📚 Guide by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety — The H2s 2 is an online workplace safety course delivered by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety, Calgary’s Energy Safety Canada Authorized Training Provider. Self-paced, mobile-friendly, same-day certificate upon exam completion. Available across Canada.
🔗 Related Safety Mom courses & guides: H2S Alive Calgary · What is H2S gas? · Oil Sands Safety Certs · Instructor: Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC
H2S COURSE OVERVIEW
Intended for individuals who may be exposed to hydrogen sulphide in the workplace, this course provides information to help protect individuals from exposure and explains how to deal with emergencies involving H2S.
Please Note: This program is not equivalent to the Energy Safety Canada H2S Alive in class course.
I-CAB RECOGNIZED COURSE
This content developer is recognized by the International Competency Assessment Board (I-CAB) for its expertise in this subject matter and is listed as a competency development resource for I-CAB assessment participants.
H2S COURSE DURATION: Approximately 2 hours
H2S ONLINE TEST: Testing conducted throughout this online H2S course is designed to reinforce the information presented. A mark of 80% must be achieved in order to receive a certificate of completion. Participants are able to repeat the course twice if the pass mark is not achieved on the first attempt.
H2S ONLINE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION: Upon successful completion of this online course, a certificate of completion will be available to download and print. The certificate is valid for three (3) years.
UNIVERSALLY COMPATIBLE
This course was created using standards that will allow playback on most internet capable devices with standard web browsing capabilities including Apple’s iTouch, iPad, and iPhone, as well as most other smart phones and tablets including those with Android and Windows operating systems.
H2S COURSE TOPICS
- H2S physical properties
- Where H2S is found in industry
- H2S statistics
- Corrosive , toxic and flammable impact of H2S
- Points of release
- The hierarchy of controls
- Legislation and due diligence
- Personal protective devices
- Kinds of breathing equipment -self contained and supplied air breathing apparatus
- Picking the correct respiratory PPE
- H2S measurements – scales – ppm and percent
- Safe working limits – Provincial and Federal
- Detection equipment and bump testing and calibration
- Sampling using detector tubes and electronic monitors
- Emergency response plan
- First aid for H2S exposure
- Hazard assessment and risk matrix
H2S ONLINE COURSE PREVIEW
Additional Safety Knowledge
Understanding H2S — The Basics
Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is a colourless, flammable gas heavier than air with a characteristic rotten-egg odour at low concentrations. It is produced naturally by anaerobic decomposition of organic matter and is present in sour oil and gas reservoirs, sewer systems, wastewater treatment, pulp and paper operations, tanneries, and manure storage pits. In Alberta’s upstream oil and gas industry it is the single most common atmospheric hazard.
Exposure Concentrations and Effects
- 0.01–1.5 ppm: detectable by smell — the classic rotten-egg odour.
- 10 ppm: Alberta occupational exposure limit (OEL) 8-hour time-weighted average.
- 15 ppm: Alberta 15-minute short-term exposure limit (STEL).
- 50–100 ppm: eye irritation, respiratory discomfort, olfactory fatigue (sense of smell disappears — a dangerous false-safety signal).
- 100 ppm: NIOSH Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) limit.
- 500–700 ppm: loss of consciousness within minutes, respiratory paralysis, death likely without immediate rescue.
- 1,000 ppm and above: single-breath knockdown — instant collapse and death.
Detection and Personal Monitoring
Every worker in a potential H2S atmosphere must carry a personal 4-gas monitor calibrated for H2S detection. Standard alarm setpoints are 10 ppm (low alarm) and 15 ppm (high alarm). Bump testing is required before every shift; full calibration every 30 days minimum. Fixed detection systems with visual and audible alarms are required at facilities with continuous H2S risk.
H2s 2 — Emergency Response
The first response to an H2S alarm is not to investigate — it is to evacuate upwind and uphill (H2S is heavier than air). Muster at the designated point, complete roll call, and notify the incident commander. Rescue attempts require Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), a trained rescue partner, and a documented rescue plan. Attempting rescue without SCBA is the leading cause of secondary H2S fatalities.
Content reviewed by Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC — lead safety instructor at Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety Calgary, an Energy Safety Canada Authorized Training Provider.
