Toxic gas leak from neighbor factory affects 60 in a garment factory

Some workers of a garment factory sensing strong smell of a gas tried to runaway from workplace but fainted before reaching the gate. A taxi driver outside, seeing them call the help services. Security guards from neighboring factory said that there was a gas leak. About 60 persons were affected in this incident.

From the above, it is important to all persons working in a cluster of factories to know about hazards and emergency actions not only from their work place but from surrounding factories also.

Ammonia leak from food freezing system from the neighboring factory is suspected in this incident.

http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/60-garment-workers-faint-in-southern-vietnam-after-toxic-gas-leak-43833.html

http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/52-garment-workers-hospitalized-again-one-day-after-toxic-gas-leak-in-vietnam-43906.html

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.