Sound Event Detectors at Chemical Facilities

I received an invitation today to follow a company on LinkedIn, not an unusual occurrence. What was odd was that it was a company that makes ‘sound event detectors’, or more commonly called ‘gun shot detectors’. While these detectors certainly have their place in urban security settings, my immediate response was that such devices are (hopefully) not needed at chemical facilities. But, I have learned to distrust such immediate responses.

In thinking back at my years working in specialty chemical facilities I realized that there were some sounds that frequently signaled emergency situations. Sounds like high pressure gas releases, while frequently part of normal operations, can also signal the release of toxic or flammable gasses. If sound detectors could be trained to detect, locate and alarm on such sounds, they might become an important facility safety tool.