Hydrogen Sulfide

1. The Nose Does NOT Always Know Jody Jackson, CSP Director HSE Montrose Environmental Irvine, Ca jjackson@Montrose-env.com Hydrogen Sulfide Hydrogen Sulfide Overview

2. Poison Gas----Toxic Gas It’s the same It Can and Does Kill People

3. Victim #1 went to get a rope to attach to a sump pump's eye bolt. As he prepared to descend the ladder into the sump, he was warned by his co-worker that poisonous gases might be present in the pit. Victim #1, explaining to the co-worker that he had entered the pit several times in the past and that he would be fine, descended the ladder into the pit. As he reached for the pump, he collapsed and fell into the manure. The co-worker ran to the farm office and called the rescue squad, then contacted the co-owner by two-way radio and told him what had happened. When the co-owner arrived, he decided to enter the pit with a rope to tie around the victim. The co-worker tried to restrain the co-owner from entering the pit, but the co-owner insisted that he had to go into the pit and help his nephew. The co-owner (victim #2) then entered the pit, and, as he attempted to tie the rope around the victim, collapsed on top of the victim. The rescue squad, equipped with self-contained breathing apparatus, removed the victims from the pit. Dairy H2S Accident – Not Far From Here

4. PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE CONCENTRATION PHYSICAL EFFECTS Percent (%) PPM 0.001 10 Obvious and unpleasant odor. Safe for 8 hour exposures. 0.01 100 Kills smell in 3 to 15 minutes; may sting eyes and throat. 0.02 200 Kills smell shortly; stings eyes and throat. 0.05 500 Dizziness; breathing ceases in a few minutes; need prompt respiration. Properties and Characteristics of H2S .

5. PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE CONCENTRATION PHYSICAL EFFECTS Percent (%) PPM 0.07 700 Unconscious quickly; death will result if not rescued promptly. 0.10 1000 Unconscious at once; followed by death within minutes. Properties and Characteristics of H2S .

6. Burns with a blue flame and produces sulfur dioxide (SO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Nitrous Oxide (NOX). These are our biggest concerns. SO2 less hazardous than H2S, but very irritating to eyes and lungs and can cause serious injury. Chemical pneumonia can develop in a few hours. By-products of H2S fire . CO can cause death by blocking red blood cells from getting oxygen, CO2 can actually asphyxiate a person, and NOX can smother also,

7. Bureau of Labor Statics TABLE A-4. Fatal occupational injuries by primary and secondary source of injury for all fatalities and by major private industry sector , All united States, 2009 Between 2001 and 2010 60 Hydrogen Sulfide fatalities were reported & 206 recordable non-fatal injuries were reported That is 266 too many

8. Accidents Associated With Hydrogen Sulfide Continue to Occur. Accidents associated with H2S continue to occur even though we know about the extremely dangerous properties of the gas. People tend to disregard the danger and therefore disregard the need for specialized training and PPE while dealing with toxic chemicals, and the need to go above and beyond conventional training.

9. Properties and Characteristics of H2SThe potential hazard of H2S is death • Detection of H2S solely by smell is highly dangerous as the sense of smell is quickly paralyzed by the gas. As little as 30 PPM desensitizes your sense of smell • Extremely toxic, ranking second to hydrogen cyanide and 5 to 6 times more toxic than carbon monoxide. • Colorless gas in its pure state • Offensive odor • Heavier than air – vapor density is 1.189 (Air = 1.0) Vapors may travel considerable distance to a source of ignition and flashback. Sulfur dioxide is almost twice as heavy as air. • Forms an explosive mixture with air in concentrations between 4.6% LEL and 46% UEL

10. Properties and Characteristics of H2S -- Continued 6. H2S is hydrogen sulfide. H2S is known by such names as: rotten egg gas, acid gas, sour gas, sewer gas, poison gas, stink gas, damp gas and sulfur gas. 7. H2S is generally in a gas state. 8. H2S is generally only a very small portion of the petroleum product that is being produced from a well. The concentrations of H2S is generally noted in PPM (parts per million) or % (percent) depending on the concentrations. 9. H2S has a rotten egg odor. This smell is present at levels as low as 0.13 PPM 10. H2S is a colorless gas at room temperatures and has a sweet taste

11. Pits and sumps • Low lying areas • Digester (cold and hot) • Tanks • Portable tanks • Pipe and pumps • Trenches • Vats • Anywhere organic material may be present

12. Develop an Emergency Action Plan 29 CFR 1910.38 Appendix to Subpart E Recommended Exercises and Drills An emergency action plan must be in writing and kept in the workplace, and available to employees for review. However, an employer with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally to employees. Practice performing exercises and drills at assigned locations

13. Personal Protective Equipment – 1910.132 subpart I General requirements Protective equipment shall be provided and maintain in a sanitary reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards. An employee shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of PPE (PPE evaluation). [1910.132(d)] Employee-owed equipment – Where the employees provide their own protective equipment, the employer shall be responsible to assure it adequacy, including proper maintenance and sanitation. [1910.132(b)] Required PPE shall be provided by the employer at no cost to the employee, see [1910.132 (h)]- thru [1910.132 (h)(7)].

