Union Carbide Bhopal Tragedy - Case Study Example

Union Carbide Bhopal Tragedy Course Name & Code Institution Name Faculty Name Insert Your Name Insert Your Number Insert Instructors Name 24 February 2009 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction………………………………………………….……………..3 2.0 What happened…………………………………………….……………….3 3.0 How it happened…………………………………………………………...3 4.0 Why it happened……………………………………………………………4 5.0 Consequences………………………………………………………………6 6.0 Lessons Learned………………………………………...…………………7 7.0 Such Incident Implications in Preston………………………….………….8 8.0 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………9 9.0 Bibliography………………………………………………………………10 1.0 Introduction Accidents usually occur at a time that it is not planned for. There have been many accidents causing havoc to environment, economic and society establishments. Thus, the aim of this paper is to analyze the Bhopal gas disaster that occurred in India in 1984. It brings into consideration what happened, how it happened, why it happened, consequences, lessons learned and implications of such an incident if it had occurred in Preston city. 2.0 What happened Bhopal gas disaster also referred to as the Bhopal disaster was an industrial tragedy that occurred in Bhopal City, India. The incident occurred on 3 December 1984 at a pesticide plant that was commonly known as the Union Carbide. In the incident, a toxic gas - methyl isocyanate (MIC) weighing 42 tonnes was realized into a city with a population estimated at 500,000 people. The incident was devastative since the immediate death toll was 2,259 people. Generally, it is estimated that 8,000 people died in the first two weeks and more than 8,000 an additional figure died from the gas related complications. This incident is believed that it is the most disastrous industrial incident of the recent past. 3.0 How it happened The Union Carbide India was a company that produced carbonyl pesticide, which an intermediate product is the methyl isocyanate. The methyl isocyanate is a toxic material but cheaper compared to other raw materials that could have been used. However, the incident was a combination of water and the toxic methyl isocyanate. On the night of the incident, it is believed that water entered tank 610 that contained 42 tonnes of the toxic methyl isocyanate. The reaction between water and the gas was exothermic (increases temperature) producing temperatures of more than 200°C. This resulted in the pressure rising to a level that the tank could not contain. Usually, there is an emergency venting that controls temperature. Thus, after the increase of the pressure, the emergency venting released pressure to try to maintain the pressure in the methyl isocyanate holding tank in which at the same time releasing a lot of the toxic gas. The reaction that occurred was sped up because of the presence of corroding iron steel pipelines within the vicinity. Therefore, it resulted in massive amounts of poisonous gases been released to the Bhopal city resulting in many people waking up with burning sensation in their lungs. There are many theories that are in place that tries to determine the origin of the water that entered holding tank 610. One of the theories was that workers cleaning the industrial establishment might have contributed to the presence of water in tank 610. The theory claims that workers conditions, poor maintenance and leaking valves may have contributed to the water leaking into tank 610. Another controversial theory that is brought forward by Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) claims that it was a result of a “disgruntled worker”. Thus, the unproven theory believes that it is a result of act of sabotage by unsatisfied employee. Therefore, from both perspectives the main cause of the incident is the presence of water in tank 610, which is a methyl isocyanate. 4.0 Why it happened Accidents usually occur and there are some reasons that are attributed to the reason that why it occurred in the first place. The example of the Bhopal tragedy may bring into considerations various weaknesses attributed to the way that the corporation operated. The corporation decide to utilize a hazardous chemical, the methyl isocyanate, rather than using other alternatives, which were less dangerous. Moreover, the storage approach that the corporation utilized brings into place many questions on quantity rather than quality. This means that the corporation preferred that the dangerous chemicals should be stored in large tanks such as the tank 610 that had a capacity of more than 42 tonnes. Thus, if small amounts of the gas could have been stored in smaller containers; its adversity could have been small. The pipes that the industrial facility used had corroded and presences of iron working as a catalyst may have resulted in the increase at which the dangerous gas was released into the air. The corporation ceased production in the early parts of 1980s resulting in poor maintenance and ignoring various safety systems after it began operating. Thus, poor maintenance and applications of the right regulations and statutory directives by the corporation played a major role. The design of the plant and economic pressures that required the reduction of expenses also contributed to the actual leak. Moreover, the plant was also located in a place that is densely populated, a city that had non-existent catastrophic strategies and other socio-economic capabilities were non-existed. Most of duties that took place in the plant were manual based and directly contributed to the analysis and safety measures that the management could have set. Moreover, the policies that were set into place by the organization especially on the staffing perspective are part of causes that contributed to the failure of the plant. The corporation did not have skilled operators, a factor attributed to the staffing policy, poor approach on safety management because of the reduction of the staff, poor scheduling of maintenance policies and lank of appropriate emergency response plans. 