Does OSHA require a bump test?

OSHA suggests that a bump test “should be conducted before each day’s use in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.” Based on OSHA’s suggestion, the matter of bump test frequency is to be decided by the manufacturer’s instructions.

How often should you bump test a gas monitor?

every 3 to 6 months
Electrochemical sensors tend to drift over time and require bump testing every 3 to 6 months. Calibration is recommended annually or if bump testing indicates an out of spec sensor. Due to the technology of electrochemical sensors, they will deplete over time and more rapidly if exposed to the target gas.

How often should you conduct bump tests of direct reading instruments?

Some manufacturers suggest calibrating the instrument every 30 days; others leave the calibration decision up to the discretion of the end users and/or their safety manager.

What’s the difference between bump test and calibration?

The main difference between a bump test and calibration is that a bump test determines whether a DRPGM can detect if a possibly hazardous gas is present, while calibration checks that equipment is accurate.

How often do 4 gas meters need to be calibrated?

A bump test should also be done after the device has experienced any potential damage or exposure to harsh conditions. Routine bump testing can also reduce your gas meter calibration frequency to somewhere between every 3-6 months; without this, more frequent calibration will be required.

When should I perform a bump test on my gas monitor?

To clarify this issue, ISEA updated its position statement on instrument calibration in 2010, stating, “A bump test . . . or calibration check of portable gas monitors should be conducted before each day’s use in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.”

What is an OSHA bump test?

OSHA defers to the manufacturers. The manufacturers have different opinions. It is time for some clarity. OSHA defines a bump test as “a qualitative function check in which a challenge gas is passed over the sensor (s) at a concentration and exposure time sufficient to activate all alarm settings.”

How does a bump test verify calibration?

A bump test verifies calibration by exposing the instrument to a known concentration of test gas. The instrument reading is compared to the actual quantity of gas present (as indicated on the cylinder).

How to do a bump test?

There is now a much easier to way to bump test. The Gasco Bump-It bump test gas is now the way to perform a “before each use” bump test. Just put the calibration adaptor on your gas monitor, and squirt the gas in the adaptor’s tubing for 1/2 second. That’s it. The cylinder is so small it fits just about anywhere.