The Industry's Fixation On Easy Applications Ignores Many Harsh Realities

With virtually no independent companies remaining in toxic gas detection, industrial hygiene and safety professionals are faced with a disheartening array of "me-too" products, differing only in brand name.  Not only do these products all look the same, but they also ignore a host of important—if more difficult to measure—toxic gases.  There really is more to life than carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide.

Independent gas detection company Interscan Corporation can handle the easy gases, of course, but prides itself on being the go-to supplier for the tough ones—such as ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, hydrazine, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen peroxide, and peracetic acid.

Interscan offers all configurations, from portable analyzers to fixed systems, along with complete custom packages, featuring advanced data acquisition.  Unlike nearly every other gas detection company, Interscan manufactures its own sensors.  According to Gitty Gilani, Interscan's manager of sensor development, "Almost every week, a customer will tell us he is grateful that an instrument company specializes in these 'hard-to-find' gases."

These more exotic toxic gases present challenges, with respect to sensitivity, specificity, and methods of calibration.  Nonetheless, many workers are exposed to them, and need the protection of proper gas detection. 

Rose Stransky, of Interscan's corporate sales department, sums it up:  "One size does not fit all in gas detection, even though many of our competitors would like the public to believe that.  To do the job right requires applications knowledge, and, of course, having all the right sensors.  We encourage anyone with a difficult application—or even a simple one—to contact us."