14. Respiratory Protection 1910.134 Permissible Practice Discussion about H2S and Respirators. Know your limits. Your company needs to decide what is acceptable and appropriate for your exposure.

15. Respiratory Protection 1910.134 OSHA ASSIGNED PROTECTION FACTORS (APF) Before Wearing a Respirator .

16. Respiratory Protection 1910.134 EXAMPLEs of CALCULATED ASSIGNED PROTECTION FACTORS (APF) Before Wearing a Respirator . REMEMBER – Air Purifying Respirators are NOT good for IDLH atmospheres. This means, at 100 PPM you need and SCBA or other breathing air or other approved air supplied respirator (i.e. Air Line with self-contained escape pack). REMEMBER – If you don’t have a “reasonable” estimate of exposure then you must assume IDLH. REMEMBER – Oxygen deficient atmospheres are considered IDLH.

17. Respiratory Protection 1910.134 HOW DO AIR PURIFYING CARTRIDGE RESPIRATORS WORK? Air inhaled in Air inhaled in Air exhaled out

18. Respiratory Protection 1910.134 WHAT ARE SUPPLIED AIR RESPIRATORS? . Airline respirator – air from a compressor or cascade system. SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) – air from a tank on someone’s back.

19. Respiratory Protection 1910.134 WHEN ARE THEY REQUIRED? . Supplied-air respirators are required for protection from: • Oxygen deficiency • High levels of toxic chemicals in the air – above “IDLH” levels • Other conditions of high levels of highly toxic chemicals in the air

20. Respiratory Protection 1910.134 YOU MUST HAVE A MEDICAL EVALUATION Before Wearing a Respirator . • Medical evaluations are required for anyone wearing respirators. • Breathing through a respirator is work for the body. • Respirators can be hazardous to people with heart or lung problems.

21. Toxic and Hazardous Substances1910.1000-Table Z-2 Air Contaminants KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON ANSI ACTIVITY AROUND H2S TRAINING • OSHA TWA – 10 PPM • OSHA Ceiling Concentration – 20 PPM • OSHA Max-Peak - 50 PPM (One Time exposure for 10 Min without any other exposure) • IDLH – 100 PPM Note: OSHA is enforcing PEL at 10 ppm under section 5(a)1 of the “General Duty Clause”

22. Develop a Contingency Plan ANSI Z390.1 – 2006 Section 3.6 A contingency plan describes in detail, the action that are necessary to ensure safety in the event of an H2S release. This standard sets forth accepted practices for hydrogen sulfide (H2S) safety training and instruction of affected personnel to include, but not be limited to, the following: • Site-specific • Reviewed prior to starting work • Contains location of emergency response equipment, monitoring systems, alarm points and safe briefing areas • Notification list

23. Detection Methods for H2S Personal monitors Manual monitors Pump type detector tubes Fixed systems Stand alone

24. Most Hazardous Characteristic “NO ODOR” Your sense of smell is not a good indicator!!!!!

25. What if Gas is Released? Point of release 3000 ppm Wind dir. H2S Plume 300 ppm Up Wind 30 ppm Escape Route 3 ppm Cross Wind

26. OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH) section 5(a)1 General Duty Clause Employee, Employer or John Q Public ? The General Duty clause Each employer shall provide to each of his employees a place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are causing or that likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Each employer shall comply with occupational safety and health standards Each employee shall comply with occupational safety and health standards, rules and regulations

27. BE ON THE ALERT Breathing a good whiff of H2S s like being winded and hit with hammers on both temples at the same time. Workers who have been knocked unconscious for more that 5 minutes by H2S rarely lead a normal life. H2S can steal a man’s memory H2S can cripple your lungs H2S can leave you blind

28. BE ON THE ALERT H2S can erase your sense of smell H2S can give you the shakes H2S can weaken your heart H2S can induce psychotic nightmares H2S can with normal exposures make people look old before their time

30. Don’t let this be your love one because you did not take H2S seriously