AUTHORIZED GAS

TESTING
INSTRUCTOR: SHIBUTA EMMANUEL
 • To ensure that workers preparing for the
gas tester role have appropriate knowledge
to conduct gas tests for oxygen levels,
flammable and toxic gases safely within
confined space areas and prepare the
workers with enough awareness of
Course Objectives
confined space hazards.

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 Course is intended for:
Individuals who are involved in oxygen, flammable, and toxic gases
testing and including working in confined spaces, involved in
testing for flammable gas in preparation for hot work, and
individuals who provide safety watch duties by the ongoing
monitoring of a hot work site.

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INTRODUCTION

• Gas releases and other atmospheric changes can be

extremely dangerous in the workplace. They can cause
Statistics
serious injury and death by asphyxiation; and, with the • Recent UK HSE Statistics reported 104 hydrocarbon
potential for fire and explosion, severe damage to plant releases (HCRs) in 2016. This figure has fluctuated
and the surrounding environment as well. They are over the last 10 years, but last year HCRs accounted
particularly hazardous to people working in confined for 28% of all dangerous occurrences reported under
spaces and during hot work activities.  RIDDOR. The only HSE prosecution and conviction in
the UK Oil and Gas industry in 2016 related to a
hydrocarbon release.

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INTRODUCTION

• In the international oil and gas industry, the potential threat of

hydrocarbon releases from process equipment, wells and
pipelines means that it’s critical that the people involved are
properly trained. The authorized gas tester (AGT) role is
responsible for performing gas tests on site and ensuring that
atmospheres are safe to work in.

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Employee Rights

Employees are entitled to safe and

healthy working conditions which
DO NOT pose a risk of serious harm.

Workers are entitled to be fairly

compensated for all hours worked in
accordance with the law.

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 Employer Responsibility

Employers have the responsibility to provide a safe

workplace.

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 Why is Gas testing Important?

Some of the gasses we work with can be very dangerous,

so we need to make sure the atmosphere is safe to work
in Before any work starts and during the time the work is
taking place

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Who can carry out gas testing?

A. Only those people who have attended Authorized Gas Tester

training can certify a gas test.

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Who can carry out gas testing?

All AGT’s must have completed. Permit to Work training before

becoming an Authorized Gas Tester.

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The following abbreviations are used:

• AGT - Authorized Gas Tester

• CH 4 - Methane (a flammable hydrocarbon gas)
• H 2 S - Hydrogen Sulphide (a toxic gas)
• LEL - Lower Explosive Limit.
• UEL - Upper Explosive Limit. ppm - Parts per million.

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Here are THREE reasons why we do gas tests:

To make sure there are no toxic (poisonous) gasses

present in the air, and that the atmosphere is safe to
breath.
To make sure there is sufficient Oxygen in the air to
support life.
To make sure there are no explosive gasses, and so
minimize the possibility of an explosion happening.

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 Where should we expect to find explosive gas?

Hazardous Area Classification

The classification in zones or “zoning” is the

partition of the installation into volumes in which a
flammable atmosphere may be present.

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 Where should we expect to find explosive gas?
Hazardous Area Classification
Zone 0. That part of a hazardous area in which a
flammable atmosphere is continuously present, or present
for long periods.
Zone 1. That part of a hazardous area in which a flammable
atmosphere is likely to occur in normal operation.
Zone 2. That part of a hazardous area in which a flammable
atmosphere is not likely to occur in normal operation, and,
if it occurs, will exist only for a short period.

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 Explosive Limits
All combustible gases and vapors have an ‘explosive
limit’, between which the gas or vapor, mixed with air,
is capable of sustaining the spread of flame.
These can be referred to as the ‘explosive’ or
‘flammable’ limits

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 Explosive Limits
The lower explosive limit (LEL) refers to the lowest
concentration of a gas in the atmosphere which results
in a combustible mixture. For example, the LEL of
Methane in Air is 5% by volume.
This means that if there is less than 5% by volume of
Methane in air the mixture is too low to support
combustion . When Methane Gas Test equipment
indicates 100% LEL, there is 5% by volume of Methane in
the test atmosphere.
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 Explosive Limits
The Upper Explosive Limit (UEL) refers to the highest
concentration of a gas in the atmosphere which results
in a combustible mixture. For example, the UEL of
Methane in air is 15% by volume, which means that if
there is more than 15% of Methane in the air by volume
the mixture is too rich to support combustion.

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 Important places to be tested
Bins & Silos
Grain dryers
Pits
 Boot, scale, waste, etc.
Tanks
Tunnels
Railcars

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Grain Storage Facilities & Silos

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Grain Dryers

Horizontal
cross flow
dryer

Batch cross Vertical cross

flow dryer flow dryer

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Livestock Waste Storage

Hog
Confinement
Pit

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Leg Boot Pits

NOTE: Not all boot pits

meet the criteria for a
confined space.
Boot Pit & Tunnel
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Railcars, Tanks

Loading grain
railcar, Kansas Anhydrous ammonia tank,
Iowa farm

Hopper bottom railcar,

Tennessee
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