Many oil & gas workers risk hydrogen sulfide overexposure
Continuous air monitoring by a qualified person is required
A 46-year-old hockey-playing oilfield worker nearly died last December connecting a hose to a valve at a rural Saskatchewan production operation in February, 2014. His face was sprayed with a mix of gas, water and oil. He inhaled and swallowed it.
Medical records show the toxic stew was laced with hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a potentially lethal gas that thousands of oil and gas workers are potentially exposed to every day. Three years later, the worker was still struggling to chew food, swallow, taste, small, speak properly, breathe clearly, and sleep soundly, according to an article in the Toronto Star.