The role of local communities in chemical accident prevention and preparedness

Since the adoption of community right-to-know programs in the US there has been an increase in the number of groups known as local emergency planning committees. These committees have matured in focus over the intervening years since the Bhopal incident and even more so since the events of September 11, 2001. There is a strong recognition that local communities working very closely with chemical handling facilities in their areas can directly and meaningfully reduce the threat of a chemical release incident, regardless of cause. Likewise, through similar means they can better prepare themselves to respond should an incident occur. Especially as regards modern concepts of process chemical safety and facility security, local communities can be of great assistance to smaller facilities that do not otherwise necessarily have the resources to accomplish these tasks. As the vulnerabilities of a facility to accident or intentional act, the impacts of these events and the ability of communities to react are all a function of local conditions, it is clear that these local efforts can be more meaningful than large-scale national efforts. While national legislation is certainly helpful to the process of bringing people together, it is the local relationships that produce results.     

国内外矿山事故预防与救护机制对比分析

简要介绍了印度、德国、美国、加拿大等国矿山事故预防与救护机制,与我国的矿山事故预防和救护机制进行了对比分析,指出我国矿山伤亡事故的严峻形势,提出了我国矿山事故预防与救护的建议,对减少矿山事故、发展矿山经济具有指导意义。     

Thermal risk in batch reactors: Theoretical framework for runaway and accident

Thermal safety and risk of accidents are still challenging topics in the case of batch reactors carrying exothermic reactions. In the present paper, the authors develop an integrated framework focusing on defining the governing parameters for the thermal runaway and evaluating the subsequent risk of accident. A relevant set of criteria are identified in order to find the prior conditions for a thermal runaway: failure of the cooling system, critical temperature threshold, successive derivatives of the temperature (first and second namely) vs. time and no detection in due time (reaction time) of the runaway initiation. For illustrative purposes, the synthesis of peracetic acid (PAA) with hydrogen peroxide (HP) and acetic acid (AA) is considered as case study. The critical and threshold values for the runaway accident are identified for selected sets of input data. Under the conditional probability of prior cooling system failure, Monte Carlo simulations are performed in order to estimate the risk of thermal runaway accident in batch reactors. It becomes then possible to predict the ratio of reactors, within an industrial plant, potentially subject to thermal runaway accident.     

The Merseyside Accident Information Model (MAIM) can reveal components of accidents that lead to attendance at fracture clinics and cause disability: a new approach to accident prevention

The objectives of this study were to identify components of accidents that cause the most disability and to discover the principal sources of injuries treated in the fracture clinics. Patients attending fracture clinics of the Royal Liverpool University Hospital were interviewed using a portable computer-based questionnaire, the Merseyside Accident Information Model (MAIM). Patients were followed up by telephone interview or letter to enquire about disability continuing after discharge. Disability was measured by the pre-accident to post-discharge changes in scores for 11 normal functions. Of the 1326 patients interviewed, 900 (68%) were successfully followed up and 37% reported disability after discharge. First events ‘tripping’, ‘slipping’ and ‘other underfoot events’ accounted for 433 patients (194 reporting disability), and ‘collapsed/fainted — no other event' for 66 patients (27 reporting disability). Activities at the time of accident most frequently associated with disability involved moving about on foot. Among first event objects, ground surfaces and underfoot hazards were reported in 35%. Sources of injuries included underfoot accidents (48%), sport (13%), and transport accidents (12%.). Underfoot accidents contributed to 58% of patients reporting disability, sport 6% and transport accidents 11%. Underfoot accidents together with ‘collapsed/fainted — no other event’ accounted for 79% of female patients reporting disability and 50% of men. Such data could be used for cost-effective targeting of preventative measures, and to study the effectiveness of accident prevention initiatives.     

