H2S Awareness Explained
What are the H2S hazards? Hydrogen sulphide is a dangerous toxic gas found in many industries. This gas is produced from the breakdown of organic materials in the absence of […]
What are the H2S hazards?
Hydrogen sulphide is a dangerous toxic gas found in many industries. This gas is produced from the breakdown of organic materials in the absence of oxygen and commonly occurs in environments such as swamps and sewers. H2S gas is commonly found during the drilling and production of crude oil and natural gas, as well as in environments such as wastewater treatment and utility facilities.
H2S is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one sulphur atom. It is a colourless gas that is flammable, toxic and corrosive. It is heavier than air and tends to settle in low-lying areas.
As previously mentioned, the gas is typically associated with industrial, petroleum and biological operations such as drilling, refining and water treatment.
It is important for you to know the properties of H2S beyond simply being colourless and having a rotten egg stench, as H2S is always dangerous, even at low concentrations. While it tends to settle in low-lying areas, the gas is heavier than air and as a result, is rarely dispersed by wind movement or air currents.
The gas is more dangerous than carbon monoxide and is also highly corrosive to certain metals. Since it is a colourless gas at all concentrations, you cannot detect H2S visually. You must also keep in mind that you can’t rely on your sense of smell to detect H2S because, at high H2S concentrations, you will rapidly lose the ability to smell.
What is the difference between H2S Alive and H2S Awareness?
The goal of H2S Alive is to prepare workers to recognize H2S (hydrogen sulphide) hazards and protect themselves, as well as perform a basic rescue during an H2S incident. The H2S Alive course is an 8-hours classroom course that includes components on:
- Properties of H2S
- H2S locations
- Health hazards
- Initial response strategy
- Approved respiratory protective equipment
- Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
- Supplied air breathing apparatus (SABA)
- Pre-Use inspection of breathing apparatus
- Wearing and operating breathing apparatus
- After-use inspection of breathing apparatus
- Detector tube devices
- Operating detector tube devices
- Electronic monitors
- Rescue techniques
- CPR
- Case studies
H2S Awareness is a course designed specifically for workers whose work puts them in situations of risk of H2S exposure. Because many workplaces offer their own practical training, our H2S safety awareness course would be a perfect combination as it is much cheaper than the H2S Alive course. If your employer does not offer this option, you will need to check with them to see if they would prefer that you take the more expensive program in contrast to the online course.
Who needs an H2S Awareness Certificate?
The H2S Awareness certificate is suitable for any workplace where hydrogen sulphide may be encountered throughout daily operations. This is not an H2S Alive course, which may be required by drilling and/or oil processing operations. The latter is a full-day, 8-hour training certificate with a practical component, whereas the H2S Awareness is an online, theoretical training that lasts for about 2 hours.
The industries below are the ones most likely to require H2S training for employees:
- Oil & Gas.
- Energy & Electricity.
- Seismic.
- Mining.
- Construction.
What should the H2S Awareness Course include?
Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) Awareness Course should outline the following topics:
- Characteristics of H2S
- Exposure to H2S
- Protective Measures
- Working with H2S
- Rescue and First Aid
How to get an H2s awareness certificate online in Canada?
There are many companies that offer H2S online training and eSafetyFirst Canada is one of those companies. Our online course starts at $36.95 per employee, with discounts based on the number of attendees.
In order to obtain a certificate, you will need to pass both the theoretical training and evaluation offered by our company.
