For information - safety statistics by ILO from The Nation, Nigeria

The link to the information is here.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/6000-die-daily-in-work-related-accidents/

As per ILO, following are the work place related injuries, deaths, accidents and loss.

1. Every second 15 persons die, 6000 a day and 2 million a year due to accidents/diseases. This data is from reported data. There can be many more.
2. In addition, 268 million non-fatal accidents and 160 million new cases of work related illness also occur.
3. The direct and indirect loss due to accidents and diseases is 4% of global gross domestic product or USD 2.8 trillion.

Bus accident

During bus driving, a driver wants to spit by bending outside his side window. With his unsafe behavior, he loses control over the bus and rammed a lorry coming opposite. In this accident, 4 persons died and few passengers received injuries. Generally, vehicle drivers keep chewing betal leaf or pan masala, particularly during night driving.

Driver should have observed before spitting outside. Some drivers keep a bottle/tin with them to spit instead of doing the same outside.

Professional hazards - thief trapped in chimney

In a local newspaper, it is reported that a thief tried to enter a locked house through the chimney and got trapped. 

The residents came next day morning and found the person trapped inside.

The chimney was broken to rescue and handed over to police.

Liquor bottle in trouser pocket breaks - person dies

A person kept liquor bottle in his trouser pocket. He ran when it rained and fell. Liquor bottle broke and its pieces injured private parts. Person died while undergoing treatment.

Source: Times of India, 18.05.2015

Sometimes, it may not be possible to assess the hazards. Atleast one can learn from others experience.

Gas leak

Dupont is cited by US for gas leak that killed four persons, with fines totalling USD 99,000.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/us-cites-dupont-gas-leak-killed-workers-31056772

Short circuit initiated fire in Haryana transport office

A fire incident reported due to short circuit from old electrical wire cause damage of records, files, computers, etc. It is reported that recommendations of investigation committee on a fire incident in some other building last were not implemented.

Some of the recommendations are as follows:

1. ensuring obstruction free passage of 6 m width for fire tender movement
2. ensuring no parking zones around buildings for fire fighting
3. clearing / pruning trees/lobbies/extensions, etc for fire ladder movement
4. removing wooden partitions thus reducing fire load
5. regular checking 
6. keeping balconies/staircases/emergency escape routes free from obstructions (it is common to see many office building corridors filled with broken chairs, cupboards, coffee/tea vending machines, old record bundles, etc)

Apart from the above, we have to ensure availability and functioning of fire detectors and fire fighting system (hydrants, hoses, fire water storage, pumps, emergency power supply to these pumps, fire hoses, training). Regular drills should be conducted to know drawbacks in the system and make improvements.

Lessons learnt from process safety accidents - an article from insurancenewsnet.com

A good article is found on the above title, narrating lessons from five less known accidents. The lessons are,

1. containment of water from fire fighting operations to avoid contamination of water sources in the rundown 
2. to consider all auxiliary equipment also as important as main plant equipment for understanding hazards
3. not to ignore hazards and need for monitoring even during shutdown 
4. positive isolation, purging and checking for hazardous atmospheres (using flame is not a correct check for presence of flammable atmosphere)
5. follow written approval system to override interlocks
6. follow safety permit procedures
7. identify the correct equipment before taking up work
8. communicate with clear identification while handing over the equipment for maintenance
9. ensure physical check by another agency before permitting equipment operation/maintenance
10. hazards from dust, propagation of dust explosions
11. preparation of emergency response management, with detailed instructions for every type of emergency
12. good house keeping
13. establish process safety management procedures
14. inculcate good safety culture, starting from the top management

Fire & Explosion Prevention Strategy in Refineries

Please see the LINK on the above article with download link. The download PDF document lists hazards in LPG bullet area, fireball radius, thermal radiation, probability lethalities, etc

Two persons killed, three injured during LPG line cleaning

Two persons standing in front of gas piping during cleaning were hit by cleaning device at high pressure, hit the compound wall and died. There was no fire or explosion. Only mechanical impact caused the incident.
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/two-killed-in-accident-at-gails-lpg-pipeline-in-telangana/

The reason reported was nonisolation of pressurized gas supply to the pipeline, though it was assured (?). On any energized system, before working, one should do positive isolation and vent and flush the system, which seems to be not done in this case. Assurances alone will not help.

http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/2015-04-05/Negligence-behind-the-mishap-in-GAIL-gas-leak--142181

Red oil explosion (?) in a different form?? - cat litter causes radiation leak in nuclear waste dump

In an incident on 14.02.2014 in nuclear waste isolation pilot plant, cat litter containing organic matter used for stabilization of nuclear waste with nitrates, before storage, caused a chemical reaction generating heat and gases, bursting of lid off the drum and radiation leak.  The temperature was at 1600 degrees (Celsius or Fahrenheit?) causing melting of plastic and rubber (from drums or nearby?). 22 workers were exposed to the incident but without any harmful effects. The cost of cleanup is estimated at USD 240 million.

As per practice, the cat litter with silicates is used for stabilization of the volatiles in the nuclear waste to prevent reaction with others. However changing the cat litter from clay based to organic based (corn/wheat) is suspected to have caused the exothermic reaction, failure of containment of the drum and radiation exposure.

We learnt about red oil explosion which can result from reaction of nitrates and organic and temperatures of above 135 deg C (generally) though it is possible at temperatures as low as 45-50 deg C.

We have to know many things before we do something. Definitely, this incident in New Mexico nuclear waste isolation plant is a clear case study for all of us to learn.

Please see the following links on the above incident.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/27/8299325/kitty-litter-nuclear-waste-accident-wipp

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/05/23/315279895/organic-kitty-litter-chief-suspect-in-nuclear-waste-accident

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10842691/Cat-litter-may-have-caused-nuclear-leak-in-New-Mexico.html

http://motherboard.vice.com/en_au/read/a-scientist-bought-the-wrong-brand-of-kitty-litter-caused-a-nuclear-accident?trk_source=recommended

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11499595/Wrong-kitty-litter-led-to-radiation-leak-at-New-Mexico-nuclear-waste-dump.html

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/special_reports/from_lanl_to_leak/lanl-officials-downplayed-waste-s-dangers-even-after-leak/article_54d7f3d2-8c99-5793-8c17-c4bdb0b72ef1.html?mode=jqm

http://www.currentargus.com/carlsbad-news/ci_25750452/doe-examining-possibility-kitty-litter-contributed-radiation-leak

http://www.livescience.com/50286-kitty-litter-to-blame-for-nuclear-waste-leak.html

2 page report:
http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/03/f20/TAT_Fact_sheet%2032615%20FINAL.pdf

277 page report on the incident:
http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/03/f20/MARCH%202015%20-%20FINAL%20TECHNICAL%20ASSESSMENT%20TEAM%20REPORT.pdf