The H2S Training Standard: What Safety Professionals Must Know | Risk Matrix Episode 116

Risk Matrix #116: The H₂S Training Standard: What Safety Professionals Must Know

“A gas monitor is not PPE.”

In Episode 116 of The Risk Matrix, James Junkin—who sits on the ANSI Z390.1 committee—and Dr. Martin discuss common misconceptions about H₂S training and workplace safety. Over the past decade, 60 workers have lost their lives in hydrogen sulfide incidents. Proper training aligned with the 2024 ANSI standard is a critical part of preventing these incidents.

What You’ll Learn:

• A gas monitor is essential but not PPE. Monitoring is critical to protecting workers from hydrogen sulfide exposure. But a monitor going off doesn’t protect you. James shares a real incident where two workers died and four were hospitalized despite their monitors alarming.
• IDLH atmospheres and respiratory protection are non-negotiable. The respiratory protection standard contains language that has prevented or could have prevented 60 deaths. When employers cannot identify or reasonably estimate employee exposure, they must treat the atmosphere as immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) 100% of the time.
• You don’t rise to the occasion. You descend to the level of your training. James teaches an exercise in every class: he yells “gas, gas, gas” and tells students to get to the muster area while holding their breath. Most people make it 30 feet. Training has to be drilled until it’s muscle memory.

Just because your training isn’t the law doesn’t mean it won’t get you in trouble. When OSHA shows up after an incident, or when you’re defending your program in litigation, you’ll need to explain why you didn’t choose a course modeled after the ANSI Z390.1 standard recommended by industry experts.

For more on hydrogen sulfide hazards, read our recent article: Hydrogen Sulfide: The Silent Assassin in Oil and Gas Operations.