News reports about Russian nuclear submarine fire state that the fire was extinguished after 24 hr fire fighting. The flames rose 10 m above the submarine. No radiation leak is reported. The reactor was shutdown and onboard weapons were removed before repairs. Nine persons were hospitalized for CO poisoning. It is stated that the fire could have started due to sparks from welding falling on wooden scaffolding and also the rubber coating on the submarine which helps in reducing the noise and prevent detection by enemies.
This incident is a lesson about safety measures to be taken during welding by removing all possible combustibles in the area (atleast 15 m around), cover combustibles which can't be moved with fire resistant cloth, keep atleast minimum number of fire extinguishers ready near the place of work, training to the concerned persons about hazards and safety measures to be followed and proper supervision.
Dec 31, 2011
Gas leak smelled 80 miles away
A gas well leak through a quarter inch hole in the valve spread 80 miles down causing throat irritation and rotten egg smell. It is estimated that 135,000 cubic feet gas leaked before it was noticed and arrested. It is reported that the smell is due to high level sulfur compounds in the mercaptans collected in the gas at the well.
The reason for spread of gas so far is stated as "combination of a light south wind and an inversion of cold air trapped below low clouds with warmer atmosphere above the clouds prevented the gas dispersing upward and caused the gas to be closer to the ground, spreading the gas so far north".
Normally, when software models are used for particular weather conditions, we get dispersion distances which appear to be on higher side. "Experts" in the field too question such results stating that they are illogical. But, this incident is warning to users, emergency responders and regulators to be conservative on distance of impact and take protective measures in the area falling under this.
Grayling gas leak smelled 80 miles away
http://www.petoskeynews.com/gaylord/news/ght-n-gasleak-122811,0,693297.story
The reason for spread of gas so far is stated as "combination of a light south wind and an inversion of cold air trapped below low clouds with warmer atmosphere above the clouds prevented the gas dispersing upward and caused the gas to be closer to the ground, spreading the gas so far north".
Normally, when software models are used for particular weather conditions, we get dispersion distances which appear to be on higher side. "Experts" in the field too question such results stating that they are illogical. But, this incident is warning to users, emergency responders and regulators to be conservative on distance of impact and take protective measures in the area falling under this.
Grayling gas leak smelled 80 miles away
http://www.petoskeynews.com/gaylord/news/ght-n-gasleak-122811,0,693297.story
Dec 18, 2011
Fire in a chemical factory
It is reported that in a pharma company, a solvent splashed onto the electrical cables above, due to pressure inside a chemical reactor and this started a fire. Exploding chemical reactors during the fire spread the fire to adjacent factory. Two persons died and four persons were injured in the incident. See the photo here.
http://vebtoday.com/news/andhra-politics/fire-mishap-at-patancheru-pharma-firm.html
http://vebtoday.com/news/andhra-politics/fire-mishap-at-patancheru-pharma-firm.html
NDMA to prepare guidelines for emergencies in hospitals
It is reported that National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will prepare guidelines to handle emergencies in hospitals. This follows the fire incident at AMRI hospital on 09.12.2011 at Kolkata recently that claimed 93 lives. The guidelines include clarity on roles and responsibilities.
Gas cutting - Two workers burnt and four injured during the fire
It is reported that two workers died and four more were injured during gas cutting of an abandoned chemical plant machinery in a resultant fire. The chemical factory not in use for two years was purchased and renovation work was taken up. While cutting the big machinery with gas cutters, the sparks fell on the plastic boxes nearby that contained residual chemicals and quick spread of fire caused the deaths and injuries. The fire was brought under control after four hours of struggle.
To avoid such incidents, ensure:
To avoid such incidents, ensure:
- equipment free from chemicals/combustibles inside and outside
- absence of all combustibles/ inflammable atleast within 15 m radius of proposed hot work to avoid flying sparks falling on these materials
- sufficient pressure in oxygen and cutting gas cylinders
- good condition of hoses, torches
- flashback arrestors in both hose lines
- use of friction lighter
- clear means of access/egress
- availability of minimum numbers of extinguishers
- sufficient illumination and ventilation
- training
- supervision, etc
Welder dies in blast
In an incident on 16.12.2011 Friday at visakhapatnam, a welder died and another person was injured due to gas cylinder explosion in a tinkering painting workshop. Police suspect the blast is due broken knob of a gas cylinder. The deceased suffered a fatal blow to his skull in the blast.
