The Armstrong Monitoring Corporation || Ministry of Ontario Regulation 833

May 9, 2008

Ministry of Ontario Regulation

Since it's inception in 1981, AMC has valued it customers health and safety in the highest regards. This continues today and will continue for many years to come; this is why we bring this important notice from the Ministry of Ontario regarding Regulation 883 (Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents) to your attention. Effective December 31, 2005 the Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL) which is regulated under Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA), will have the Time Weighted Average Exposure Value (TWAEV) and Short Term Exposure Value (STEV) of Carbon Monoxide (CO) changed to 25ppm and 100ppm, respectively from 35ppm and 400ppm. This is applicable to work environments where employees are exposed to CO, which is most commonly found in garages.

For more information on the regulation change please visit the Ministry of Ontario website, or click here to read the Ministry of Ontario Labour Press Release.

The majority of existing CO detection systems utilize low cost tin oxide based solid state sensors that are not recommended for 25 ppm accuracy. Solid state sensor technology is prone to several performance limitations, such as:

False alarms due to cross-sensitivity from other hydrocarbon vapours, such as soaps, paint, fuel, solvents, etc. resulting in the unnecessarily running of ventilation fans, wasting electricity and heating/cooling energy.
Seasonal temperature changes or changes in humidity can also compromise the ability of the sensors to reliably operate.

Repeated false alarms cause customers become non-confident and frustrated with their detection systems resulting in solid state CO detectors turned off or not maintained.

Engineering specifications have not traditionally driven technology selection, and price driven market results in the purchase of lower quality solid state sensors.

Solution
The Armstrong Monitoring Corporation (AMC) has brought the ownership cost of superior electrochemical CO detection to comparable levels with solid state sensors. Upgrade kits for electrochemical conversions are available as a dual sensor (CO and NO2) or CO only. Benefits include:

Capability of accurate 25 ppm alarms and further reductions if required in the future.
Energy conservation via accuracy and lack of false alarms will deliver attractive energy savings. Payback is obtainable in as little as one heating season.
Most existing hardware can be retained and incorporated in the upgrade conversion.

Solid State CO Upgrade: Dual Exhaust Applications
For repair or loading dock facilities with regular or occasional diesel traffic the Armstrong Monitoring Corporation has designed a simple to operate, yet functionally sophisticated dual sensor solution. This two sensor upgrade kit converts each problematic solid state channel to a dual electrochemical CO and NO2 device (AMC 1222). Performance capability accommodates simple adjustment to sub-regulatory compliance levels enabling control of complaint nuisance concentrations of diesel. This mode is active only for diesel, and operates to normal CO alarms when no diesel is present. For more information on this new product, click here.

For more information regarding the new regulation, please visit the following links:

http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/news/2005/05-30b1.html

http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/news/2004/04-78.html

http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/news/2004/04-52b.html

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Regs/English/900833_e.htm

For more information to ensure your compliance with this revised regulation, please contact the service department via any of the following methods:

Email: amc@armstrongmonitoring.com
Phone: 613.225.9531
North America Toll Free: 800.465.5777



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