The new EXO 8 portable area monitor—to be unveiled September 16 at the National Safety Council (NSC) Safety Congress & Expo in Orlando, Florida—is a direct-to-cloud area monitor capable of detecting up to eight gases and gamma radiation.
Ideally suited to large industrial organizations in the oil and gas, petrochemical, mining, water and wastewater sectors—alongside fire-hazmat and homeland security associations—EXO 8 helps teams rapidly respond to incidents involving hazardous substances and ensure the safety of workers, first responders, the public and the environment during these events. Real-time connectivity provides situational awareness that can be shared with all responders. Automated analytics provide insights into incidents after the event, enabling teams to understand what happened and take proactive measures to improve safety.
Building on the feature set of Blackline's award-winning G7 EXO—including drop-and-go setup, direct-to-cloud connectivity, up to 100-day battery life and comprehensive analytics—the new EXO 8 includes:
- Gas expansion module: The ability to add up to four additional sensors for a total of eight gases.
- Integrated gamma radiation sensor: With three times the range of competitors’ devices and continuous operation without cycling on or off, responders will know radiation is present sooner and from farther away: Reducing the risk of harmful exposure.
- Higher resolution full-color dual display: With live readings screen for real-time gas and gamma levels and dashboard screen to quickly see alarms and device status.
- Improved durability: Enhanced ruggedness and reliability in even the harshest environmental conditions.
Chris Johnson, Hazmat Technician for the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services in New York state, sees the value EXO 8 with gamma detection brings to hazmat response.
“Blackline Safety’s G7 EXO was already my preferred area monitor in the field. The ability to quickly swap out gas sensors to adapt to whatever threat we’re facing during response is invaluable. The data you get from the device—in real-time, from anywhere in the world, and easily understandable—has been critical to successful incident response,” Johnson said.
“EXO 8 with gamma detection will help us in even more scenarios, including behind-the-scenes monitoring. Gamma allows us to use the device for public safety as part of protection during mass gatherings. It will also keep our people more protected because we can detect more gases,” Johnson continued.
Every day, hazmat and first response teams face scenarios where they need to quickly determine the level of threat to public safety including assessing the risk of radiological, chemical, nuclear and biological materials.
For example, in 2023, there were 914 train accidents in Canada, 87 involving dangerous goods and six involving the release of dangerous goods into the surrounding environment. In the same period, the U.S. experienced 4,845 train accidents—nearly three per day—including the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that released toxic chemicals into the surrounding environment and waterways. Hazmat teams who respond to these types of incidents need to be able to quickly detect a broad range of toxic gases and radiological material to ensure the safety of other response teams, surrounding communities, and the environment.
“Four years ago, we introduced the G7 EXO with Blackline’s industry-leading real-time connectivity, which quickly became the gold standard for area monitoring. With EXO 8, we’ve significantly expanded our customers’ ability to protect people and communities across a wider range of situations,” said Cody Slater, Blackline Safety CEO and Chair. “We’re responding to a direct need in the market by providing organizations with more robust technology that helps them address a broader spectrum of risks, faster.”
EXO 8 comes with a full warranty and flexible purchase options that include the ability to own or lease to maximize CAPEX or OPEX budgets. First product shipments are scheduled for November 2024.
