A safer future

ONCE UPON a time, gas detection was simply about sounding the alarm when things went wrong. It was reactive, responsive, and—don’t get me wrong—essential. But the world is changing. Fast. And in that change, gas detection is undergoing a transformation. It’s becoming predictive, integrated, and in many cases, the quiet partner in our global push for sustainability, safety, and smarter industry.

So, let’s take a look at some of the drivers of this evolution.

Hydrogen

Hydrogen is having a moment—and rightly so. As the world scrambles to decarbonise, hydrogen offers a seductive blend of zero-emission potential and flexible use. We're seeing hydrogen infiltrate sectors like home energy, industrial power, heavy logistics, and public transportation. Hydrogen-powered boilers, trucks, and buses are no longer concepts—they're happening.

But hydrogen isn’t without its challenges. It’s highly flammable, colourless, odourless, and leaks easily. This makes gas detection critical—not optional. As we scale up production, distribution, and end-use infrastructure, our safety systems need to be ahead of the curve, not racing to catch up.

What’s changing is how we approach detection. We're no longer just looking to identify a leak—we're looking to understand the patterns that might predict one. We’re using sensor networks, digital twins, and cloud-based data analysis to build a more holistic picture of hydrogen safety across entire ecosystems.

Refrigerants

At the same time, the world’s demand for cooling is skyrocketing. Think massive data centres, commercial refrigeration, pharmaceutical storage, and increasingly hot urban climates. All of these are fuelling the growth of the global refrigerants market.

But there's a catch: many refrigerants, particularly HFCs, are potent greenhouse gases. So while we're cooling our homes and preserving our vaccines, we could be inadvertently warming the planet. Cue the urgent need for sustainable refrigerant management—and gas detection is right in the middle of it.

From detecting leaks in HVAC systems to monitoring emissions across commercial refrigeration networks, gas detection is stepping up. Modern sensors are more sensitive, durable, and connected than ever. And the data they generate helps not just to fix problems faster, but to prove regulatory compliance and calculate environmental impact.

And as refrigerants evolve—with newer, lower-GWP blends and natural refrigerants entering the market—monitoring becomes even more essential to understand performance, safety implications, and long-term sustainability.

Healthcare

To help as an example of an industry where Gas Detection and Monitoring covers every angle I have chosen the Healthcare industry:

Nowhere is the layered importance of gas detection, environmental awareness, and refrigeration monitoring more evident—or more critical—than in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors. From the initial production of medicines to the moment they reach a patient’s bedside, gas detection technology is quietly but crucially at work in the background, keeping systems safe, clean, and compliant.

Let’s take a closer look at each stage of this complex ecosystem—and the suppliers who also rely on gas detection to ensure that every link in the chain functions without fault.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing

Drug manufacturing facilities are highly controlled environments where even minor deviations can result in the loss of entire batches. Refrigerant gases are used in the temperature regulation of clean rooms and cold storage areas, and any leak—no matter how small—can compromise product integrity. Ammonia, carbon dioxide, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are all commonly used and must be monitored closely.

But it’s not just about temperature control. Solvent vapours, flammable gases used in chemical synthesis, and pressurised systems introduce layers of risk. Advanced gas detection systems are required to monitor for leaks, cross-contamination, or emissions—often in real-time.

Supplier insight: Contract manufacturers and third-party logistics providers (3PLs), who may store or handle products prior to distribution, also need integrated gas detection. Their facilities must meet the same compliance standards, ensuring the drugs they handle remain safe and effective.

Medical device production

Medical devices—especially those that must be sterile, such as surgical tools or implantables—often go through sterilisation processes involving hazardous gases like ethylene oxide. While incredibly effective, ethylene oxide is also flammable, toxic, and carcinogenic. Nitrogen and argon are frequently used to create controlled atmospheres during production or testing. Gas detection systems must be tuned to detect even trace levels of these gases to prevent occupational hazards and ensure workplace safety.

Supplier Insight: Sterilisation service providers and precision engineering firms working under contract to major med-tech companies must implement rigorous gas detection protocols in their own facilities. Without it, a single lapse could lead to a product recall or even legal liability.

Hospital infrastructure

Hospitals depend on an intricate network of medical gases delivered via pipelines or cylinders. Oxygen, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, helium, and even medical-grade air play a vital role in everything from anaesthesia to patient ventilation, resuscitation, and diagnostics. A drop in pressure or a hidden leak can compromise treatment—especially in critical care environments like ICUs, neonatal wards, or surgical theatres.

Regular gas detection is essential to identify leaks, monitor storage room conditions, and verify the safety of confined spaces such as gas cylinder stores or maintenance areas. Additionally, regulatory compliance demands that these systems are routinely tested and verified.

Supplier Insight: Bulk gas suppliers and cylinder delivery partners must also employ gas detection in their own storage depots, loading bays, and vehicles. This ensures that gases remain stable and uncontaminated during transport—and that drivers and handling staff are protected from exposure.

