Hazardous Materials Statistics

The Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) lists over 63,000 chemicals used outside me laboratory environment, and me number increases each year. The DOT regulates over 3800 hazardous materials in transportation, as listed m 49 CFR. Chemicals are also listed by me DOT m me Emergency Response Guide Book (ERG). While specific 

Over 70% of all hazardous materials on the rail are shipped In tank cars. 

Fuel ON (Flammable) 21. Methyl Tert Butyl Ether 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also lists hazardous materials that may pose a health hazard to emergency responders. They publish the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, which can be obtained free from the agency. During the statistical period from 1996 to 2000, over 6000 transportation accidents involving toxic chemicals were reported in the United States. Those accidents resulted in more than 50 deaths, hundreds of injuries, and thousands of persons evacuated from their homes or sheltered in place. Some of these chemicals are listed in detail in the appropriate chapters of this book. 

The hazard classes recognized by the DOT are Class 1, Explosives Class 2, Compressed Gases Class 3, Flammable Liquids Class 4, Flammable Solids Class 5, Oxidizers Class 6, Poisons Class 7, Radioactives Class 8, Corrosives and Class 9, Miscellaneous Hazardous Materials. Class 1 Explosives are subdivided into six subclasses 1.1 through 1.6. Class 2 Compressed Gases have three 

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The fine chemicals business is characterized by a small volume of products manufactured. Therefore, batch production predominates and small-scale reactors are used. The need to implement fine chemistry processes into existing multiproduct plants often forces the choice of batch reactors. However, safety considerations may lead to the choice of continuous processing in spite of the small scale of operation. The inventory of hazardous materials must be kept low and this is achieved only in smaller continuous reactors. Thermal mnaways are less probable in continuous equipment as proven by statistics of accidents in the chemical industries. For short reaction times, continuous or semicontinuous operation is preferred. 

Each year, statistics on causes and occupancies of fires and deaths resulting from fire are compiled and published. NFPA sponsors seminars on the Life Safety Codes, National Electrical Code, industrial fire protection, hazardous materials, transportation emergencies, and other related topics. NFPA also conducts research programs on delivery systems for public fire protection, arson, residential fire sprinkler systems, and other subjects. NFPA publications include National Fire Codes Annual, Fire Protection Handbook, Fire Journal and Fire Technology. 

As part of the support activities for the QRA, the transportation manager works with the current and proposed carriers reviewing accident statistics. Since the delivery of pesticides from the facility is a dedicated activity, it is important to develop representative accident rates, as opposed to using a general trucking accident rate. Both carriers keep excellent records for all their hazardous material transportation operations. The following is determined and provided as input to QRA after a review of these records ... 

Baram, M. (1988) Insurability of hazardous materials achvihes . Statistical Science, 3(3) 328. 

Workplace safety is measured by only one statistic, the OSHA recordable rate. Based on this statistical yardstick, continuous process industries continue to be among the safest industries in the country and are getting safer. Many plants have celebrated working millions of hours without a lost work day accident. While all eyes are on the OSHA recordable rate, releases of hazardous materials, fires, mechanical breakdowns and near misses are not included in the safety statistics, (p. 7)... 

Waterborne transportation of hazardous material has potential risk of endangering environment as well as loss of property and lives. Fire and explosion accidents are of particular importance since statistics show that these accident types generally lead to large damage to ships, thus incurring severe consequences especially to the environment. 

In this paper, a case study of using fire simulation for fire safety assessment of low level radioactive waste material transporting ship is presented. First, two different fire scenarios are developed from previous fire accidents statistics. Then fire simulation is carried out to evaluate the fire safety performance in each scenario. The main objective of the simulation is to evaluate the extent of damage to the cargo hold carrying hazardous materials due to temperature increase. 

According to DOT and ERA statistics, flammable liquids are involved in over 52% of all hazardous materials incidents. This should not be surprising since flammable liquids are used as motor fuels for highway vehicles, railroad locomotives, marine vessels, and aircraft. Additionally, many flammable liquids are used to heat homes and bnsinesses. Effective handling of flammable liquids at an incident scene requires that emergency responders have a basic understanding of the physical characteristics of flammable liquids. 

The statistical risks are very low. Indeed, by the standards used by quantitative risk analysts they would be described as negligible and not require any public policy response. However, hazardous materials releases cannot be ignored by the railroad industry. The work of risk analysts has shown that people are very unwilling to accept risks to which they are involuntary third parties. The public is also less accepting of risks that they do not understand and cannot appraise true probabilities and severities. By analogy, the public is very skeptical about the risks posed by nuclear power stations despite a historical safety record that is very good. 

This book is divided into five parts the problem, accidents, health risk, hazard risk, and hazard risk analysis. Part 1, an introduction to HS AM, presents legal considerations, emergency planning, and emergency response. This Part basically ser es as an oveiwiew to the more teclmical topics covered in the remainder of the book. Part 11 treats the broad subject of accidents, discussing fires, explosions and other accidents. The chapters in Parts 111 and Part IV provide introductory material to health and hazard risk assessment, respectively. Pai1 V examines hazaid risk analysis in significant detail. The thiee chapters in this final part include material on fundamentals of applicable statistics theory, and the applications and calculations of risk analysis for real systems. 

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