Balloon fireball injures 140 in Armenia: More than 140 people have been injured after gas-filled balloons exploded at a concert in the Armenian capital ahead of parliamentary polls, officials say.
"The balloons exploded and caught fire after people holding the bunches released them from their hands into the air," a witness told AFP.
From the witness statement, it can be said that the friction between balloons in the bunch while going up could have caused this. As hydrogen can easily diffuse through rubber, it could have caught fire from the friction as the ignition energy for hydrogen is as low as 0.0017 mJ and this could have resulted in bursting of balloons and fireball. One may recall the famous Hindenburg disaster in 1937. Only the quantity of flammable substance differs but reason can be same, that of static charge generated due to friction.
Such incidents were also reported at several places. In an incident, the hydrogen balloons burst in the hands of children who suffered burn injuries.
LINK
May 13, 2012
Short circuits main cause of fire - is it so?
It is reported that 45% of the fire accidents in Hyderabad are due to short circuits and another 31% are due to lighted cigarette butts. As rightly pointed out by Addl Director of Disaster Response and Fire Services department, people tend to buy cheap quality electrical cables and equipment for buildings resulting in early damage leading to such fire incidents. It is common for investigators to conclude majority of fires to short circuit but the root cause lies in use of improper electrical wiring, switches, and other electrical fittings. Also, people fail to ensure checking the healthiness of cables and others in their building and one should remember that even the best will not come for life. It should be made mandatory to check the healthiness of electrical systems after first 15 years and thereafter once in every five years. It is better to change electrical fittings at regular periodicity, say once in 15 or 20 years. Insurance companies should not pay any compensation if the fire is due to short circuit and they should insist on certificate for healthiness of electrical systems before renewing the policies.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-23/hyderabad/31386060_1_fire-accidents-fire-incidents-fire-safety
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-23/hyderabad/31386060_1_fire-accidents-fire-incidents-fire-safety
Contractor and mason arrested for building collapse
In an incident of building collapse in which five workers were buried alive, police arrested the contractor as well as the mason of the building and charged them under section 304 of Indian Penal Code for causing death. Construction safety draws little attention unless otherwise reputed agencies are involved and these agencies takeup projects only when they are of high value.
Being daily wagers, labourers are unable to demand safety at work and work under dangerous conditions to fill their stomachs. Though, Building and Other Construction Workers Act 1996 and Rules are in existence for more than a decade, its implementation is still questionable. Safety officers working for construction agencies are also toothless and they work or forced to work to the wishes of their employer and little attention is paid to the safety of the workers. Safety in such works can be improved only when the government inspectors conduct more inspections and penalize violators instead of charging the violators after the occurrence of the incidents.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-24/hyderabad/31391977_1_building-collapse-town-planning-school-building
Being daily wagers, labourers are unable to demand safety at work and work under dangerous conditions to fill their stomachs. Though, Building and Other Construction Workers Act 1996 and Rules are in existence for more than a decade, its implementation is still questionable. Safety officers working for construction agencies are also toothless and they work or forced to work to the wishes of their employer and little attention is paid to the safety of the workers. Safety in such works can be improved only when the government inspectors conduct more inspections and penalize violators instead of charging the violators after the occurrence of the incidents.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-24/hyderabad/31391977_1_building-collapse-town-planning-school-building
May 11, 2012
Chemical agent plant construction paused to improve safety » Local News » The Richmond Register
Construction of a pilot plant was stopped by Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass to review safety systems, procedures, create safety awareness among the employees, etc after the occurrence of four accidents involving cuts and bruises and two near miss incidents. This action is commendable, as normally nobody stops the work even after the occurrence of major accidents and try to bargain with regulators to start the work at the earliest. Such actions will resulting in increased confidence among the employees and help in achieving a better work place.
Chemical agent plant construction paused to improve safety » Local News » The Richmond Register
LINK
Chemical agent plant construction paused to improve safety » Local News » The Richmond Register
LINK
Thai PM orders assessment of all factories every 3 months
To assess the risk of chemicals used in the factories, quarterly assessment by factory visits was order by Thai PM. Though, this may happen in the beginning, it is difficult to sustain in the long run unless otherwise, sufficient number of factory inspectors with authority are available. Governments should also consider safety promotion by penalizing/rewarding the factories. If a factory's safety performance is consistently good over a period of time, say five years without any accident, tax benefits or discounts in insurance premiums may be provided. Similarly, if safety performance is not good, they should be taxed more or insurance premium should be enhanced. This may lead to hiding the accident data. Therefore, all accidents should be registered by factories in a government website and be publicly available. If there is any non-reporting, it can be brought to the notice of the government and they should be rewarded sufficiently and their identity be protected governments can announce rewards to factory workers to bring to their notice, by giving cash rewards. Further, the identity of these persons should be protected.
