International Islamic University

Islamabad

Health Safety and Environment

Assignment: 01

Department BS Mechanical

Submitted to

Sir Asad Janjua

By

Muhammad Usman
985-FET/BSME/F20
 Title: Types of industrial accidents through real-life examples that
have occurred in past in the world.

Abstract:
An industrial accident is an unplanned event that occurs in a workplace or industrial
setting, resulting in injuries, fatalities, property damage, or environmental harm. Industrial
accidents can occur in various industries, including manufacturing, construction, mining,
transportation, and energy production. These accidents can have severe consequences, not just
for workers but also for the wider community and environment. Industrial accidents can be
caused by a range of factors, including human error, equipment malfunction, and inadequate
safety measures.
Therefore, it is crucial for employers to implement effective safety protocols and
training programs to prevent industrial accidents from occurring. There are different Types of
industrial accidents through real-life examples that have occurred in past in the world.
We are using the flowchart to help the industrial accident in recent past.
1. Chemical Accident
Chemical accidents occur when hazardous substances are mishandled or improperly
stored, leading to explosions, fires, or toxic releases. One example of a chemical accident is the
Bhopal disaster, which occurred in India in 1984. A gas leak from a pesticide plant owned by
Union Carbide resulted in the deaths of thousands of people and long-term health effects for
many more.
There was a big factory that made a chemical called "pesticide" which helps to keep
bugs away from crops. But something went wrong, and a gas came out of the factory and
spread around the city. Many people got very sick and some even died. It was very scary and
sad for everyone. It's important to be careful and follow safety rules so that accidents like this
don't happen again.
Bhopal disaster is an Internal, Major, Fatal, Permanents and Partial industrial chemical
accident where more than 3,000 to 4,500 people were suffered and more than 300-700 people
were died. More than that those people whose are working in UCIL were disable with lots of
diseases. This accident is the biggest accident after Mumbai attacks and Automobile Engine
Industry.
Reference: Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL). (n.d.). The Bhopal gas tragedy: A chronology of
events. Retrieved from
https://www.bhopal.org/the-bhopal-gas-tragedy-a-chronology-of-events/
https://www.indianews.in/the-bhopal-gas-chemical-severity/

2. Structural accidents:
Structural accidents occur when buildings, bridges, or other structures fail, leading to
collapses or other disasters. One example of a structural accident is the collapse of the Rana
Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh in 2013. The building, which housed several clothing
factories, collapsed, killing over 1,100 workers.
The Collapsing of Rana Plaza Garment Factory is an internal, major, partial, temporary,
fatal with large number of collapsing of shops around factory at the large scale of property
damage as well as garment stock. Before Rana Plaza Collapsing, its is the highest exporting
clothes industry with a more demandable shops of Garment in Bangladesh. Reason for this
tragedy is the impact loading which is constant placed on it top of building made crack in
entire structure and surface. There are also cracks due to earthquake in 2011 recent which made
the part in deconstruction.
Reference: BBC News. (2015, April 24). Bangladesh Rana Plaza collapse: 41 charged with murder.
Retrieved from
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32498838
https://www.banglanews.com/badly- rana-plaza-collapsing

3. Machinery accidents:
Machinery accidents occur when workers are injured by equipment or machinery that
is not properly maintained or operated. One example of a machinery accident is the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The explosion and subsequent oil spill were
caused by a faulty blowout preventer, which was designed to prevent oil from escaping the
well.
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was one of the biggest environmental disasters in the
history of the United States. It occurred on April 20, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico, where an oil
rig known as the Deepwater Horizon exploded and caught fire, resulting in the death of 11
workers and injuring many others. The rig was owned by BP, one of the largest oil companies
in the world. The explosion caused an oil well to rupture, leading to a massive oil spill that
released millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
The Deep-water spill is an external, major, total, permanent, and fatal type of accident.
The spill caused severe damage to marine life and the environment, and it took nearly three
months to fully contain the spill. The disaster highlighted the risks associated with offshore
drilling and the importance of safety regulations in the oil industry. The Deepwater Horizon
oil spill resulted in significant economic and environmental damage, and its effects are still
being felt today.
Reference: U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. (2016). Deepwater Horizon
explosion and oil spill. Retrieved from
https://www.csb.gov/deepwater-horizon-explosion-and-oil-spill/
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (2010). Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill.
Retrieved from https://www.noaa.gov/deepwater-horizon-bp-oil-spill
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2010). BP Deepwater Horizon. Retrieved from
https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/bp-deepwater-horizon
National Wildlife Federation. (2010). Gulf oil disaster. Retrieved from https://www.nwf.org/What-
We-Do/Protect-Habitat/Gulf-Restoration/Oil-Disaster
CNN. (2018). Deepwater Horizon
4. Electrical accidents:
Electrical accidents occur when workers are injured or killed by electrical shocks or fires
caused by faulty electrical equipment. One example of an electrical accident is the Pike River
Mine explosion in New Zealand in 2010. The explosion, which killed 29 workers, was caused
by a spark from faulty electrical equipment.
The Pike River Mine accident occurred on November 19, 2010, in New Zealand's West
Coast region, resulting in the death of 29 miners. The incident took place in the Pike River
Mine, where an explosion occurred, trapping the miners underground. The New Zealand
Government established a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the causes of the
accident and make recommendations to prevent similar incidents from happening in the
future.
The Pike River Mine accident that occurs is an external, minor, total, temporary, and
fatal. The Commission's report found that the accident was caused by a series of systemic
failures, including inadequate regulation, poor safety practices, and ineffective management.
Reference: New Zealand Government. (2012). Pike River Royal Commission report. Retrieved
from https://pikeriver.royalcommission.govt.nz/Final-Report
Radio New Zealand. (2020). Pike River Mine disaster: What happened? Retrieved from
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/431121/pike-river-mine-disaster-what-happened
The Guardian. (2012). Pike River mine tragedy: New Zealand PM apologises for official failings.
Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/nov/05/pike-river-mine-tragedy-
new-zealand

5. Radiation accidents:
Radiation accidents occur when workers or the public are exposed to harmful levels of
radiation due to accidents at nuclear power plants or other sources. One example of a radiation
accident is the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine in 1986. A reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear
power plant exploded, releasing large amounts of radioactive material into the air, and causing
widespread health and environmental damage.
The Chernobyl disaster was a catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred on April 26,
1986, at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union). The
explosion and subsequent fire released a large amount of radioactive material into the
atmosphere, causing widespread contamination and numerous health problems for people in
the surrounding areas.
The incident was one of the worst nuclear disasters in history and had significant
environmental, health, and political impacts. The Chernobyl disaster continues to be the
subject of ongoing research, media coverage, and discussion about the risks and benefits of
nuclear energy.
Reference: World Health Organization. (2016). Chernobyl: The true scale of the accident.
Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/chernobyl-the-true-scale-of-the-
accident
United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). (2008). Sources,
effects, and risks of ionizing radiation. Retrieved from
https://www.unscear.org/docs/reports/2008/11-80076_Report_2008_Annex_D.pdf
National Geographic. (2019). Chernobyl disaster. Retrieved from
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2019/05/chernobyl-disaster-causes-impacts-
today/