Sign on my building warns: ‘contains sulphur hexafluoride switchgear’ and adds the natty warning: ‘danger of death’, which isn’t one of my favourite dangers.

What’s going on here? Why the SF6 and why the death danger?

Its poisonous, similarly to helium.
Does make your voice very deep though, don’t inhale too much 🙂

I thought this was going to be about street fighter 6.

So – and please consider me a total idiot on this subject, science dudes – what’s it doing in switchgear? And what’s switchgear?

I fancy getting all Erin Brockovich on this one, so any illegal uses of SF6 stories would be appreciated.

It’s poisonous. Used in high voltage electrical switchgear to prevent excessive arcing during making/breaking of circuits. It’s small amounts contained inside pressure vessels which have requirements to be montitored and maintained, so you’ll be OK. Also access to the area should be prevented for anyone who’s not supposed to be there.

tthew: instant death on first contact poisonous, or breathe it in for hours and you’ll feel a bit queasy poisonous?

Sounds like overkill in the name of excessive arcing prevention to me…

Pah, decent pair of Marigolds are all that’s needed*

*I am in no way qualified to make this statement, any actions made as a result of this are entirely at the discretion of the soon to be departed

It’s a very good insulator. If it stops you from being killed by excessive arcing then it’s underkill!

You don’t need to be anywhere that switchgear.

Its used in HV electrical substations to insulate between the electrical phases, meaning that you can fit a substation in a much smaller area than you would with an outdoor ‘air’ insulated sub.

The SF6 is used because there is little or no moisture content AFAIK.

Instant death for you I’m afraid. Makes your VERY expensive switchgear lighter, smaller, cheaper and all the control measures mean you’ll never come into contact with it.

If there’s a sign on the outside of the building explaining the hazard, the owner/operator really would be best advised to explain it in their induction process. Or just put the warning on the, (locked) switchroom door where the more causal observers won’t see it and get unnecessarily concerned.

Cheers guys. I’m impressed.

Pah, decent pair of Marigolds are all that’s needed

😀

If there’s a sign on the outside of the building explaining the hazard, the owner/operator really would be best advised to explain it in their induction process. Or just put the warning on the, (locked) switchroom door where the more causal observers won’t see it and get unnecessarily concerned.

That’s the thing – it’s all signed up just a couple of steps from a public walkway with the scary chemical name all over the place.

AFAIK the gas is not particularly poisonous, being as close as possible to inert – so you can’t live on it but traces won’t kill you.

It is a very ‘searching’ gas, ie it will find and disperse through even very minor leak paths.

It is also recorded as the most aggressive greenhouse gas to the extent that any discharges to atmosphere are reportable in the US and will be subject of serious investigation.

it’s all signed up just a couple of steps from a public walkway with the scary chemical name all over the place

That’s daft.

Could you not buy a cheap full face resparator, (gas mask) off e-bay, stand next to the sign wearing and point at it as people walk by? 😀

edit – actually Rickk has it right, from the Material Safety Data Sheet,

Sulfur Hexafluoride is a colorless, odorless, non-toxic, nonflammable, liquefied gas. The main health hazard associated with releases of this gas is asphyxiation, by displacement of oxygen. The liquefied gas will rapidly boil at standard temperatures and pressures. This product is not flammable or reactive under typical emergency response situations.

so there would have to be a fairly major escape in a small area to be any great risk.

Could you not buy a cheap full face resparator, (gas mask) off e-bay, stand next to the sign wearing and point at it as people walk by?

Actually, I’ve worked up a comedy choke, followed by a genius collapse – which is a little tricky on pavement – whilst croaking ‘SF….6… damn you, SF6…’. Now all I have to do is choose the right audience to achieve mad panic. 😉

Do you live or work anywhere near an oil refinery? H2S (Hydrogen Sulphide) is where it’s at for dangerous gasses. A lung full of that would hone your collaping routine to perfection.

The danger of death probably refers to electrickery part rather than the gas part. They do like to put that on electrickery things.

Do you live or work anywhere near an oil refinery? H2S (Hydrogen Sulphide) is where it’s at for dangerous gasses. A lung full of that would hone your collaping routine to perfection.

Good advice there, although if you saw the routine you’d agree that it’s already pretty much there. The only thing that’s missing is a decent end – I can only hold my breath for a couple of minutes, which is where your H2S might come in handy. Cheers!

* activates Google Maps *

‘danger of death’, which isn’t one of my favourite danger

it is one of mine, far better than “danger of mild irritation”
here’s some more

and giong a bit off topic

face & palm, at least somebody who knows/can google came along. The Gas is non toxic but used to extinguish fires by smothering the fire. Perhaps you should ask the workplace H&S person?
Compared to most industrial places it’s the safe bit, I also dare someone to head in with a respirator, just leave a note first….

Harsh but fair there, mikewsmith.

* googles workplace H&S person *

Cheers Camo16, the places I have worked include Steel works, Cement works, strange chemical factories & nuclear facilities, in the end of the day if the sign confuses you ASK! It’s quite normal….you get used to it. the stuff I have seen people scared of because of a name or misunderstanding makes me wonder how people survive…

Totally, mikewsmith. Poor signage is a pisser.

But here it is in full – minus the small words (I didn’t feel safe approaching close enough to read these and my glasses are at least five years old):

Danger of Death: Sulphur Hexafluoride Switchgear Inside.

I accept your well-directed facepalm though. 😉