BUSINESS ETHICS

ASSIGNMENT
PRESENTED TO :-
MR. SAURAV BANERJEE
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
( IMS, UNIVERSITY OF
LUCKNOW )

PRESENTED BY :
GROUP – 10
RAMZA RASHID
ISHANA DUBEY
PRAGYA UPRETI
 Chemical
Amongst the worst
Methyl
industrial disasters of
Isocyanate
it’s time.
(40 tons)

People Place of occurrence

Affected- Bhopal,
>500,000 Madhya Pradesh, India
Died-40,000

Occurrence Company
3rd December Union Carbide
1984 Corporation
 01
About 550,000 people were exposed to the gas.
A government affidavit in 2006 stated the leak caused 558,125
INJURIES including 38,47 TEMPORARRY PARTIAL INJURIES and
approximately 3,900 SEVERELY AND PERMANENTLY DIASABLING INURIES.
UNION
CARBIDE
CORPORATION
PLANT (UCC)
 HIGHLIGHTS OF UNION CARBIDE
CORPORATION (UCC)
Started in 1969 in BHOPAL DOW refused Union
Carbide’s Liabilities in
Bhopal, INDIA.

Phosgene
Monomethlyamine. Methyl
Isocyanate(MIC) and the Taken over by DOW
pesticide carbaryl, also Chemicals Company in 2001.
known as Sevin.
ALL SAFETY SYSTEM FAILS DUE TO POOR MAINTENANCE
 MIC STORAGE
TANK

Picture shows
the MIC tank
as it is today…
 TANK SAFETY FEATURES
* A Nitrogen line was connected to the tank to
transfer the product by inert pressurization of
the headspace.

* The tank was fitted with a pressure relief valve

and rupture disc. The vent line from the valve
exhausted into a scrubbing tower filled with
caustic soda (NaOH).

* There was an external coiled jacket on the

vessel through which coolant (Freon /
chloroform) was re-circulated.

* Tanks were not to be filled above the 50 % mark

so that in the event of dangerous chemical
reactions occurring, solvents could be pumped in
to quench the reactions.
 ACCIDENT DESCRIPTION
01
Pipe Cleaning Procedure As
part of routine procedures, the
pipes leading from the MIC
distillation column to the
storage tanks were regularly
flushed with pressurized
water. MIC and any associated
products can be quite
corrosive and could form
corrosion deposits in the pipe.
03
02
Assuming all the previously
However the valves, described safety features
although closed, were were operative, this should
not sealing properly not have been a
because of corrosion and catastrophic occurrence.
the maintenance crew
forgot about the blank. It
appears that about 1000
kg of water plus metal
debris entered tank 610.
 Effects on Human Health
Traces of
many toxins
Irritation to the were found in
lungs, causing the Breast Milk
coughing and/or After Effect of mothers and
shortness of were in turn
Respiratory breathing. Higher transmitted to
Disorders exposure caused the recipient
build up of fluids babies.
(pulmonary
enema). Caused
Asthma.

Association
between exposure
to Methyl
isocyanate and
Caused
Reproductive miscarriages. It
mutation
Hazard may damage the
Cancer (genetic
growing fetus.
Hazard changes).
May also affect
It caused
fertility in men
cancer.
and women.
 ANIMAL SLAUGHTER

2000 buffalos, goats and other animals died in this tragedy.

 WHAT COULD HAD BEEN DONE TO
AVOID THE DISASTER
Supervisor could have been There should have been 4
placed on night shifts. stage backup system
Readings and feedback (union carbide plant of
could have been taken each USA) instead of 1 manual
hour. backup system.

Strict regulations and At regular intervals proper

methods should have maintenance and servicing
been used according of flare towers, pressure
to the manual. valves and gas scrubbers
should have been made.
THANK YOU!