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Hydrogen sulfide is one of the leading causes of workplace gas inhalation deaths in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), hydrogen sulfide caused 60 worker deaths between 2001 and 2010.
Hazards

Hazards
Hydrogen Sulfide in Workplaces

Hydrogen Sulfide in Workplaces
Evaluating/Controlling Exposure

Evaluating and Controlling Exposure
OSHA Standards

OSHA Standards
Other Resources

Other Resources

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Other Resources

Industry-Specific Resources

  • Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing eTool. OSHA. Presents hazards of hydrogen sulfide associated with work in the oil and gas drilling occupations and describes appropriate controls.

  • Comprehensive Safety Recommendations for Land-Based Oil and Gas Well Drilling. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), (1983, September). DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 83-127. Provides safety recommendations for workers involved with land-based oil and gas well drilling operations.

  • Preventing Deaths of Farm Workers in Manure Pits. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 90-103, (1990, May). Describes seven deaths from asphyxiation (suffocation) that occurred during two incidents involving entry into manure pits.

  • Worker/Employer Summary Sheet [321 KB PDF, 1 page]. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Alert. A one-page summary of manure pit hazards.

  • Hydrogen Sulfide: The Deadliest Manure Gas [340 KB PDF, 2 pages]. Saskatchewan Labour, (1999, March).  Discusses the hazards of hydrogen sulfide in farming occupations.

  • Hydrogen Sulfide Exposure [556 KB PDF, 17 pages]. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) Case Study, (2003, September). Describes a hydrogen sulfide incident at a wastewater treatment plant where wastes were chemically treated in a container not designed for that purpose.

  • Sewer Gas. Wisconsin Department of Health Services fact sheet. (2007, May). Provides an overview of the hazards of sewer gas, how to avoid being exposed, and what to do if there is a problem.
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