Bhopal tragedy

OSHA develops and enforces standards to protect employees from workplace hazards. In the aftermath of the reactive incident that caused the Bhopal tragedy,3 4 5 OSHA was concerned about the possibility of a catastrophe at chemical plants in the United States. Its own investigations in the mid-1980s indicated a need to look beyond existing standards. 

In 1985, AIChE established the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) in response to the Bhopal tragedy. Manufacturers, government, and scientific research groups sponsor CCPS, which has published extensive industry guidance in the area of process safety technology and management. CCPS recently produced a safety alert on reactive hazards, and a more comprehensive product is under development. 

Stories such as the Bhopal tragedy rightly color the impression of the general public about chemistry it is frequently seen as the toxic science, just as economics is frequently referred to as the dismal science. 

Mehta PS, Mehta AS, Mehta SJ, et al Bhopal tragedy s health effects—review of methyl isocyanate toxicity. JAMA 264 1781-2787, 1990... 

C. Marwick, Bhopal tragedy s repercussions may reach American physicians. JAMA 253 2001-2013, 1985. 

In contrast, Professor Kletz documented that more people have been killed by the collapse of dams than by any other peacetime artifact. [28] He explains that in August 1979, a dam collapsed in India killing a large number of people. Various reports gave various counts of fatalities, between 1,400 and 25,000. This collapse could be responsible for more deaths than the dreaded Bhopal Tragedy. Kletz asked the question why people were more concerned about chemical engineering disasters than civil engineering disasters. It could be that water is a familiar chemical and pesticides or radioactive menaces are both poorly understood and not detectable by the man on the street. 

Some of the most tragic and well-remembered accidents also had a start with a mini-modification made with a hose connection. The Bhopal Tragedy, the Three-Mile Island Incident, and the Flixborough Disaster were initiated by the improper use of hoses. 

At die time of the accident many people wondered why a chemical plant diat produces such a dangerous compound was located so close to a residential area. The plant was originally built 1.5 miles from die nearest housing, but a snuill town grew up ne. 1 to it. Zoning laws in many countries would have prevented such development. The Bhopal tragedy reinforces the need for controls to prevent the siting of plants diat produce liazardous chemicals close to residendal areas and to prevent residential construction close to diese plants. 

Morehouse, W., Subramaniam, M.A. (1986). The Bhopal Tragedy What Really Happened and What it Means for American Workers and Communities at Risk. Council of International Public Affairs, New York. 

Vijayan, V.K., Kuppurao, K.V. (1993). Early clinical, pulmonary function and blood gas studies in victims of Bhopal tragedy. Biomedicine 13 36-42. 

The Hindu (March 22, 2004) Bhopal Tragedy Payment Sought from Compensation Fund Balance. 42Indian Express (October 20, 2002) MP [Madhya Pradesh] Wants Dow to Clean Up Mess. ... 

Statement of The Dow Chemical Company Regarding the Bhopal Tragedy, available at http // ww w.do w. com/environment / debate/d 15. html. 

R. Winslow, Union Carbide Moved to Bar Accident at U.S. Plant Before Bhopal Tragedy, ... 

Despite the attention paid to dioxin, these pollutants do not pose as acute a hazard as a large spill of a lethal gas (such as the Bhopal tragedy), or a burning disposal site. Rather, concern about dioxin focuses on long-term effects such as potential cancer formation or bloaccumulatlon In the food chain. Unlike many pollutants, PCDD are very Insoluble In water and are not as likely to leach Into groundwater as, for example, halogenated solvents. 

Metha, P., Metha, A., Metha, S., and Makhijani, A., Bhopal tragedys helath effects - A review of methyl isocyanate toxicity, J. Am. Med. Assoc., 264, 2781-2787, 1990. 

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