Refrigerated storage and transport

Vaccines, biological samples, and donor blood require ultra-consistent refrigeration—sometimes down to cryogenic levels. A fluctuation in temperature due to a refrigerant leak can cause spoilage or render life-saving treatments ineffective.

Modern healthcare cold chains are equipped with sensitive refrigerant leak detectors, often connected to automated alert systems that trigger maintenance responses before spoilage occurs. These systems are especially crucial in vaccine storage during global immunisation campaigns, where one broken fridge can mean thousands of lost doses.

Supplier Insight: Cold chain logistics providers—including couriers and third-party vaccine storage centres—must meet exacting requirements for temperature control and gas detection. In fact, compliance with pharmaceutical-grade logistics standards is often dependent on having active refrigerant and gas monitoring systems in place.

• Hydrogen Fuel Cells in Critical Energy Systems

As hospitals transition to greener energy models, many are investing in hydrogen fuel cells as a stable, low-emission power source. These systems are increasingly used either as primary power or as backup during grid outages—especially for emergency departments or operating theatres where every second counts.

Hydrogen, however, presents very specific risks. It’s colourless, odourless, and extremely flammable, with a wide explosive range in air. This makes continuous hydrogen gas detection not just a smart addition—but a critical requirement in any facility using fuel cells. Sensors are typically placed near generation systems, battery backups, and any enclosed rooms where hydrogen accumulations could pose a hazard.

Supplier Insight: The companies designing, installing, and maintaining hospital energy systems—including HVAC integrators, fuel cell suppliers, and even facilities management contractors—must incorporate hydrogen gas detection into their own operations. This ensures the systems they deliver remain compliant and safe long after installation.

In a hospital, the stakes are uniquely high—and the margin for error is zero. From pharmaceutical production labs in Europe to remote rural clinics storing vaccines, every environment in the healthcare continuum has something in common: the need for real-time, reliable gas detection. Sensors in these settings don’t just alert to hazards—they enable continuity of care, protect frontline workers, and preserve the integrity of the materials on which modern medicine depends.

The data evolution

Traditionally, gas detection was about binary signals—safe or unsafe, go or no-go. But today, it’s about nuance. It’s about learning, predicting, and understanding the why behind the what.

We're increasingly seeing the integration of gas detection data with other environmental factors—air quality, temperature, humidity, particulates. Why? Because all of these can influence not only the process being monitored but the very performance of the sensors themselves.

Imagine a site where a spike in humidity affects the sensitivity of an H2S sensor. Or where temperature fluctuations impact the reading of volatile organics. Or where air quality trends correlate with refrigerant leak patterns. That’s no longer science fiction—that’s where we’re headed.

The future of gas detection is cross-disciplinary. It’s collaborative. It’s about building a real-time environmental intelligence network that feeds into smarter asset management, proactive maintenance, and risk prevention at a whole new level.

Safety first, always

Let’s not forget the golden rule: gas detection is, and always will be, about keeping people safe.

In industries from petrochemicals to food production, from waste management to clean energy, gas hazards remain ever-present. But with the right systems in place—tailored to the process, environment, and workforce—we can significantly reduce both incidents and response times.

This isn’t just a box-ticking exercise. Lives depend on it. And when safety systems are connected, dynamic, and informed by real-world data, we all win.

Forward thinking

One of the most exciting shifts in gas detection is the move toward industry-specific learning.

Whether it’s a dairy processing plant managing ammonia, a lab dealing with formaldehyde, or a hydrogen depot monitoring for leaks—each industry comes with its own signature risks. With better data, we can now start to see patterns across sectors. We can identify the types of locations, conditions, and maintenance intervals that most often precede incidents.

This means predictive maintenance isn't just about reacting to sensor faults—it’s about anticipating the environmental and operational context that puts the sensor (and the system) under pressure. It’s a whole new level of insight.

Modern world gas detection

We’re at a tipping point. The global push for decarbonisation, the shift toward greener technologies, and the need for safer workplaces are all converging. And gas detection? It’s no longer the quiet corner of industrial safety. It’s front and centre in the conversation.

Hydrogen is changing the energy landscape. Refrigerants are redefining climate targets. Data is unlocking new ways to stay ahead of risks. The medical sector reminds us how deeply embedded these technologies are in the fabric of human care. And sustainability? It’s not just a buzzword—it’s a responsibility that gas detection technology is ready to support.

We don’t just detect gas anymore. We predict, prevent, and protect. And as industries evolve, our tools—and our mindset—must evolve with them.

The future’s not just about detecting danger. It’s about understanding it. And that, more than anything, will shape the next generation of safer, smarter, and more sustainable solutions.

Debbie Airey is chief commercial officer at Safe Monitoring Group. For more information, visit https://safemonitoringgroup.com/