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to not only source natural gas, but also to gain sulfur resources through extraction. This sulfur recovery process helps offset the cost associated with sour gas field extraction, making it more viable and therefore bringing in more staff to work on it.7
Sour gas is much more corrosive than natural gas, and the pipes carrying it require more regular maintenance and checks to reduce the risks of leaks.8 The risk of H2S exposure in sour gas processing is high, as the raw gas contains it, and then the refinery process of removing it also creates a risk as it is collected. Equipping workers with PPE, including personal gas detectors, allows them to be aware of the gas concentration levels in the air around them, and act decisively if needed to protect themselves and others.
Detecting and Preventing Exposure
Monitoring and recording data have by far been the biggest leap forward in protecting workers who are at risk of hydrogen sulfide exposure. Rather than relying on manual inspection or weekly collated data uploads, gas detection instruments can be worn by workers for advanced detection and monitoring.
This kind of real-time monitoring means workers can be alerted to any potential exposure to hydrogen sulfide in seconds. Data patterns can be tracked easily by occupational hygienists or site health and safety managers, allowing a potential incident or health risk to be spotted early and resolved before it becomes an issue. Uploading daily data recorded on personal devices also allows for long term exposure tracking of individual health. Occupational hygienists can assess an individual’s likelihood of risk or illness in line with their recorded exposure readings.9
This also helps with a wider health and safety strategy. For example, take a scenario where workers regularly operate in an area of a refinery that exceeds exposure levels within a specific activity. This highlights a need for better training and awareness, and a re-examination of how work is carried out in that area.
Let’s look at an example of public safety and health. If there are reports in the local community of eye and respiratory irritation (the two most common reactions to low levels of H2S), the plant responsible can take action to reduce the levels of hydrogen sulfide in the air concentration through improved air scrubbing and pollution capture technologies.
In both instances, the data collected from personal devices and the activity of a site helps reaffirm and create robust occupational health and safety strategies that have worker safety at their core.
Lone workers can be some of the most at-risk staff in oil and mining industries.10 Inspecting sites that are unmanned, remote or in the process of being decommissioned all pose a high risk to health and safety. Should there be an unknown hydrogen sulfide build up or leak, the lone worker may not be aware until it is too late, and if knockdown happens, they will be unable to call for help. A personal gas detection device would be able to detect the concentration threshold of hydrogen sulfide well before the person got to the stage of being overwhelmed by the gas, thereby alerting the wearer and stopping them from entering a dangerous area.
With greater monitoring and protection against hydrogen sulfide exposure risks, it is possible to reduce the number of work-related incidents and improve overall worker safety. When it comes to worker health and safety, the benefits of individual
Opting for a hydrogen sulfide detection solution is an ideal way for businesses to keep staff safe and protected.
gas detection devices are immeasurable at preventing exposure. Protecting staff from potential hazards will only continue to grow in legislative strength as we move into new territories for extracting oil, gas and coal, and as we move into other areas of energy production such as anaerobic digestion and biofuels, both of which carry high risks of hydrogen sulfide exposure.
By being prepared and equipping staff with appropriate PPE and personal gas detection devices, businesses can create robust occupational health and safety strategies built on pillars of training, awareness, equipment and prevention. As more about the long-term risks of exposure to hydrogen sulfide are uncovered, protecting workers and the public now against avoidable exposure is the right thing to do. Opting for a hydrogen sulfide detection solution is an ideal way for businesses to keep staff safe and protected.
Peter Barratt has been involved in the gas detection industry for 28 years, including working with corporate conglomerates and start- up businesses. At ION Science, he is responsible for personal gas detection products, including electro-chemical and PID sensors. He has a keen interest in the end-user applications of gas detection equipment, and the role they can play in saving lives.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/geofluids/2021/8885949/
2. https://www.osha.gov/hydrogen-sulfide#:~:text=Hydrogen%20sulfide%20 is%20one%20of,toxic%2C%20even%20at%20low%20concentrations and https://loncarlyonjenkins.com/faqs/how-many-people-die-from-h2s-a-year/
3. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2019/8719260/
4. https://inspectioneering.com/videos/2021-08-20/9799/csb-safety- video-silent-killer---hydrogen-sulfide-release-in-odessa-texas#:~:text=The%20 US%20Chemical%20Safety%20Board,waterflood%20station%20in%- 20Odessa%2C%20Texas
5. https://www.osha.gov/hydrogen-sulfide/hazards
6. http://www.aaem.pl/pdf-74562-12545?filename=Human%20health%20
cost%20%20of.pdf
7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/ B9780444632340501767
8. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/sour-gas 9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8001002/
10. https://jpt.spe.org/no-worker-left-behind-protecting-lone-workers-oil- and-gas-industry
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JULY/AUGUST 2022 | Occupational Health & Safety 19