Toolbox Safety Minute– Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)

Understanding Hydrogen Sulfide Risks and Preventing Exposure

What is it, and where does it come from?

• Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a colorless, highly toxic, corrosive, and flammable gas that has a distinct “rotten egg” smell.
• It can be present in (sour) crude oil and natural gas, but it can also form from the decomposition of organic material by bacteria. Naturally occurring sulfur reducing
bacteria can produce hydrogen sulfide in an anerobic (lacking oxygen) environment from a wide variety of potential sources including sewage, protein based
firefighting foams, biodegradable cleaners, and organic material in ballast tanks.
• H2S is heavier than air so it tends to accumulate in low lying areas with poor ventilation. It is highly soluble in oil and slightly soluble in water.

Symptoms of exposure to H2S

• Inhalation of high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide can produce rapid unconsciousness and death. The shipyard 8-hour time weighted average limit for exposure is
10 PPM. The Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) concentration value for H2S is 100 PPM.
• Low concentrations irritate the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory system (e.g., burning/ tearing of eyes, cough, shortness of breath).
• Moderate concentrations can cause more severe eye and respiratory irritation (including coughing, difficulty breathing, accumulation of fluid in the lungs), headache,
dizziness, nausea, vomiting, staggering and excitability.
• High concentrations can cause shock, convulsions, inability to breathe, extremely rapid unconsciousness, coma and death. Unconsciousness can occur in a matter of
seconds followed by death within a matter of minutes.

Preventing exposure

• Test the atmosphere with a gas detector to measure for H2S prior to space entry.
• DO NOT RELY on your sense of smell! At elevated concentrations of H2S ( > 100 PPM) your nose will rapidly lose the ability to detect the “rotten egg” odor due to
olfactory fatigue.
• Ventilate the workspace if required.
• For exposures below 100 ppm, use an air-purifying respirator with specialized canisters/cartridges for hydrogen sulfide. A full face respirator will provide eye
protection.
• For exposures at or above 100 ppm, use a full face pressure demand self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or a combination full face pressure demand supplied-
air respirator with an auxiliary self-contained air supply.

Responding: H2S is highly toxic and can quickly incapacitate you. Don’t go in to rescue someone unless you have a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or you could
also become a victim.
Toolbox Safety Minute– Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)
Fish Holds
• Hydrogen sulfide can form in fish and
fish product holds by the
decomposition of organic material.
• Testing is necessary to ensure the
permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 10
ppm is not exceeded. The photo below
shows H2S levels in a fish hold at 41
ppm, making it unsafe to enter.
Sewage & Gray Water Tanks
• Sewage collection and treatment tanks
are the classic example of where H2S can
accumulate onboard a ship. When
organic waste is decomposed by
bacteria, H2S is released in the process.
• Often overlooked, gray water holding
tanks present a similar nutrient rich
environment to that of sewage tanks for
bacteria to grow and for the potential of
H2S generation.
Toolbox Safety Minute – Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)
Oily Waste Storage Tanks
• In 1985 a leak in an oily waste storage
tank on the Australian vessel HMAS
Stalwart resulted in release of H2S
resulting in 3 fatalities and the
incapacitation of 60 more sailors.
• The USCG Safety Alert 08-18 highlights
the danger of H2S in oily waste and
bilge slop tanks. Sulfate reducing
bacteria found naturally in seawater
can generate H2S while in storage.
Biodegradable cleaners that end up in
the waste serve as a nutrient source for
the bacteria increasing the production
of H2S.
Foam Storage Tanks
• Sulfate reducing bacteria are found
naturally in seawater. Foam protection
systems typically combine seawater
and foam concentrate.
• Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)
concentrate that has mixed with
seawater and remains stagnant for long
periods of time can generate H2S as the
sulfate reducing bacteria breakdown
the foam concentrate.
Placeholder Photo