An in-depth discussion of how to mitigate the risks posed by hydrogen sulfide in a wide variety of industries
In Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) Hazards: Risk Recognition and Prevention, experienced refinery supervisor and manager M. Darryl Yoes delivers an expert discussion of how to address the risks posed by hydrogen sulfide in workplaces. The book serves as a valuable resource to educate and raise awareness with global applications. It describes what hydrogen sulfide is, where it comes from, its characteristics, the hazards it presents, and important working limits.
The book explores a variety of industries in which hydrogen sulfide is a significant concern and conducts an extensive review of notable safety incidents that have occurred in the past thirty years. It also contains quizzes at the end of each chapter (with answers included in the appendix) that help readers retain life-saving information on how to handle H2S.
Readers will also find:
A thorough review of significant events, deaths, and injuries involving hydrogen sulfide drawn from the Occupational Safety and Health Agency database in the United States Comprehensive explorations of the hierarchy of controls, chemical selection hazards, personal protective equipment, other safety equipment, and safety protocols Practical discussions of an operator’s perspective and the roles they play in limiting the risks posed by hydrogen sulfide exposure Instructive case studies exploring the real-world impacts of hydrogen sulfide in the workplace
Perfect for petroleum refining, petrochemical, municipal sewer treatment, and agriculture safety professionals, this book will also benefit people working in textile manufacturing, paper mills, food processing plants, mining, and intensive livestock operations who have a responsibility for personnel safety.
By:
M. Darryl Yoes (Safety Consulting International LLC)
Imprint: John Wiley & Sons Inc
Country of Publication: United States
ISBN: 9781394376520
ISBN 10: 1394376529
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 22 February 2026
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Preface ix About the Author xiii 1 The Sources of Hydrogen Sulfide: Where Does It Come From? 1 2 How Biodegradation Processes Generate Hydrogen Sulfide 13 3 The Characteristics and Effects of Hydrogen Sulfide 19 4 The Hazards of Hydrogen Sulfide 29 5 The Working Limits for Hydrogen Sulfide 43 6 Protecting the Workers and Ourselves Against the Hydrogen Sulfide Hazards 49 7 What Has Happened/ What Can Happen Again? 67 Incident 1 October 10, 2024; Pemex Refinery, Deer Park, Texas. Hydrogen Sulfide Release When Workers Were Attempting to Install Isolation Blinds (2 Fatalities, 35 Injured) 70 Incident 2 Hydrogen Sulfide Release at Aghorn Operating Waterflood Station; Aghorn Operating Inc. (2 Fatalities – 1 Company Fatality, 1 Civilian Fatality) 78 Incident 3 Accidental Transfer of Sodium Hydrogen Sulfide (NaHS) into a Tank Containing Dilute Sulfuric Acid, National Transportation Safety Board (1 Fatality, 1 Injury) 89 Incident 4 Two Brothers and Two Others Were Killed by Hydrogen Sulfide While Attempting to Repair a Landfill Leachate Pump (4 Fatalities) 99 Incident 5 Hydrogen Sulfide Release, Valero Refinery, St. Charles, LA. The Isolation Blind Was Improperly Installed, Resulting in Release (1 Fatality, 1 Injury) 104 Incident 6 Three Utility Workers Killed by Hydrogen Sulfide While Working in Municipal Sewer System (3 Fatalities, 5 Injuries) 108 Incident 7 ConocoPhillips Company: Employee Found Unresponsive While Attempting to Drain Liquids from a Tank in a 90 Sq ft Oil Well Shack (1 Fatality) 111 Incident 8 Worker Exposed to Hydrogen Sulfide and Falls from the Top of the Truck (1 Fatality) 113 Incident 9 Worker Fatally Injured After Exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide While Attempting to Inject Methanol into an Oil and Gas System (1 Fatality) 119 Incident 10 Paper Mill Workers Exposed to a High Concentration of Hydrogen Sulfide That Was Venting from a Storage Tank That Contained Process Water (2 Fatalities, 14 Injuries, Including 1 Worker Placed into an Induced Coma Due to the Seriousness of His Injuries) 126 Incident 11 Two Workers Were Killed While Inspecting Cargo Tanks on a Marine Vessel Due to Hydrogen Sulfide in an Innocuous Cargo 129 Incident 12 One Person Was Killed by Hydrogen Sulfide During a Rescue Attempt While Performing Maintenance on Wastewater Pump in an Underground Confined Space 131 8 The Hierarchy of Controls 139 9 Controlling the Hazards of Hydrogen Sulfide 147 10 Recognition of International and Regional Authorities/Organizations with Expertise in Hydrogen Sulfide 169 Epilogue 171 Appendix 1: End-of-Chapter Quiz (With Answers) 175 Appendix 2: Documented Cases of Hydrogen Sulfide Poisoning 193 Index 261
M. DARRYL YOES is a refinery supervisor and manager with more than 50 years’ experience in the industry. He’s a valued advisor in the field of process safety management for refineries and petrochemical plants and for construction safety management for major construction projects across the United States. Mr. Yoes is the author of Process Operations Safety: The What, Why, and How Behind Safe Petrochemical Plant Operations and Hazards of Nitrogen and Other Inert Gases: How They Can be Safely Managed, both published by Wiley (2025).
