to use and look after their monitors and develop a safe operating procedure.
Get in touch today to ensure you have a CO2 gas monitor and/or oxygen monitor in place before your reopen in July.
Stay Up To Date With Gas Detection
Want to stay up to date with the latest news, case studies and product releases from IGD? Want to know when our next article is published? Sign up to our monthly email list here.