The Dangers of Sewer Gas Exposure

Before you know what dangers you may face due to sewer gas exposure, you should know what sewer gas is. Sewer gas is basically the byproduct of human waste. Many poisonous gases, including hydrogen sulfide, methane, ammonia, and carbon dioxide, compose sewer gas.

You can get the idea of how much sewer gas can be dangerous because of these gases. Although, exposure to sewer gas in small quantities cannot be a big deal. However, if you are exposed to this gas for a longer time, it may cause sewer gas poisoning. The other risks of sewer gas exposure are listed down below.

Hydrogen Sulphide Poisoning

Exposure to a low amount of hydrogen sulfide can cause coughing, irritation of the eyes, nose, or respiratory tract, choking, etc. Whereas, moderate concentrations can result in headache, vomiting, nausea, and lightheadedness.

The danger comes when you are exposed to hydrogen sulfide gas for a long time or in larger concentrations. It may lead to unconsciousness and sometimes death.

Suffocation

When there is a leaking of sewer gas, the methane gas immediately replaces the oxygen present in the air. This will lead to suffocation or asphyxiation.

As a consequence, you will start to have symptoms of lacking oxygen, including nausea, unconsciousness, headache, etc. At a higher concentration of sewer gas or low accessibility of oxygen gas, a person may die without any warning.

Fire and Explosion

Both hydrogen sulfide and methane gas can lead to explosions as they are flammable as well as explosive. Moreover, the leaked vapors of the dumped fuels in the sewerage lines can lead to increased fire risks.

Symptoms of Sewer Gas Poisoning

Mild exposure to lower concentrations of sewer gas can show symptoms of sewer gas poisioning. These symptoms may include:

• Headaches
• Nausea or vomiting
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Poor memory and distracted concentration
• Coughing or choking
• Suffocation
• Irritation of eyes, nose, or respiratory tract

It is a very rare case that a person is exposed to higher levels of sewer gas for a long time in homes. However, in industrial areas, workers may encounter higher concentrations of sewer gas, leading to health risks. If someone works in such an environment and their exposure to sewer gas is a lot, then they should look for these further symptoms.

• Irritation of mouth, throat, and lungs
• Seizures
• Loss of sense of smell
• Coma

Conclusion

Although, lower concentrations of sewer gas cannot be a big problem. But, you should avoid such poisonous gas as much as you can. If you are suspicious about a sewer gas leak, evacuate the affected space immediately. Call a plumbing company near you to send their staff for the service. You should not neglect the symptoms and not get lazy about this as it may lead to higher health risks.

According to Trenchless solutions, if a person suspects the symptoms of sewer gas poisoning, they should follow some factors. These factors include avoiding smoking, exposure to further chemicals and harmful medicines, taking care of their health, and other healthy precautionary measures.