SS15-03 HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT IN THE PETROLEUM REFINING INDUSTRY

In the oil / gas and petroleum refining industry, workers have high likelihood of exposure to hydrogen sulphide (H2S) gas primarily through work in confined space. Inhalation of H2S gas can cause adverse health effects ranging from major to catastrophic which includes loss of consciousness, coma and death. A detailed study has been conducted on the existing measures to control exposure as well as recommendations to mitigate the risk of future exposure. (i) A medical literature review was conducted related to H2S respiratory disease. (ii) The existing risk mitigation measures from inhaling H2S have been analysed from the petroleum refinery standard operating procedure. (iii) Anecdotal volunteer survey has been conducted among the SMEs, HSE professionals, medical doctors and occupational health (OH) physicians based in the UK and Middle East through instant messaging application to validate the control measure effectiveness and to analyse the behavioural challenges among the workers in the practical environment. The OH experts suggest that more specific health surveillance like spirometry test, chest X-ray analysis, medical examinations and H2S personal exposure monitoring data to be gathered. Regarding the controls, HSE experts are satisfied with the existing escape and respiratory protection apparatus, but they emphasized that the respiratory hygiene needs to be improved and the inspection frequency to be monitored. If the OH experts suggested medical examination are combined with the HSE experts recommended controls, the H2S health impacts over workers can be reduced to a greater extent.