Statistics on toxic gas inhalation deaths in India

Chemical accidents:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/bhopal/mp-ranks-highest-in-industrial-toxic-gas-deaths/story-MdcQKYG9mApn73wJ53K9TP.html

Shifting of chemical plants close to residential areas

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news.php?id=71221

After the chemical accidents, the authorities are shifting 10 plants identified as closer to residential areas.

Explosive effect of accidents in the chemical industry

An article about chemical accidents

http://www.icis.com/Articles/2010/03/29/9345517/the-explosive-effect-of-accidents-in-the-chemical-industry.html

Wrong chemical mixing - gas leak - 11 injured

In an incident, the truck driver connected connected a wrong hose pumping acid into a tanker already containing some caustic solution. This resulted in chemical reaction, raising the temperature to 120 deg C and the driver saw yellow gas leak. 11 persons were injured in the incident. It is not clear who cleared the tanker driver to connect a wrong hose.

Following procedures/precautions can avoid such chemcial accidents/incidents.

1. Ensure the fitness of the vehicles by checking for valid certificates before permitting the vehicle into premises.
2. Ensure the contents and volume in the tanker by checking the records from the driver.
3. Ensure the availability of TREM card for the chemical in the tanker.
4. Ensure supervision for the job.
5. Label the hoses with chemical names apart from proper colour coding of the hoses.
6. Ensure connecting of earthing lines (depending on the chemicals handled) to the tanker.
7. Ensure connecting of correct hose to the tanker.
8. Instruct the operator to pump required volume by proper setting.
9. After pumping, disconnect and wait for backflow of chemicals from hoses, if any and wash the area.
10. Disconnect the earthing connections from the tanker.
11. Enter the volume pumped  or the level in the tank after pumping, in the records of the truck driver.

http://www.kval.com/news/local/At-least-three-people-injured-during-hazardous-materials-incident-Portland-155757555.html

A video is also available in the above link about the incident.

Treatment to blindness caused by chemicals

An eye hospital in Hyderabad, L.V.Prasad Eye Institute, is restoring the blindness to persons caused during chemical accidents. A person lost his eye sight due to splashing of sodium hydroxide. By growing stem cells in the lab, a technique developed by Italian scientists and improvised by scientists in this institute, the doctors are able to restore the eye sight in quick time.
http://www.theworld.org/2012/05/stem-cells-india/

Workers may be complacent not to wear goggles while working with chemicals, assuming that the job is simple or short time job. Chemicals, particularly alkalies can cause retina damage when fall into eyes and not washed immediately and treated. Some workers wash with water for few minutes until they feel better instead of the recommended time period of atleast 15 minutes. Later these people develop complications and may risk their eye sight. One has to wash 15 minutes atleast because, studies say, even after this much period of washing, only about 95% of the chemical is washed and this should be followed with treatment/consultation from the doctor. Any neglect will prove costly.

Video link: Chemical Accident Response

Please see the following video link on chemical accident response.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AfGEtVzRz8

Robospiders to monitor chemical accidents

German scientists developed robospiders to monitor chemical activities at the accident site to help what is going on after an accident, check the toxicity levels, caution the engineers to save lives and minimize property damage. It is stated that the thin robospiders when become thick come to life and perform their job. I am unable to understand the mechanism of its working, but the concept is new to me. This appears to be better than remote cameras and sensors as these work from fixed areas whereas robospiders that crawl can detect the condition at the desired place. Details of communication between the robospider and the control room and effectiveness of communication and safety in hazardous environment are not available in the article.
http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/245698/20111109/robospider-created-monitor-chemical-accidents.htm