Comparison of techniques for accident scenario analysis in hazardous systems

In this paper, three accident scenario analysis techniques are presented and compared regarding their efficiency vs. the demanded resources. The complexity of modern industrial systems has prompted the development of accident analysis techniques that should thoroughly investigate accidents. The idea of criteria classification to fulfill this requirement has been proposed by other researchers and is examined here too. The comparison is done through the application of Event Tree analysis, Fault Tree analysis and Petri Nets technique—two relatively simple and a more demanding methodology—on the same hazardous chemical facility in view of analyzing an accident scenario of a hazardous transfer procedure. Accident scenario analysis techniques are essential not only in learning lessons from unfortunate events in the chemical industry but also in preventing the occurrence of such events in the future and in communicating risk more efficiently.     

化工生产事故预防信息系统研究

为指导操作人员正确地处理化工生产过程中的问题,防范人为误操作导致的事故发生,开发了以化工生产的危险与可操作性分析结果和典型事故原因分析结果为知识库的事故预防信息系统.系统实时在线监测化工生产过程中的关键变量,通过判定变量间的影响关系,实现对化工生产过程潜在危险的辨识、预警并给予实时操作指导,以确保生产安全,提高装置的生产效率.最后,以丙烯聚合工艺为例,在多功能过程试验控制平台上进行了验证,探讨了事故预防信息系统的应用方法.     

事故致因理论与安全理念

事故致因理论是安全科学的基本理论,是一个时期人们安全理念的集中反映。它涉及如何采取措施防止事故发生,以及谁应该对事故的发生承担责任等重大问题。从早期的事故频发倾向论到新近的系统理论事故模型,伴随着人们安全理念的不断变化,防止事故从着重对人的选择、教育和管理转向强调机械设备、生产条件的本质安全;防止事故的责任从劳动者转向设计者、管理者,从个人转向政府。     

因果分析与系统安全性风险评价方法

综合了故障树分析和事件树分析的方法,提出因果分析的框架,研究了基于因果分析建立事故脚本的方法。在此基础上,还对因果分析的概率风险评价方法进行研究,并利用该评价方法,对电机过热的安全性问题进行分析,给出了分析计算的结果     

化工装置爆炸事故模式及预防研究

对建国以来我国已经发生的典型化工装置爆炸事故原因进行了统计分析 ,总结了爆炸危险性的影响因素。结合对已经发生的事故案例的剖析 ,提取并建立了装置内爆炸事故模式 ,对各种模式的爆炸机理和发生条件进行了初步的研究分析 ,并提出事故的预防措施 ,以期指导安全生产     

Impact of Adaptive Front-lighting Systems (AFS) on road safety: Evidences and open points

Almost four years after the entry into force of Regulation ECE 123 on Adaptive Front-lighting Systems (AFS) for motor vehicles, and once the first cars bearing them start to circulate, a comparison between the original idea of AFS and their potential impact in safety and accident prevention is possible. In this work, we present the basic concepts of this new way to light roads and analyse some unforeseen consequences that might arise within the ECE regulatory framework once the presence of AFS becomes massive. This paper also pretends to be an useful guide for some countries like China, still considering the best way to definitively regulate these complex systems whose impact on road safety is expected to be huge.     

硫酸储罐爆炸事故分析及预防

介绍了山东省某化工有限公司苯胺厂的工人在废硫酸罐顶部焊接管线时发生的一起废硫酸罐爆炸事故。通过对事故发生经过及现场情况的调查分析,找出了导致事故发生的原因,由于废硫酸罐耐酸瓷瓦破损,废硫酸渗漏与罐体接触反应产生的氢气,与由苯-稀硫酸萃取分离器串入废硫酸罐的苯或硝基苯蒸气及罐内空气混合形成爆炸性混合物,遇到因违章操作产生的明火、高温发生爆炸。通过对这次事故的详细描述、分析,在吸取事故教训的基础上,提出了相应的预防措施,为预防类似事故的发生提供参考。     

Development of a new chemical process-industry accident database to assist in past accident analysis

