awspartb,
"the crap monitors my contractor is providing."
Those are the $200 items you're looking for! The very same ones your contractor is providing! When it comes to safety equipment (or anything for that matter), you typically get what you pay for!
Do you want to get asphyxiciated because you trusted a $200 Harbor Freight O2 monitor that failed? If so, your family will enjoy the proceeds from the lengthy and expensive lawsuit....
Better yet, go ahead and be a whistle blower, I've been out of work for a while!
What project are you on????.....