In another report on the same incident, it is stated that explosion occurred when the person was trying to open a carbon machine and the cylinder exploded and hit his head.
From the above two reports, it appears that the person while working on some equipment/machine, an unintentional action led to hitting and breaking of the adjacent gas cylinder knob and flying of the knob (like a rocket?) hit his head causing the death.
Normally welding gas cylinders are kept in the trolley and chained. The broken knob should not have caused explosion unless other wise it is not secured and is acetylene cylinder. As acetylene is not stable and is sensitive to pressure/impact/shock, any fall of unsecured acetylene cylinder can lead to such explosion. May be the broken knob dislodging with great force due to cylinder gas pressure could have hit the skull and led to death.
In a similar incident earlier at another place, it is reported that a broken knob lead to gas release at high pressure and the resultant blast killed a person.
In another report on the same incident, it is stated that explosion occurred when the person was trying to open a carbon machine and the cylinder exploded and hit his head.
From the above two reports, it appears that the person while working on some equipment/machine, an unintentional action led to hitting and breaking of the adjacent gas cylinder knob and flying of the knob (like a rocket?) hit his head causing the death.
Normally welding gas cylinders are kept in the trolley and chained. The broken knob should not have caused explosion unless other wise it is not secured and is acetylene cylinder. As acetylene is not stable and is sensitive to pressure/impact/shock, any fall of unsecured acetylene cylinder can lead to such explosion. May be the broken knob dislodging with great force due to cylinder gas pressure could have hit the skull and led to death.
In a similar incident earlier at another place, it is reported that a broken knob lead to gas release at high pressure and the resultant blast killed a person.
Dec 14, 2011
AP Pollution Control Board orders closure of violators
In a recent special drive, the Pollution Control Board of conducted surprise checks on serveral hospitals, manufacturing and pharma units. It found that some of these units are producing beyond the licenced capacity or by using a different process or not having facilities to treat effluents / biohazard wastes. About 10 firms were asked to shut their operations for violation of terms and conditions of consent for operation and proposes to take action on similar violators. Though it is difficult for any regulator to keep an eye on the violators constantly because of wide spectrum of activities and area of operations, these types of actions will act on the right direction and this can be sustained by slapping applicable charges and takeing them to court.
Following the famous saying, " polluter pays" principle, the cost of treating the polluted land/water/air along with penalty should be recovered from the violators. Bank guarantees should be taken from all production facilities and should be encashed in case of violations and no action taken on these violations even after specified time.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/PCB-seeks-Rs-10L-bank-guarantee-from-3-hospitals-for-flouting-bio-waste-norms/articleshow/11040034.cms
What one can learn from the above is that POLLUTER ALWAYS PAYS - If not immediately, time may catch up with you.
PCB got extensive powers to suspend plant operations. Also, it can direct water and power suppliers to stop their supplies to the erring industry. It can cancel the land allotment and can take back whatever land is allotted. It can file charges and drag to courts for suitable punishments. The reason can be as simple as change of raw material or process through some other process, slight modification of the process, and so on.
It is better to adhere to the process and throughput at what we are permitted and keep PCB in good books.
Following the famous saying, " polluter pays" principle, the cost of treating the polluted land/water/air along with penalty should be recovered from the violators. Bank guarantees should be taken from all production facilities and should be encashed in case of violations and no action taken on these violations even after specified time.
Hospitals pose health hazard to city
Tonnes Of Trash Dumped Into Water Bodies In Violation Of Rules - Sudipta Sengupta TNN
Hyderabad: The recent crackdown on city hospitals by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) has exposed just how Hyderabad is facing hazards from the healthcare sector. As much as a few lakh litres of contaminated water from the toilets and laundry of these medical institutions, many of them known for their swank interiors and high-profile clientele, are routinely being drained into the Hussain Sagar lake and Musi river.
