Hydrogen Sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an invisible hazard that can be

released and produced during industry processes, such as
drilling.

H2S can also develop naturally in oxygen deficient

environments, such as bogs, swamps, polluted
water, and manure pits.

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 H2S can collect in:
Low-lying areas
Any enclosed facility or piping that contains H2S or H2S-
contaminated fluids
Pits
Tanks
Vacuum trucks
Confined spaces

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 At high concentrations, H2S can
kill in a single breath.

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 Multiple agencies provide guidelines to help workers avoid H2S
exposure, including the American National Standards Institute
(ANSI).

ANSI recently updated its Z-390 standard for Accepted

Practices for Hydrogen Sulfide Safety Training
Programs.

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 The 2006 version of the ANSI Z-390 standard was revised to
address:
References to obsolete technology
Non-flexible presentation format
Required presentation of material that wasnt pertinent to most workers

Structure of document
Visitor training
Refresher training
Threshold limit valuetime-weighted average (TLV-TWA)

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 The updated 2017 version of the ANSI Z-390 standard
now:
References updated technology
Has flexible structure open to partial remote instruction
States that students must be presented with relevant information to ensure their
safety
Has an improved structure
States that visitors must receive full worker training program
Requires refresher training annually with full course presentation
Includes the updated American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
(ACGIH) TLV-TWA
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 Companies must use engineering and administrative controls
to protect workers from H2S exposure and provide workers
with training appropriate to their potential level of exposure to
H2S.

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 Some examples of what training should cover include:
Wind direction awareness and routes of egress
What to do in an emergency
Participating in drills

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 H2S goes by many names, including The Silent Killer, rotten egg gas,
swamp gas, and sour gas.

Characteristics of H2S include:

Highly toxic, colorless gas
Extremely flammable, may ignite at high temperatures
Extremely explosive, containers of H2S may explode if exposed
to fire or handled carelessly

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 You can only smell low concentrations of H2S.

At high concentrations, H2S impairs and eventually

wipes out your sense of smell. Do not use your
nose to detect H2S.

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 Inhalation is your
You can be exposed to main concern.
H2S through:
Inhalation
Skin contact

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 Symptoms of H2S exposure include:
Acute Toxicity Chronic Toxicity
Loss of sense of smell Eye irritation
Excitement or giddiness Corneal blistering, pitting, and opacity
Eye irritation Headaches
Coughing and sneezing Nausea
Headaches Respiratory tract irritation
Nausea Pulmonary edema
Respiratory tract irritation Loss of appetite
Diarrhea Sleep disturbances

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 The industry accepted exposure level for H2S
is 10 ppm:
Check with your company for its accepted exposure level

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 If the H2S concentration may exceed 10 ppm, you need to wear a
personal monitor:
Position the monitor as close to your mouth and nose as
possible to measure air from the breathing zone
If your monitor goes off,
leave the area immediately

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 Wind conditions tell you which way H2S will spread:
Check the windsock or streamer regularly and any time
you are unsure which way the wind is blowing
Stay on the upwind side
Make sure you are not downwind of an H2S source
Always move crosswind and then upwind to get
away from an H2S source

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 ANSI and the American Petroleum Institute (API) recommend wearing one
of the following respirators when you work in environments with more
than 10 ppm H2S:
Positive-pressure full-facepiece hoseline/airline supplied-air
respirator (SAR) and carry an escape pack
Positive-pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)

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 H2S is a deadly hazard that can kill you in a single breath. Know your
role in your companys H2S contingency plan and participate in drills.

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 Do not rely on your sense of smell to detect the
presence of H2S.

Always wear a personal monitor when working in

potential H2S environments. If your monitor goes
off, leave the
area immediately.

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Copyright 2016 by PEC/Premier Safety Operations, LLC