Volume XIX No.

1 – 1999

Hydrogen
Sulfide

Plus: Abrasive Blast Cleaning

Does Safety Have an Image Problem?
Editorial Does safety have an
image problem?
Forrest Gump is a recent Academy Award-
Imagine this: You are being honored for your
winning film that depicts the significant impact contribution to Saudi Aramco. Your organization
a simple man has on world history. The title has arranged an elaborate dinner in a beautifully
character frequently makes the statement, decorated banquet hall. Your family, your friends,
“Stupid is as stupid does,” an expression which your colleagues, your line management, and up-
per management are all in attendance. The
means that people are stupid if they do stupid
keynote speaker is the President and CEO. In his
things. The same can be said about safety. You speech, he states that the most striking trait
can think about safety. You can talk about you’ve exhibited during your tenure with the
safety. But you are not safe unless you take company is that you are a safe employee.
action to be safe.
If you really would have preferred to be pub-
licly lauded for some other, more prestigious
Safety is not a mysterious phenomenon. A safe outstanding trait, you are not alone. Historically,
day is made up of components that you can “safety” has been considered to be more of a
monitor, measure, and manipulate. Examples of nuisance than praiseworthy. Early occupational
these components include the speed that you safety programs did not help this image. They
tried to eliminate all accidents by eliminating
drive, the seat belt that you buckle, the personal
all risks. Since risk is a natural prerequisite to
protective equipment that you wear, and the safe gain, the only truly safe organization would
work practices that you follow. have been one that did nothing. Safety engi-
neers became stereotyped as industrial
Loss Prevention encourages you to start this policemen in hard hats with no other duties
than to report hard-working employees for
new year with a hard look at the components of
crimes against safety. Safety organizations were
safety in your life. Look at the actions you take seen as being out of touch with the realities of
to ensure safety on the job, at home, and on the the workplace, their sole function to crank out
road. As you review the safety components of reams of incomprehensible regulations that
your life, remember that safety is as safety were hard to abide by and frequently interfered
with true productivity.
does—you are safe because of your safe behav-
iors. If you discover that you aren’t putting in Fortunately, the image of safety has improved
the time and effort to act safely in all your in recent years as safety engineering has been
activities, you’re not safe. tested in a variety of industrial settings. Safety
has evolved into the science of risk manage-
ment. By managing and controlling risks, it’s
Like Forrest Gump, you can have a significant
been proven that the health and safety of em-
impact on the world. Why not make it a safer ployees can be protected, operations can run
place to live and work? smoothly and efficiently, and production quo-
tas can be met cost effectively—not in spite of
high safety standards, but because of them.The
fact is, accidents cost more money overall than
Loss Prevention Newsletter (ISSN 1319- loss prevention.
1802) is produced by the Support
Services Unit of Saudi Aramco’s Loss
Prevention Department and focuses on If you want to make safety sound a little more
on-the-job and operations safety.
Newsletter welcomes readers’ comments, prestigious, you might call it “loss control” or “re-
ideas, and contributions. Please send source stabilization” or the “proactive
your suggestions and articles to Saudi
Aramco Loss Prevention Department,
prevention of loss.” Whatever you call it, the
E-1855, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia, benefits of safety are worth the effort.
marked for the attention of the Editor, or
call 873-9190.

Saudi Aramco Loss Prevention Newsletter Vol. XIX No. 1 – page 1

Hydrogen Sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is one of the most common N H2S is toxic. Externally, it acts as an irritant to
and serious hazards faced in the petroleum industry. exposed tissues of the eyes, nose, throat, and
H2S is naturally present in most fossil fuels and lungs. When absorbed, it acts as an internal
occurs as a by-product during the production and poison which can impair the nervous system
processing of petroleum and gas. It can also be and paralyze the respiratory system.
produced during metal refining; pulp and paper
production; and sewage and waste water treatment. Inhalation of H2S gas is the most dangerous
If you work around drilling, pipelines, refining, gas route of exposure. When an atmosphere
plants, gas-oil separation plants (GOSPs), waste contains 300 ppm or more H2S, it is considered
water treatment operations, or buildings near such immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH).
facilities, you work near a source of H2S. Normally, The effects of exposure depend on the con-
engineering measures keep H2S safely contained centration of H2S in the atmosphere, the
within the vessels and lines that store or carry Saudi length of time exposed, and the physical
Aramco products. However, if a leak occurs, severe susceptibility of the victim.
injuries or fatalities could result.
N Odor is not a reliable warning. Don’t be
H2S HAZARDS misled by the fact that you can smell low
concentrations of H2S. Your sense of smell is
H2S is a colorless, flammable gas. Uncontrolled, it desensitized by higher, more dangerous
can be deadly. These are the basic hazards posed by concentrations of H2S.
H2S: (continued on page 3)

Potential effects of exposure to graduated concentrations of atmospheric H2S, expressed in parts per million (ppm).

