Staying safe with clockwork canaries
Canaries, being much more susceptible than humans to toxic and dangerous gases such as methane and carbon monoxide, were famously used by miners for generations as a crude early warning system. By way of (admittedly cold) logic, if one’s canary was seen to be dead or dying, it was taken as a very real warning of potentially dangerous build-ups or pockets of gas.
In short, by sacrificing many a canary, thousands of miners have been spared terrifying deaths within the dark nooks and crannies of the earth.
Luckily, for both humans and canaries alike, modern technological advancements have proved to be far better safety sentinels for miners today.
MSA Africa’s recent addition to its range of gas detectors, the Galaxy GX2 Automated Test System, as well as Dräger’s X-am 2500, are two of the newest industry examples of the need to constantly improve upon modern technologies to ensure sustainable safety in the future.
With features such as MSA Link Pro Software, the Galaxy GX2 Automated Test System can connect to a PC, making the transfer of all portable gas detection records to the connected PC possible, in turn making calibration, bump tests and health reports instantly accessible and printable.
The Dräger X-am 2500 also features many improvements compared to its predecessors. Approved for use in Ex Zone 0 areas, in which an explosive gas-air mixture is continuously present or present for long periods of time, the X-am 2500 features sensors capable of completing bump tests within eight to 15 seconds and when used in conjunction with the Dräger X-dock, it also streamlines the gas monitoring and recording processes in general.
With advancements such as these in electronic gas detection, it is probably safe to say that mining companies will save significant amounts of money where avian upkeep and maintenance is concerned.