EtO instrumentation & controls technicians

A technician with EtO I&C experience may work in a chemical factory, sterilization facility, pharmaceutical operation, or fumigation site. They are responsible for maintaining safety in the facility and complying with regulations. Among their responsibilities are:

• Installing, calibrating, and maintaining EtO gas detectors, transmitters, and analyzers
• Troubleshooting PLC and DCS control systems that regulate EtO operations
• Performing routine functional checks and bump tests on monitoring equipment
• Maintaining safety interlocks and automatic shutdown sequences
• Supporting industrial hygiene teams by providing critical monitoring data
• Maintaining detailed calibration records and collaborating with safety teams

Ethylene oxide is an unavoidable part of I&C work. A technician must physically access field devices and sensors after non-routine events to verify their functionality. Activities that require the opening of containment systems, such as the maintenance and repair of sterilizers, reactors, or piping, carry the greatest risk. In startup, shutdown, and purge operations, tasks such as servicing sampling ports, working on loading areas, and responding to equipment alarms produce elevated EtO levels.

According to OSHA and NIOSH guidance, maintenance, startup, and shutdown tasks are recognized as high-risk events. However, I&C technicians are responsible for performing these tasks to maintain safety systems. Technicians are exposed to repeated hazards during calibration activities, sensor replacements, and emergency troubleshooting, even in facilities with robust safety programs.

Technicians maintain the instruments designed to monitor EtO levels, but they themselves are exposed through inhalation when working in process areas or by skin contact when handling contaminated equipment. Even technicians who follow all safety protocols can suffer significant effects from these exposures over their careers.

Relevant job titles

• Gas Detection & Instrumentation Technician (EtO Facility)
• Controls Technician (Ethylene Oxide Production/Sterilization Plant)
• Instrumentation & Control Specialist (EtO Safety Systems)
• Instrumentation Maintenance Technician (EtO Sterilizer Line)
• Senior I&C Technician (Ethylene Oxide Gas Systems)
• Instrumentation & Automation Technician (EtO Reactor/Sterilization Operations)