Environmental monitoring is critical in tracking how the wider environment is being impacted over time and how conditions are changing, but in a commercial setting, environmental test equipment is used to monitor an employee’s immediate working environment. The environmental testing equipment supplied by Test Instrument Solutions is able to test the various conditions that can impact on a person’s work environment, particularly in an industrial setting. However, regulations exist to ensure any work setting needs to be safe and comfortable, and hence compliance is essential for any commercial sector.
The specific environmental conditions monitored by environmental test equipment include noise, air quality, light and temperature. These conditions can all impact an employee and how they perform:
- Noise – Can impair an employee’s hearing over time and historically and excessive levels can cause an immediate health and safety hazard in some settings.
- Air – Poor air quality can cause breathing problems and lead to fatigue and ill health.
- Light – Dim or excessively bright light can cause visual issues, productivity issues and safety issues.
- Temperature – Extreme heat or cold can be uncomfortable to work in, can cause fatigue and stress, and can lead to health issues.
Why calibration of environmental test equipment is essential
Calibration involves the adjustment of instruments to match reference standards. So the process is to compare current readings to expected readings, to make an adjustment where needed, to verify the new readings and to document the results. This is important for a number of reasons:
- Accurate data – Calibration ensures accurate data and this is the foundation of meaningful decision-making. Calibration ensures that the data collected accurately reflects the working conditions now, and how they may have changed over a defined period. These results could influence changes to the workplace which impact on an employee’s health and the compliance status of the business.
- Compliance – Calibration reduces the risk of erroneous measurements and readings and therefore ensures that the business is complying with the various quality standards and health, safety and environmental standards it is bound by. Any minor deviations in readings can have significant implications in terms of health and safety issues, as well as fines, penalties, non-conformities and reputational damage.
- Credibility – Accurate data helps to secure credibility in terms of informing decision-making which will impact on the workforce and third parties. Data coming from calibrated instruments ensures the business can be talked about as a reliable source of information and expertise.
- Documentation – Where all these above factors are required to be verified, such as in audits or investigations, documentation and records of calibration can provide this evidence and can be easily and quickly referred to. These records are traceable, can inform maintenance decisions and can also be used to monitor trends over time, which again can inform important decisions.
Premium quality environmental testing equipment from Test Instrument Solutions
So calibration is a process which helps to build trust and confidence in data being provided, and is a proactive measure which ensures that information relayed by a business is consistent and is able to uphold the standards of excellence that a business aspires to.
You can browse the environmental test equipment supplied by Test Instrument Solutions here, and learn about the technical and practical details of these products.
Video Demonstration
Below is a product demonstration video of the TIS 1310 LED & Standard Lux Meter - one of many products TIS offer as part of its environmental testing equipment product range:
Please note that this section is for information purposes only. Anyone using equipment referred to in this section must be suitably qualified and/or experienced within the respective field. If in doubt before use, please consult a qualified electrician or engineer & thoroughly read all instruction booklets.