H2 S Potential Effects
1 ppm No significant physical effects; sense of smell remains intact and can detect a rotten egg
odor

10 ppm Eye irritation; 10 ppm is the threshold limit value (TLV)—the greatest concentration safe to
breathe without respiratory protection for a normal 8-hour work day and 40-hour work week

100 ppm Eye inflammation; corneal blistering; headache; nausea; cough; sense of smell becomes inef-
fectual within 3-15 minutes

500 ppm Respiratory disturbances cause breathing difficulties; nervous system impairment can result
in tremors, numbness in extremities, and convulsions; ability to reason is lost

700 ppm Respiratory failure; unconsciousness; seizures; loss of bowel and bladder control; fatal in 30
minutes

1000 ppm Immediate unconsciousness; fatal in a few breaths

Saudi Aramco Loss Prevention Newsletter Vol. XIX No. 1 – page 2

HS 2
(continued)

N H2S gas is colorless. Therefore, leaks cannot Engineering Measures

be seen. In windy weather, H2S moves as an
invisible cloud, usually in the direction the The first line of defense against exposure to H2S in
wind is blowing. work environments consists of engineering controls,
such as safe design of process equipment, regular
N H2S gas is heavier than air. It tends to settle equipment maintenance, proper ventilation, and
into low-lying areas, such as trenches, sewers, control of leaks. Combining these engineering
and excavations. Although upper levels of the controls with safe work practices minimizes the risk
area might be clear of H 2S, it can exist as a of over-exposure to H2S.
deadly gas layer on lower levels.
Ventilation is the most widely used engineering
N H 2S is flammable and explosive. Under control. Proper ventilation—either mechanical or
normal atmospheric conditions, H2S combines natural—prevents the accumulation of hazardous
with air to form a mixture that will ignite over levels of H2S. Natural winds, powered air-blower
a very wide range of its volume in air (4.3% – systems, and powered air-exhaust systems are the
46%). This range is almost seven times greater most common means of ventilation.
than the flammable or explosive range of
gasoline. Unfortunately, ventilation may not completely clear
an area of H2S. Periodically test a ventilated atmo-
N Burning H2S emits sulfur dioxide (SO2). SO2 sphere for residual H2S. With or without ventilation,
can severely irritate exposed tissues of the residual H2S should be less than 10 ppm. An increase
eyes, nose, throat, and respiratory system. in residual H2S concentration indicates that there is
an H2S release that must be eliminated rather than
N H 2S is corrosive. When H2S combines with just diluted by ventilation.
moisture in the air, it forms a corrosive acid
that degrades the integrity of metal equip- Detection
ment. Dangerous leaks can result when this
acid corrodes the metal of pipes, valves, tanks, On a case-by-case basis, evaluate areas that have a
and other equipment. high risk of H2S release as candidates for continuous
gas monitoring. Areas that could require this type of
N H2S corrosion is a factor in the formation of monitoring include gas plants, GOSPs, refineries,
pyrophoric materials. When H2S reacts with tank farms, and well sites. If the fixed-area H 2S
steel (found in pipes and other equipment), a monitor detects a quantity of H2S in the atmosphere
by-product is iron sulfide scale. Iron sulfide that exceeds preset limits, an alarm sounds and
scale is a pyrophoric material that has the warning lights flash.
potential to spontaneously ignite when it’s
dry and exposed to air. Use a portable gas monitor to test areas for specific,
limited periods of time (i.e., during maintenance or
H2S HAZARD CONTROL repairs in an area where there is the potential for H2S
release). The LTX-310 3-in-1 gas monitor is the
There are four basic approaches to H 2S hazard portable gas monitor most commonly used in Saudi
control: engineering measures, detection, Aramco. In addition to monitoring potentially
respiratory protection, and effective training. hazardous or unknown atmospheres, use these
(continued on page 4)