Past accident analysis (PAA) is one of the most potent and oft-used exercises for gaining insights into the reasons why accidents occur in chemical process industry (CPI) and the damage they cause. PAA provides invaluable ‘wisdom of hindsight’ with which strategies to prevent accidents or cushion the impact of inevitable accidents can be developed.A number of databases maintain record of past accidents in CPI. The most comprehensive of the existing databases include Major Hazard Incident Data Service (MHIDAS), Major Accident Reporting System (MARS), and Failure and Accidents Technical Information Systems (FACTS). But each of these databases have some limitations. For example MHIDAS can be accessed only after paying a substantial fee. Moreover, as detailed in the paper, it is not infallible and has some inaccuracies. Other databases, besides having similar problems, are seldom confined to accidents in chemical process industries but also cover accidents from other domains such as nuclear power plants, construction industry, and natural disasters. This makes them difficult to use for PAA relating to CPI. Operational injuries not related to loss of containment, are also often included. Moreover, the detailing of events doesn’t follow a consistent pattern or classification; a good deal of relevant information is either missing or is misclassified.The present work is an attempt to develop a comprehensive open-source database to assist PAA. To this end, information on about 8000 accidents, available in different open-source clearing houses has been brought into a new database named by us PUPAD (Pondicherry University Process-industry Accident Database). Multiple and overlapping accident records have been carefully eliminated and a search engine has been developed for retrieval of the records on the basis of appropriate classification. PUPAD doesn’t aim to replace or substitute the well established databases such as MHIDAS and MARS but, rather, aims to compliment them.     

The INDICATE safety program: evaluation of a method to proactively improve airline safety performance

A number of recent and highly publicised fatal aircraft accidents, within the Australian regional airline industry, has highlighted the need for operators of regular public transport aircraft to be more proactive in identifying and addressing aviation safety hazards. Despite this need, there are currently few proactive safety management programs that are practical, simple, cost effective and which reliably demonstrate improvements in airline safety performance. This paper outlines a new proactive airline safety program called INDICATE (Identifying Needed Defences In the Civil Aviation Transport Environment) that has been applied within the Australian regional airline industry. To evaluate the INDICATE program, a major Australian regional airline agreed to implement the program in one of its operational bases while another base was used as a control group. Five evaluation criteria were applied to determine whether the program would have a positive influence on the airline's safety performance. These criteria included airline safety culture, staff risk perception of aviation safety hazards, willingness of staff to report safety hazards, action taken on identified safety hazards and staff comments about safety management within the airline. Results from the trial suggest that the program can have a positive influence on airline safety performance, specifically: improving staff confidence in how safety is managed, increasing staff willingness to report safety hazards and incidents, improving organisational safety culture and reducing staff perceptions of the severity and likelihood of safety hazards occurring within the airline. The success of the trial has resulted in a number of Australian and International airlines adopting the program.     

事故的共性原因及其行为科学预防策略

任何事故都是有原因的,事故的原因可分为人和物两个方面,事故的严重度与事故频率间存在三角形分布规律.运用这三条安全科学基本原理和案例分析方法,分析多起不同类型事故.结果表明,事故的共性直接原因是安全知识、安全意识和安全习惯所引起的组织成员个体的不安全行为和物的不安全状态.用行为科学方法和系统化安全管理理论,制订了一个由规范组织成员个体安全行为的安全管理方案、个人行为纠正方法和安全培训组成的通用事故预防路线图,并阐述了路线图实施时所需要的组织行为分析、个人行为纠正和安全培训方法研究的最新进展.     

