PRESENTED BY:

Saniya Dabre - 15
Mark Dbritto – 17
Neha Naik – 61
Manali Patil – 69
Aris Tuscano-83
Cletus Tuscano – 84
Nehal Machado – 94
Bhavika Mhatre - 96
Bhopal Gas Tragedy
Amongst the worst Industrial Disaster of its time

Occurrence : 3rd December 1984.

Place of Occurrence: Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Company : Union Carbide Corporation.
Chemical : Methyl Isocyanate (27 tons).
 Introduction
 The union carbide coporation
(UCC) was established in 1969 in
Bhopal.
 Union carbide India Ltd. Was the
Indian Subsidary of Union Carbide
Corporation.
 Warren Anderson was the UCC
CEO at the time of Disaster.
 It was occurred at the night of 2nd
December 1984.
 The Bhopal Gas also refer to us
as The Bhopal Gas Tradegy.
 It is the worlds largest industrial
Disaster.
 Over 5 lakh people were
exposed to METHYLE
ISOCYNATE GAS and
other chemical.
 The official immediate
death toll was 2,259.
 The government of
Madhya Pradesh confirmed
the total of 3,787 deaths
related to the gas release.
 100,000 persons or more
have got permanent
injuries.
Effects of gas on human health
 Respiratory Disorders –
Irritation to the lungs, causing
coughing and shortness of
breathing, Higher exposure caused
build up of fluids, Caused Asthma.

 Cancer Hazard – Caused

mutation (genetic Changes).

 Reproductive Hazard –
Association between exposure
Methyl Isocyanate and
miscarriages. Damage the growing
Fetus.
 Effects on Environment
 Due to the toxic gas after the disaster within a few
days tree in the vicinity became barren and 2000
bloated animal carcasses had to be disposed off.

The water , air and food became polluted in that

area.
Major problem of the Case
 Who is responsible for the disaster and
why?

 Government of India.

 UCC

 Management team of UCIL.

 Government of India
 GoI seems irresponsible when it granted
a license to setup manufacturing and
storing unit of deadly poisonous chemical
in residential area Bhopal where nearly
120,000 people resided.
 In December, 1982 Labor minister, T.S.
Viyogi said “there is no danger to Bhopal,
nor will there ever be” even though UCC
officials warned about the upcoming
disaster after a field investigation.
 GoI was protecting the company
neglecting all the complaints and warnings
saying a sum of Rs. 250 million had been
invested in that unit, which being a large
one can’t be shifted elsewhere.
 Union Carbide Coporation
 UCIL was UCC’s subsidiary company but it
pulled out its interest after a huge loss.
 It didn’t strongly enforce the rules and
policies so that UCIL management team
showed poor management and regulation of
the company.
 Although standards were set for security
and maintenance, it didn’t impose on UCIL.
 It did not have any kind of emergency
plans in place for unseen disaster at UCIL
contrary to what was said in UCC’s document
so the hospital staff had no idea of what had
happened or what to do with MIC related
disorders.
Management team of UCIL
 Managing director Jagannath Mukund only focused on cost cutting,
cutting off the jobs of more than 200 skilled and experienced workers.
By 1983 two third of skilled engineer working from the beginning had
already left the company.
Shut down of principal safety systems shows the unethical and
irresponsible behavior of M.D. Mukund.
•MIC in the tank was filled to 87% of its capacity while maximum
permissible limit was 50% .
•Refrigeration and cooling systems were shut down but prescribed
storage temperature was 00C .
• Vital gauges and indicators were defective in MIC tanks.
• Flare tower meant to burn off MIC emissions and scrubber cylinder
meant to decontaminate leaks were deactivated.
•Factory officials reveal about the disaster only after an hour of the
leakage although they knew it one hour before
Data related disaster
The disaster was already happening before 1984.
 In 1981 a worker was splashed with Phosgene in a panic he
removed his mask inhaling a large amount of Phosgene gas
which resulted in his death within 72 hrs.
 In jan1982 a Phosgene leak exposed 24 workers all of whom
were admitted to hospital.
After one month a MIC leak effected 18 workers.
 Storing MIC in large tank and filling beyond recommended
level.
 Tank 610 contain 42 ton of MIC which was much more than
what safety rule allowed.
 Reason for Citation
 Poor maintenance and inadequate emergency.
 Use of more dangerous pesticides manufacturing methods.
Plant location closed to densely populated area.
Lack of experienced operator.
 Communication problem(worker were forced to use English manual
even though only a few had a grasp of the language
70% of the plants employee was fined before the disaster for refusing to
deviate from their proper safety regulations under pressure from the
management.
The MIC tank alarm had not been working for 4 yrs and their was only 1
manual backup.
The reduced energy cost the refrigeration system was idle, the MIC was
kept at 20 degree Celsius not the 4.5 degree advised by the manual.
Compensation and legal aspects
Compensation of $470
million ($500 per dead).
Twenty years of
passiveness.
Case was reviewed and
put up in American Court.
DOW Refused Union
Carbide’s Liabilities in
Bhopal, India.
 Economic Effect……..
 As a result of the gas leak, seventy-five percent of Bhopal
citizens are unable to work for more than a few hours at a time.
Only 6.8% of the population can work for any longer than
that.
 Unemployment and its effect on Bhopal's economy
"supply vs. demand" the demand is very low, driving the
suppliers out of business, therefore lowering the supply too.
 Many people have become money lenders in the city, and
some charge up to 20% interest.
 About 5% of the population has gained employment by the
government's efforts.
 Suggested Strategies
Government of India
GoI should not have permitted to
build company at Bhopal. Instead they
should have suggested any other non-
residential area.
 It should have enforced strong
policies regarding company operations
and its security system.
 GoI should have used the power to
shut down the company after security
issues were raised because safety of its
people comes first.
Union Carbide Corporation
It should have regulated UCIL’s
operation even cost cutting strategy was
encouraged.
It should have enforced UCIL
management to maintain standard of
securities.
It shouldn’t have neglected UCIL.
Management team of UCIL
It shouldn’t have cut off the jobs
of skilled and experienced
engineers and other workers.
It should have maintained strong
security system.
It should have revealed
preventive measures and reactant
methodologies for MIC poisoning.
If officials should have warned
others right after they foresaw the
disaster, the death toll would have
decreased.
 Lesson Learnt
 Local governments clearly cannot allow industrial facilities to be
situated within urban areas, regardless of the evolution of land use over
time.
 Industry and government need to bring proper financial support to local
communities so they can provide medical and other necessary services to
reduce morbidity, mortality and material loss in the case of industrial
accidents.
Existing public health infrastructure needs to be taken into account
when hazardous industries choose sites for manufacturing plants.
Legislation and regulation needs to evolve in active consultation with all
stakeholders laying emphasis on emerging requirements, and increasing
standards with appropriate emphasis on actual functioning of safety
mechanisms and inculcation of an active safety culture.
 Multinationals, by virtue of their global purpose, organization, and
resources, should be treated as single, monolithic agents, rather than as a
network of discrete, non- interdependent units
 Reference
Research work of B.Karthikeyan “Process Safety
Management of India” (iitk.ac.in)
Research work of Vijita.S.Agarwal (Associate prof.
USMS IP UNIV.)
Wikipedia.
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/new/
Ndtv-Show- Special.aspx?ID=553
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Bhopal-
gas-tragedy
THANK YOU