Hydrogen sulfide gas, or H2S, is an unsafe and potentially deadly industrial hazard. As such, it’s important to understand what it is, how it can impact your daily duties, the safety precautions you should take in the event of exposure, and how to best protect yourself and your co-workers.

H2S is colorless and cannot be seen with the naked eye, though it can sometimes be detected by its rotten egg odor. However, it is important to note that smell is not a reliable indicator of its presence nor absence (more on this later).

Hydrogen sulfide gas is also very dangerous—it has toxicity comparable to carbon monoxide and is flammable, poisonous, and corrosive. At its worst, it can incapacitate a human in several breaths and can kill nearly instantaneously, depending on exposure levels.

Below we’ll give you a quick primer on H2S gas in the work environment. We also highlight some clothing options from MCR Safety that can help keep your gas detection equipment close at hand and help you maintain a safe “breathing zone” on the job. And, we take a look at gloves, goggles and other PPE workers need when working around H2S.