Lessons from major accidents in the chemical industry

European Seveso II regulations require that a hazard study be carried out for each chemical process covered by these regulations, in which accidents involving the same or similar processes are mentioned and analyzed. This new requirement ensures that the lessons learned from accidents in the chemical industry in general will lead to improved safety in the chemical industry in the European Community.

The study of accidents will develop. Certain processes with poor safety records will be identified as risky.

Ignoring this information, or failing to gather and analyze it, will be considered an aggravating circumstance in the event of an accident following a well-known scenario.

The study of the circumstances of accidents caused by thermal runaway is of great interest. It enables us to identify the factors that contributed to the accident and the accident scenarios, thus enabling us to draw conclusions that can then be applied to similar processes or those involving the same chemistry.

In fine chemicals and pharmaceutical synthesis, certain reactions that are frequently carried out, or the use of particular reagents, can present a hazard. It is therefore useful to collect information on accidents and incidents, in order to learn from them and prevent problems from recurring.

A simple method for gathering this information involves the following steps:

• have a description of the process and the chemistry involved;

• describe the circumstances of the accident and its consequences;

• identify the causes, with particular attention to the chemistry involved;

• review the literature to determine whether the same accident has occurred elsewhere;

• compare the circumstances of the accident with those of other accidents or incidents involving the same causes or the same chemistry;

• identify considerations and factors that could act as a warning to avoid a repeat of a known accident.