Saudi Aramco Loss Prevention Newsletter Vol. XIX No. 1 – page 3

HS 2
(continued)

monitors for gas testing whenever work must be ü Recognition of a leak or release of H2S
performed in low-lying areas and confined spaces.
Test all areas of the atmosphere before entry and ü H2S emergency response plan for the area
then frequently throughout the job’s duration.
ü Identification of H2S alarms and warning lights
Respiratory Protection
ü Location of emergency exits
When exposure to H2S is possible, wear one of the
two basic types of respiratory protection equipment ü Recognition of wind direction with wind
appropriate for use around H2S. socks, streamers, or flags

l Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)— ü Instructions to escape upwind or crosswind

supplies compressed air from a cylinder worn from an outdoor release
on the user’s back to a sealed facepiece. The
cylinders must be rated to supply breathable ü Use of emergency escape equipment
air for at least 30 minutes. All SCBAs must be
equipped with a low-air-supply alarm. ü Use of emergency phone numbers

l Supplied-air breathing apparatus (SABA)— ü Location of safe assembly areas

supplies air through a hose from cylinders or
a compressor in a location remote to the user. ü Use of air-monitoring devices
Wear an emergency escape bottle in case the
SABA fails. Use the emergency escape bottle ü Use of respiratory protection equipment
for escape purposes only. Never use your
emergency escape bottle to extend working ü Necessity of “No Smoking” and “No Ignition”
time in an H2S environment. rules in high risk areas

Never us an air-purifying or cartridge type breathing ü Practice of rescue procedures

apparatus when there is a potential for H 2S ex-
posure. ü Practice of rescue breathing and cardio-
pulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Before you use respiratory protection equipment,
you must be fitted for the specific device, and STAY ALERT
receive training regarding its proper use, inspection,
cleaning, maintenance, storage, and emergency Don’t let a good safety record lull you into a false
measures. sense of security. Always follow your organization’s
safety procedures, and be ready to respond in the
Effective Training event of an emergency.

You can work safely around H2S if you utilize safe When you work around H2S, it is critical that you
work practices and implement safety precautions. think before you act. There’s simply no room for
Take your H2S safety training seriously, and cultivate errors.
a confident command of the following:

Saudi Aramco Loss Prevention Newsletter Vol. XIX No. 1 – page 4

Abrasive Blast Cleaning
Abrasive blast cleaning is used in many Saudi the silica sand. If this is not possible or practical, opt
Aramco operations to quickly and efficiently clean for sand with a low crystalline quartz content.
metal objects. Abrasive blast cleaning uses air
pressure to project an abrasive particulate at high Regardless of the type of abrasive blast agent used,
velocities toward a target surface. The impact of the wear this personal protective equipment (PPE) when
abrasive agent on the surface effectively removes abrasive blast cleaning or when assisting in the
most surface coatings, such as paint or rust. Removal operation:
of surface coating is a necessary preparation for
painting or welding metal objects. l an approved supplied-air breathing apparatus
with a hood, hard hat, face shield, goggles,
Abrasive blast agents can vary from soft to hard. sturdy gloves, coveralls, apron, and steel-toed
Common abrasives are quartz and silicon carbide, shoes
which are harder than steel.
l earplugs or muffs (muffs recommended)
Depth of cleaning is determined by blast agent when noise levels exceed 90 dBA
characteristics (e.g., hardness and “sharpness”), type
of blast equipment, and force of air pressure . Inspect PPE and analyze/verify the quality of the
breathing air supply before starting an abrasive blast
Major hazards associated with abrasive blast cleaning operation. Do not start the operation until
cleaning are: you have corrected any problems you find.

N lung damage due to inhalation of abrasive During all abrasive blast operations, follow the
blast agents and/or the particulate matter of requirements of General Instruction (GI) 6.021,
the material being removed Safety Requirements for Abrasive Blast Cleaning.
Obtain a Hot Work Permit when abrasive blast
N hearing impairment caused by exposure to cleaning is to be conducted in a restricted area.
the blasting equipment’s excessive noise Ensure that each operator is properly trained and
uses the equipment correctly. Post warning signs
N abrasion, puncture, and/or severe laceration (i.e., “No Entry—Abrasive Blast Cleaning in
of skin, soft tissue, and eyes by the abrasive Progress”) and barricade the area where the
blast agent cleaning is conducted to keep out unauthorized
personnel. Make sure nearby workers wear an
Silica sand is the most commonly used abrasive approved dust-filter respirator during the cleaning
blast agent because it is inexpensive, readily operation.
available, and falls in between soft and hard
mediums. When silica sand is used, it is particularly Since spent abrasives and removed material can be
important to control the inhalation hazard. Silica toxic, always dispose of them properly. Operators
sand contains crystalline quartz; if inhaled, it can must also be careful to control contaminating
cause a permanent, debilitating lung condition downwind “spread” of the blast agent and the
called silicosis. The higher the crystalline quartz particulate matter removed. If you have any
content and concentrations of its particulate in air, questions regarding proper handling of these
the higher the risk for injury. The best way to control materials, contact the Environmental Engineering
this risk is to substitute a less hazardous medium for Unit at 874-6429.

Saudi Aramco Loss Prevention Newsletter Vol. XIX No. 1 – page 5