Hydrogen sulfide alarm methods

• US 9,508,243 B1
• Filed: 12/13/2015
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shepherd Safety Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Gary W. Crook
• Inventors: Crook, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings, Travis
• Application Number:
  US14/967,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20160358449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 352 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0021 Safety devices, e.g. for preventing small objects from falling into the borehole
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/14 Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

H2S (hydrogen sulfide) alarm methods include automated systems for creating reports, initiating different safety drills and/or recording certain calibration and bump tests. The methods being automated reduces the chance of human error and falsified records. The H2S alarm methods are particularly useful for ensuring the safety of workers at remote worksites.

Claims

1. An H2S alarm method responsive to an alarm event characterized by an alarming level of H2S at a worksite that is remote relative to a home base, remote relative to a person-A and remote relative to a person-B, the H2S alarm method comprising:

an H2S monitor sensing the alarming level of H2S at the worksite;

assigning an alarm timestamp to the alarm event;

assigning an alarm title to the alarm event;

the H2S monitor generating an alarm signal as a consequence of sensing the alarming level of H2S at the worksite;

wirelessly transmitting the alarm signal to the person-A and to the person-B, wherein one of the person-A and the person-B is a first-to-respond person;

the first-to-respond person responding to the alarm signal;

assigning a response timestamp to the first-to-respond person, the response timestamp identifying a time-of-day at which the first-to-respond person responded to the alarm signal; and

a computer system generating a report documenting the alarm event, the alarm title, a response time, and a person-identifier identifying the first-to-respond person, wherein the response time is at least one of the following;

(a) a difference between the alarm timestamp and the response timestamp, and (b) a display of both the alarm timestamp and the response timestamp.

2. The H2S alarm method of claim 1, wherein the person-A and the person-B are remote relative to each other.

3. The H2S alarm method of claim 1, wherein the H2S monitor is remote relative to the computer system.

4. The H2S alarm method of claim 1, wherein the computer system is at the home base.

5. The H2S alarm method of claim 1, wherein the person-A and the person-B are remote relative to the home base.

6. The H2S alarm method of claim 1, wherein one of the person-A and the person-B is a slower-to-respond person, and the slower-to-respond person responds to the alarm signal after the first-to-respond person responds to the alarm signal.

7. The H2S alarm method of claim 1, wherein one of the person-A and the person-B is a slower-to-respond person, and the slower-to-respond person fails to respond to the alarm signal.

8. The H2S alarm method of claim 1, wherein the response time is the difference between the alarm timestamp and the response timestamp.

9. The H2S alarm method of claim 1, wherein the response time is the display of both the alarm timestamp and the response timestamp.