Reportable accidents

Contracts or associated documents normally specify that the toller will report accidents, incidents, releases and agency inspections to the client as soon as practicable or within a specified time frame. This is particularly important if these involve injuries, offsite consequences, or damage to property resulting from work performed for the client. The toller should also be requested to provide their client with copies of any reports sent to regulatoiy agencies for these occurrences. 

A chemical company was considering a larger reactor to expand production. Because of industry reported accidents with this process, a HAZOP was performed that identified the potential for a violent reaction with deadly consequences. A QRA was conducted to better understand the risk of expansion and to determine additional safety needs. 

Emphasis for prevention will be on changing individual behavior by symbolic or tangible rewards based on statistical evidence from the data collection system. "Hard" performance indicators such as lost time incidents will therefore be preferred to "softer" data such as near-miss reports. Accident prevention will also emphasize motivational campaigns designed to enhance the awareness of hazards and adherence to rules. If a severe accident occurs, it is likely that disciplinary sanctions will be applied. 

Most reported accidents with hydrogen cyanide involve operators inhaling or being splashed witli liquid hydrogen cyanide. Some of tliese accidents are due to equipment failure (blocked lines, frozen valves, etc.), and some arc due to operator error. 

If the incident constitutes a reportable accident as defined in legislation the plant engineer will also ensure that the incident is immediately reported to the Factory Inspectorate. The Inspectorate will decide whether they wish to carry out an enquiry and, particularly if there has been loss of life, the accident site may be compulsorily isolated. Unless this is so, investigation by the insurer or a loss adjuster acting on his behalf may proceed. 

To illustrate the first remark, no reported accident has ever involved an oxygen-containing compound of zirconium with a high oxidation state. 

This handbook, too, may contain errors while certainly holding reports, accident explanations and claims of hazard which the editor does not believe (usually indicated in phraseology or cross-reference). Nor is it automatically to be assumed that all listed and cross-indexed components of complex mixtures contributed to the accidents reported. Accept nothing uncritically ... 

In other words. Exhibit A is crucial to your case because it provides clear evidence that your client is innocent. If Exhibit A were a photograph of the neighborhood supermarket that was several miles away from the reported accident or a picture of the neighborhood park on a sunny day, your evidence would be irrelevant and not useful to your client or the case you were trying to prove. Similarly, every section, paragraph, point, quotation, and statistic must be relevant to your thesis. Not only should your evidence be relevant but it must support your thesis beyond a shadow of a doubt and be worded in such a way that the reader will have no second thoughts as to what you are proving. 

According to Refs 1,2 and 4, Aerozine-50 (UDMH/hydrazine—50/50 wt %) is used as the first stage fuel in the ICB Titan Missile system. This fuel provides a minimal make-ready and launch time as compared to a solid propint system. However, since 1975 there have been 125 reported accidents involving complete missile systems using this fuel. Indeed, ref 3 reports that, Two airmen have been killed and nearly 80 injured, some seriously, as the result of leaks in the missiles fuel and propulsion systems and other accidents. 

Sulfuric acid, thioanisole MARS Database, Short Report, Accident No. 033... 

The datasheets which now accompany pure or bulk chemicals, even from laboarory supply houses, are becoming rapidly more credible, thus trustworthy [1]. However two surveys of Material Safety Datasheets (MSDSs), apparently largely for compounded formulations, showed that only a tenth were judged both adequate and correct, while two thirds were both inadequate and in error [2]. Errare est humanum - this handbook, too, may contain errors while certainly holding reports, accident explanations and claims of hazard which the editor does not believe (usually indicated in phraseology or cross-reference). Nor is it automatically to be assumed that all listed and cross-indexed components of complex mixtures contributed to the accidents reported. Accept nothing uncritically ... 

Many people use cell phones to report accidents and emergencies, to let loved ones know they ll be late, and to stay in touch when they re out of town. I m not arguing that you shouldn t have a cell phone in your car. What I am saying is that you shouldn t be driving when you re talking on that phone. Until your state outlaws hand-held cell phones in cars, pull over to the side of the road when you are ready to make a call. It may add a few extra minutes to your commute, but it just might save your life. 

Proper reporting Accident reporting Accidents are correctly In addition to fair, In addition to good, there is... 

Bayer AG reportable accidents fell from 8.5 per million in 1990 to 2.4 per million in 1998, while the German chemical industry average fell from 21.9to 14.7 overthe same period ... 

Fatalities there is no mention of the absence or occurrence of any fatal ity. There is, however, the following statement almost all reportable accidents continue to be related to slips, sprains and abrasions , which seems to imply that there were none. 

Low liquid levels can be as troublesome as high liquid levels. When bottom level is lost, vapor can flow out of the column bottom. In one incident (210), such vapor flow ruptured the bottom product storage tank. Low bottom levels can also cause cavitation and overhehting of bottom pumps. In some services, a low bottom level can excessively cottCentrate some chemicals, inducing an undesirable reaction. If these chemicals are unstable (e.g., peroxides, acetylenic compounds), an explosion may result. Some reported accidents (97, 275) were initiated by low liquid levels at the bottom sump. 

Table 5.11 summarizes the major accidents reported to the US Department of Transportation by the operators for the 6-year period between 1994 and 1999. The data show that for transmission pipeline systems, inclusive of hazardous liquid and natural gas, approximately 25% of all reported accidents were because of corrosion (see Table 5.10). Of the hazardous liquid pipeline accidents caused by corrosion, 65% were because of external corrosion and 34% were because of internal corrosion.

In addition to the reported accidents, an average of 8000 leaks per year are repaired on natural gas transmission pipelines, and 1600 spills per year are repaired and cleaned up for liquid product lines. 

Co-workers will report accidents and near misses to management Co-workers report accidents and near misses to management... 

WE HAVE ACHIEVED THESE MAN HOURS WITHOUT A REPORTABLE ACCIDENT, AS OF... 

Ron C. McKinnon, CSP, is an internationally experienced and acknowledged safety professional, author, motivator, and presenter. He has been extensively involved in safety research concerning the canse, effect, and control of accidental loss, near-miss incident reporting, accident investigation, and safety promotion. 

However, let us place this in its proper context by looking at the industry s performance in two ways. Firstly, let us consider the incidence of reported accidents for chemicals versus all manufacturing industry (Figure 4.4). 

One contractor examined reportable accidents over the last five years and identified those on projects that come under the coastal/maritime category. Brief details of these accidents are given below ... 

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