Respiratory Protection

Respiratory Protection

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has examined the criteria for respirator tests and sources of respirator leakage and recommends that positive pressure, either supplied-air or self-contained personal breathing apparatus, as appropriate, with a full face piece be worn by anyone exposed to atmosphere containing sulfur dioxide concentrations above OSHA's permissible exposure limit (PEL) (refer to 29 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1910.1000, Subpart Z, Table Z-l). Refer to Par. 6.4 for proper breathing equipment recommendations for oil and gas producing and gas processing operations involving sulfur dioxide.

 

	Concentration in Air
Percent by Volume	Parts Per Million By Volume	Grains Per lOOStd. Cubic Feet	Milligrams Per Cubic Meters
0.0001	1	0.12	2.71
0.0002	2	0.24	5.42
0.0005	5	0.59	13.50
0.0012	12	1.42	32.49
0.010	100	12.0	271.00
0.015	150	17.76	406.35
0.05	500	59.2	1354.50

0.10

1000

118.4

2708.99

Typical Characteristics Regarding Hydrogen Sulfide Exposure"⁷' Pungent odor, may cause respiratory changes. ACGIH TLV®"8>, and NIOSH REL.

Burning eyes, breathing irritation, and minor throat irritation.

Note: OSHA PEL (refer to 29 CFR 1910.1000, Table Z-l; ACGIH and NIOSH STEL as

averaged over 15 minutes.

Throat-irritating cough, constriction in chest, watering eyes, and nausea.

Concentration considered immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH).fW Refer to DHHSNo. 85-114, NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards:№>

Extreme irritation. Can be tolerated for only a few minutes.

Causes a sense of suffocation, even with the first breath. Rescue promptly and apply artificial ventilation and/or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques.

Death may result unless rescued promptly. Artificial ventilation and/or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques should be immediately applied.

Note: Data in Table B-1 are approximate values for guidance. There are

published data that show slightly different values.

'"'Based on 1% sulfur dioxide - 1184 gr/100 SCF@ 14.696 psia and S9°F

(101.315 kPa and 15°C).

"⁷»Sulfur dioxide has physiological effects on humans. These effects vary

from person to person. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONSULT

WITH THE EMPLOYER AND RESEARCH THE MATERIAL SAFETY

DATA SHEETS (MSDS).

fWTLV is a trademarked term of American Conference of Governmental

Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Refer to Threshold Limit Values and

Biological Indices and companion documents available from ACGIH, 1330

Kemper Meadow Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45240.

"WIDLH means an atmospheric concentration of any toxic, corrosive, or

asphyxiant substance that poses an immediate threat to life or would cause

irreversible or delayed adverse health effects or would interfere with an

individual's ability to escape from a dangerous atmosphere (refer to 29

Code of Federal Regulations Part 1910.120). NIOSH considers 100 ppm or

more to be the IDLH concentration for sulfur dioxide (refer to NIOSH

Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards).

«(^Available from Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government

Printing Office, Washington, D. C. 20402.

	ТаЫе В-2—Summary of	Occupational	Exposure	Values	for	Sulfur	Dioxide
	OSHA PELs«"	ACGIH TLVs«2>				NIOSH RELs'2-»'
TWA	STEL	TWA	STEL			TWA STEL
ppm mg/m3	ppm Ppm Pprn	mg/m3	ppm	mg/m3		ppm	mg/m' ppm mg/m3

14

N/A

13

13

N/A

PELs Permissible Exposure Limits.

TLVs Threshold Limit Values.

RELs Recommended Exposure Limits.

TWA Eight-hour Time Weighted Average (refer to specific

reference document for different methods of weighting used). STEL Short Term Exposure Limit averaged over a period of 15

minutes.

N/A Not Applicable.

tt/JRefer to 29 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1910.1000, Subpart Z,

Table Z-l.

miRefer to Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices, 1993-

94 (check latest edition).

(l^lReScr to NIOSH 77-158: Criteria for a Recommended Standard for

Occupational Exposure to Sulfur Dioxide.