2. What is H2S gas?
Where do you find H2S?
Effects of H2S
Detection of H2S
First-aid and Rescue
procedures
Hierarchy of control.
3. What is H2S
Hydrogen sulfide is heavier than air and may travel along the ground. It collects in low-
lying and enclosed, poorly-ventilated areas such as basements, manholes, sewer lines,
underground telephone vaults and manure pits.
Composition: H2S is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one sulfur atom.
H2S Common names:
• Sewer Gas
• Swamp Gas
• Sour Gas
• Stink Damp (mines)
• Rotten egg gas
• Sulfuretted Hydrogen
4. Properties of H2S
Color less
Heavier than air
Corrosive Flammable
Rotten egg smell at
low concentration
Paralysis olfactory nerve
at Higher concentration
13. First-aid & Rescue procedure
1. Call for help if possible
2. Only attempt rescue while wearing a SCBA or other air respirator
3. Move co-worker to fresh air as quickly as possible
4. Move upwind or crosswind from H2S source
5. If co-worker is breathing, administer oxygen while keeping him or
her in a resting position
6. thoroughly wash eyes if affected by H2S
7. Begin artificial respiration
8. Promptly transport the victim to a hospital while continuing to give
artificial respiration
9. Inform hospital your co-worker has been exposed to H2S.
14. Hierarchy of Controls
1. Eliminate – Remove the hazard or avoid the activity
2. Substitute / Reduce – Reduce the amount of the radiation
substance
3. Isolate – Isolate workers from dangerous work areas.
4. Engineering controls – Where practical, install effective exhaust
ventilation Monitoring and detecting H2S levels
5. Administrative controls -
A. Education
B. Labeling and posting
C. Emergency plans
D. Changing work pattern
E. Regular maintenance
F. PPE
15. H2S can kill so
treat it with extreme
caution !!!
