SOURCE: MSHA | October 18, 2026
Arlington, VA — Miners, take caution: Relying solely on your sense of smell to detect hydrogen sulfide could lead to serious injury or death, the Mine Safety and Health Administration warns.
Hydrogen sulfide is a toxic, colorless gas that OSHA calls “one of the leading causes of workplace gas inhalation deaths in the United States.” In a recent health alert, MSHA notes that the gas can be released into the air during mining operations.
Also known as sewer gas, stink damp, swamp gas or manure gas, hydrogen sulfide can be found in numerous industrial operations, sewers, sulfur springs and volcanic gas.
Although miners “may initially detect” hydrogen sulfide by a rotten egg smell, the gas “can quickly numb the sense of smell,” MSHA warns. Exposure may cause irritation to the eyes and respiratory system, disorientation, dizziness, headache, fatigue, sensitivity to light, fluid in the lungs, coma, seizures, and possibly death.
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