PM orders assessment of all factories every 3 months
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PM orders assessment of all factories every 3 months
LINK
Apr 14, 2012
Unemployment leads to drop in injuries?
As per a study in UK, there were 1.5 million workplace accidents and injuries ranging from paper cut to serious chemical burns. Over last 10 years when unemployment rose by 65%, for 100,000 workers, fatalities dropped from 0.9 to 0.5, major accidents by 11% (to 99 in 2011), 3-day absence injuries by 48% (to 363). The reasons cited are, reduction in man power needs due to technological improvements thus reducing man-machine contact, realization by companies that safety investment pays in the long term by reduction in claims, non-reporting, etc.
Five workers die as wall collapses
During digging for a cellar under a building, five workers were buried alive due to caving in of adjacent excavated earth of 15 feet high and also collapse of side wall.
I am unable to provide the link for the picture which I saw in the news paper (Times of India) in local edition that appeared on 13.04.2012 which opens the eyes of careless site engineers who do not bother to keep the excavated soil away from the trenches. As per good safety practices, the excavated soil should be kept atleast 1.5 m or 50% of the depth of the trench whichever is higher. Further, the angle of repose of the soil also should be taken in to account depending upon the nature of the soil/earth excavated. Generally, 15 degree (with horizontal) is the safe angle.
And, shoring as required also needs to be ensured so that there will not be any collapse. In another incident reported few years ago, two persons working at a depth of about 3-5 feet were buried from the earth adjacent due to disturbance/vibrations caused.
And, shoring as required also needs to be ensured so that there will not be any collapse. In another incident reported few years ago, two persons working at a depth of about 3-5 feet were buried from the earth adjacent due to disturbance/vibrations caused.
When people are covered even partially under the soil, it is difficult for them to come out of it and suffer due to the impact and pressure of the soil on their body leading to death.
Apr 9, 2012
Participative approach by workers: A Case of Two Chemical Accidents
The following link is about two facilities involved in same job but is about how participation by workers can make wonders for their own safety and of others and its contribution to the organization. Participative approach is an age old philosophy but is hardly practiced. But, when followed, it ensures a safe work place for all.
The Union Difference: A Case of Two Chemical Accidents
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The Union Difference: A Case of Two Chemical Accidents
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Apr 3, 2012
chemical accidents – Center for Health, Environment & Justice
As per an article appeared in the web, there are 483 chemical plants in US that can endanger more than 100,000 lives each. And there are many more chemical plants that use dangerous chemicals that can impact the lives of many in the vicinity of the plant. A statement is made that many of these are located in areas where low income and other groups do live. However, I think this statement may not be true. Generally, when any plant is located, it will be ensured that there is no habitation around, unless otherwise these plants are very old, say 50-60 years before. People try to live near the factories in which they are working for ease of mobility and access and thus over a period of time, factories will be surrounded by thick population who are not working in these plants. Initially, even factory managements encourage such growth as they get cheap man power quickly. But, once accidents start happening, same population and their bosses (read political leaders), environmentalists, etc will demand for shifting of the production facilities to remote places. Even if these are shifted, there is no guarantee that they will remain isolated forever. The story repeats.
There is also a statement in the report that some plants substituted poisonous chemicals with less harm or harmless chemicals. Elimination/substitution/operating at near atmospheric conditions/etc are most desirable methods to eliminate hazards and those plants which reduce dangers by any of the methods should be encouraged by way of tax relief for sometime so that others too get motivated.
chemical accidents – Center for Health, Environment & Justice
LINK
There is also a statement in the report that some plants substituted poisonous chemicals with less harm or harmless chemicals. Elimination/substitution/operating at near atmospheric conditions/etc are most desirable methods to eliminate hazards and those plants which reduce dangers by any of the methods should be encouraged by way of tax relief for sometime so that others too get motivated.
chemical accidents – Center for Health, Environment & Justice
LINK
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