And adding to this stink is the appalling solid waste management system in these hospitals, the series of PCB inspections have found. In fact in the past one week alone, officials have unearthed tonnes of trash, including severed parts of a human body, infectious needles and bottles indiscriminately dumped on the premises of most hospitals in the city. So horrific have been the revelations that the PCB has now decided to continue with these intensive checks, expected to last for a few more weeks, to see if hospitals are abiding by the specified bio-medical waste disposal and pollution norms.
“Chances are that most are flouting the norms,” said a PCB official before disclosing a startling fact: none of the 6,372 hospitals in AP have consent for operation (CFO) certificate from the pollution control board. “Around 15 of them procured CFO in the past but they have lapsed now. Nobody has come forward for renewal since,” the official added. Interestingly, a close look at the rulebook shows that no organisation discharging chemical waste can operate without a CFO certificate from the PCB.
“These hospitals have been violating all waste management norms citing an array of reasons,” said sources from the health care industry. While they claim they do not have the space to set up sewerage treatment plants (for the liquid waste), they rue that the fee charged by the private companies appointed by PCB to collect the solid waste is very high, the sources added. This, even as the rate chart of these `collection’ houses is just about Rs 3.50 per bed a day.
“Our charges have always been very nominal. Yet, we do not see many hospitals keen on signing up with us,” said an official of G J Multiclave (India) Pvt Ltd, one of the two companies engaged in collection of solid waste, refusing to comment any further.
But while such shocking disclosures raise a question on the credibility of hospitals across AP, city environmentalists feel this also puts the PCB in a tight spot. Recollecting a similar drive initiated by the board about six years ago, they say how that initiative too fizzled out after making headlines for a few days. “It is close to impossible to sustain something like this. Now that the board is active, most hospitals are found implementing the norms. But it will all be forgotten in a few weeks time. Hospitals will again go back to their old ways,” said an environmentalist who has been following the drive closely.
And adding to this stink is the appalling solid waste management system in these hospitals, the series of PCB inspections have found. In fact in the past one week alone, officials have unearthed tonnes of trash, including severed parts of a human body, infectious needles and bottles indiscriminately dumped on the premises of most hospitals in the city. So horrific have been the revelations that the PCB has now decided to continue with these intensive checks, expected to last for a few more weeks, to see if hospitals are abiding by the specified bio-medical waste disposal and pollution norms.
“Chances are that most are flouting the norms,” said a PCB official before disclosing a startling fact: none of the 6,372 hospitals in AP have consent for operation (CFO) certificate from the pollution control board. “Around 15 of them procured CFO in the past but they have lapsed now. Nobody has come forward for renewal since,” the official added. Interestingly, a close look at the rulebook shows that no organisation discharging chemical waste can operate without a CFO certificate from the PCB.
“These hospitals have been violating all waste management norms citing an array of reasons,” said sources from the health care industry. While they claim they do not have the space to set up sewerage treatment plants (for the liquid waste), they rue that the fee charged by the private companies appointed by PCB to collect the solid waste is very high, the sources added. This, even as the rate chart of these `collection’ houses is just about Rs 3.50 per bed a day.
“Our charges have always been very nominal. Yet, we do not see many hospitals keen on signing up with us,” said an official of G J Multiclave (India) Pvt Ltd, one of the two companies engaged in collection of solid waste, refusing to comment any further.
But while such shocking disclosures raise a question on the credibility of hospitals across AP, city environmentalists feel this also puts the PCB in a tight spot. Recollecting a similar drive initiated by the board about six years ago, they say how that initiative too fizzled out after making headlines for a few days. “It is close to impossible to sustain something like this. Now that the board is active, most hospitals are found implementing the norms. But it will all be forgotten in a few weeks time. Hospitals will again go back to their old ways,” said an environmentalist who has been following the drive closely.
The Musi river flows with hazardous medical waste
PCB got extensive powers to suspend plant operations. Also, it can direct water and power suppliers to stop their supplies to the erring industry. It can cancel the land allotment and can take back whatever land is allotted. It can file charges and drag to courts for suitable punishments. The reason can be as simple as change of raw material or process through some other process, slight modification of the process, and so on.
It is better to adhere to the process and throughput at what we are permitted and keep PCB in good books.
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