机场鸟击事故灾害的生态防治

从生态学角度分析了机场鸟击事故灾害发生的根源和特点，概述了鸟击灾害的生态防治措施，包括主动性防治和被动性防治，以及计算机和信息技术的应用。指出鸟击灾害已经成为机场飞行安全的主要威胁之一；生态综合防治是机场鸟击事故灾害防治的根本手段。     

论BS OHSAS18001：2007在事故分析中的应用

通过对国内外事故分析方法和先进安全管理经验的调研,本文根据BSOHSAS18001：2007标准核心要素的要求,对1984年印度博帕尔危险化学品泄漏事故从活动的策划、实施、检查、改进四个环节进行重新剖析。旨在找出事故发生的各方面原因、推进事先预防的科学、系统的安全管理。     

Safety assessment for accident of cooling loop failure (ACLF) in lunar nuclear power reactor (LNPR)

The safety assessment of an accident in the lunar base power plant is investigated for the stability of the operation. The lunar surface reactor is modeled for this study. The accident of cooling loop failure (ACLF) is one of the important scenarios for the virtual case in the moon nuclear power plant (NPP). The newly designed lunar nuclear power reactor (LNPR) is suggested for the commercial purpose. The system dynamics (SD) is used for the simulation of the safety assessment. The cyclic variation of the lunar surface temperature can affect to the physical situation of the coolant, which is expressed by the time step. The result shows the performance possibility of the long term cooling increases slightly in the short period of the time step. The dynamical simulation of the lunar environment is performed for the conceptual design of the NPP.     

广东省重特大火灾事故统计分析及预防控制

通过收集整理1991 - 2010年广东省重特大火灾事故数据,从广东省重特大火灾事故概况人手,归纳重特大火灾事故发生发展趋势、伤亡情况以及与经济增长的关系,并主要从直接原因、空间分布和时间分布等为分类依据对广东省重特大火灾事故进行深入分析.研究表明:广东省重特大火灾事故主要发生在凌晨和午后时段及夏季和季节转换期,主要分布于生产场所和普通仓库;广东省重特大火灾是管理疏忽、意识淡薄、设备陈旧、可燃物管理不善、自救能力弱等多因素综合的结果.本文从安全管理、安全技术以及安全法律法规等方面,提出火灾预防和控制对策,如针对性的安全检查、提高监控能力、合理制定应急预案及定期演练计划、强化初期火灾处理能力等,综合各方之力,保障消防安全.     

A cost analysis of a smoke alarm installation and fire safety education program

INTRODUCTION: While smoke alarm installation programs can help prevent residential fire injuries, the costs of running these programs are not well understood. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective cost analysis of a smoke alarm installation program in 12 funded communities across four states. Costs included financial and economic resources needed for training, canvassing, installing, and following-up, within four cost categories: (a) personnel, (b) transportation, (c) facility, and (d) supplies. RESULTS: Local cost per completed home visit averaged 214.54 dollars, with an average local cost per alarm installed of 115.02 dollars. Combined state and local cost per alarm installed across all four states averaged 132.15 dollars. For every 1% increase in alarm installation, costs per alarm decrease by 1.32 dollars. CONCLUSIONS: As more smoke alarms are installed, the average installation cost per alarm decreases. By demonstrating effective economies of scale, this study suggests that smoke alarm programs can be implemented efficiently and receive positive economic returns on investment.     

Falls from height during the floor slab formwork of buildings: Current situation in Spain

Problem

One of the phases with the highest risk of falls from a height in the construction of a building is during the floor slab formwork stage. This paper analyzes this particular risk, as well as the most frequently used fall-protection systems.

Method

A survey was carried out to define the current situation in Spain with regard to falls from a height during floor slab formwork and the fall-protection systems used to prevent such a risk.

Results

The results of the survey clarified the current situation in Spain with regard to this risk, and made it clear that there is considerable risk of falling from a height during the floor slab formwork stage.

Discussion

All the safety systems analyzed presented a series of weak points that should be studied in detail before they can be used on building sites.

Impact on industry

The risk of falling associated with floor slab formwork and the most frequently used protection systems are analyzed. As no research had been carried out to date on this type of risk, we consider the research presented in this article to be a pioneer in the field.