Despite its remarkable history, human innovation in industry has not been without its fair share of challenges. Sometimes, the loud booms of disaster precede the ringing bells of success.
Industrial disasters happen, and they are sad, catastrophic, and full of valuable lessons for the future. Even though they are tragic, these incidents serve as harsh reminders of how crucial it is to have strong safety and risk management measures in place.
In this post, we review a few of the most significant industrial mishaps in recent memory. Instead of focusing on their devastation, we want to understand their causes, assess their effects, and—most importantly—extract critical lessons that will direct our work toward making these sectors safer.
1) The Beirut Explosion (2020)
Number of deaths: 200+
2020 saw a terrible blast that occurred in Beirut. About 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate were stored in a warehouse at the city’s port when it caught fire on August 4. According to authorities, the large volumes of ammonium nitrate had been kept in the warehouse without the necessary security measures. Authorities in Lebanon think that welding activity caused a fire, which in turn caused an explosion.
The explosion was so large that it could be heard hundreds of miles away. In addition to the estimated $10–$15 billion in damages and the estimated 200 deaths and thousands of injuries, the tragic event resulted in the displacement of almost 300,000 persons.
Even if a substantial amount of time has passed, Beirut hasn’t fully recovered from the blast. This catastrophe destroyed vital infrastructure, like ports, in addition to devaluing the local currency and plunging millions of people into poverty.
About $15 billion was lost economically due to this disaster, of which $3 billion was spent on restoring the infrastructure. Since the country depended on imports and exports, the port couldn’t be of use which led to further loses.
The explosion in Beirut is a heartbreaking reminder of the disastrous outcomes that arise from a failure to implement safety procedures and be aware of potential hazards.
The poignant lesson learned in the aftermath is the importance of strictly adhering to safety regulations and procedures when handling hazardous materials.
It takes proactive risk assessment from experts such as Trauma Services, prompt use or disposal of hazardous materials, and ongoing supervision to stop these kinds of accidents from happening again.
2) The Texas City Refinery Explosion (2005)
Number of deaths: 15
A devastating industrial accident happened at the Texas City, Texas, refinery run by BP in March of 2005. The incident started when a distillation tower was accidentally overfilled during startup. This led to the release of liquid and vapor made of highly flammable hydrocarbons, which caught fire and turned the cloud into explosions.
This incident was one of the deadliest industrial mishaps in modern U.S. history, with over 180 persons injured and 15 fatalities.
There are several important lessons to be learned about proper industrial safety and risk management from the Texas City Refinery explosion.
The accident underscores the value of creating a work environment where safety is a top priority for employees and stresses the need for ongoing equipment improvements, maintenance, and training.
Inadequate safety awareness and training and a lack of proper safety management were significant factors in the incident.
To maintain safety, it is imperative to have a robust safety management program and conduct routine program audits.
3) The Buncefield Explosion (2005)
Number of deaths: 0
The Buncefield explosion was a significant industrial mishap in December 2005 at the oil storage depot in Hertfordshire, England, close to Hemel Hempstead. A large vapor cloud formed due to an overflow during the fuel transfer, which started the event. Massive fuel-air explosions occurred as the cloud came in touch with an ignition source.
It was one of Europe’s biggest explosions during a period of peace. Forty-three individuals were hurt, and the nearby homes and buildings sustained significant damage. Significant environmental damage also resulted in water and air pollutants that needed to be cleaned up.
Several important lessons can be learned from the Buncefield explosion to enhance workplace safety. Explanations for the Buncefield explosion showed that strong automatic safety mechanisms that could stop overfilling were necessary.
Lack of adequate safety measures, such as high-level safety switches and automated shutdown systems, would have been discovered by evaluating critical safety systems already in place through a process hazard analysis using HAZOP and LOPA techniques.
The incident’s investigations also highlighted the necessity of comprehensive emergency response plans that account for the worst-case situations.
Strong emergency response plans can be created before an incident to help prevent losses, which can be the difference between minor damage and significant loss.
The Buncefield explosion shows that pre-incident preparation, correct assessment, and assurance of sufficient protection can mean the difference between normal operations and major industrial accidents.
4) The Beijing Lithium Battery Explosion (2021)
Number of deaths: 2
The southern part of the Beijing Jimei Dahongmen power plant caught fire on April 16, 2021. An explosion in the northern area happened as firefighting personnel worked to contain the fire. Tragically, two firefighters lost their lives, another was injured, and one power station staff member vanished.
Even while initial inquiries into the explosion were unable to identify the exact cause of the accident, specialists were able to locate several significant contributing variables, most notably the complexity and inherent dangers of battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Managing BESS safely is a challenging task. When exposed to harsh circumstances or misuse, lithium-ion battery cells can release energy in the form of heat, which can cause adjacent cells to fail and result in “thermal runaway.”
This is a chain reaction mechanism in which damage to nearby cells triggers a fast heating event. This can frequently result in fires that, even under control and suppressed, have the potential to spread rapidly and release a massive amount of energy.
This tragedy is a clear reminder of how crucial it is to understand the risks associated with the job. Battery energy storage systems are complex and require a solid infrastructure to prevent thermal runaway.
Everyone needs to be informed of the safety measures of these systems, and appropriate processes for handling compromised energy cells must be in place.