5.0 Consequences It is believed that it is among worst incidents in India and entire world. The poisonous gas that was released is believed to be a combination of many dangerous gases. Moreover, the gases and other materials that were released were denser than the surrounding air. Thus, it was able to stay near the ground and easily spread outwards through out the surrounding community. Some of the initial effects that the community were affected with due to exposure included vomiting, coughing, feeling suffocation and severe eye irritation. Generally, may people inhaled the poisonous gas and it is estimated that more than 170,000 people were treated in temporary dispensaries and hospitals. A varying number of people that died in the incident are evident; however, certified number by 1991 was 3,928 deaths. Additionally, the gas polluted the environment and surrounding vicinity. More than 2000 bloated animals were buried which mostly included buffalos and goats. The gas within the plant surrounding is poisonous in terms of both soil and the groundwater. Thus, marine animals and varies types of plants are exposed to the effects of the gases. The trees and other vegetations were not speared. In fact, many trees and other vegetations lost their greenish colour due to the corroding nature of the gas. Society and economic factors played an important role. The society had to live with adverse physiological and psychological complications because of long-term complications associated with the gas and the death of other people. Economically, many people lost their breadwinners while the corporation was to meet many large amounts of claims and compensation. In fact, many employees of the plant lost their jobs and at the same time been infected by fatal complexities due to the gas inhaled. 6.0 Lessons Learned The incident occurring in a region that is densely populated exposures many risks that plants and other manufacturing industries exposes to the inhabitants. This means that the plant since it produced pesticides and the raw materials were of the dangerous nature should have been located in an area that is less densely populated. The management contributed many ingredients in setting foundation of the incident. Poor management policies contributed a lot to the incident. The staffing policy and risk exposed by the plant made many skilled labours to look for alternative pastures. Thus, the plant remained with semi skilled labourers. The chances of the incident occurring could have been reduced if the appropriate measures and expertise was in the plant. This means that it is paramount for organization especially working in a risk environment be capable to tackle and fulfil requirements of their educational or training standards. Maintenance should be carried out appropriately with the appropriate measures and approaches. For example, in the Bhopal incident maintenance and repairs was viewed as an expensive adventure and the management tried to scale down expenses. The materials and equipments that were used such as the iron should not have been in place because it could easily be corrode by the acidic gas. Moreover, piping maintenance and the large storage of up to 42 tonnes of dangerous gases should be prohibited. However, risk assessment is usually an important strategy in pin pointing the areas that incidents and accidents may occur. A strategy that was not employed by the corporation thus developing poor approaches to disaster management and preparedness of any incident if it may occur. Regulations and other statutory requirements are important in ensuring that risks are reduced and people work in a good environment. Many of the regulations that were in place were not followed a factor that s attributed to the shortcomings of the government and authority. Thus, from this experience it is important to follow the laid down instructions and utilize raw materials that exposes minimal risks to the environment. 7.0 Such Incident Implications in Preston Preston city is a densely populated area and various features of environment. The occurrence of the incident may be disastrous to the city of Preston. Many people could have died while others could have permanent injuries that are associated with the disastrous gas. There are many steel structures that utilize iron, which could have been easily corroded resulting in structural failure. The sea that is within Preston and the entire environment could be deemed dangerous for plants and other inhabitants such as wild animals. Marine animals will be exposed to the dangerous gas, trees and other environment contents, and wild animals could have died due to the nature of the given gas. Generally, the environment could be the most affected while a large proportion of people could have died. Moreover, it could have contributed negatively to the development of the economy. For example, the Bhopal area took more than ten years to return to some extent ‘normal’. This shows that if the same case applies to Preston, few economic activities could take place. Additional the society could have to withstand physiological complications and disturbances because of the people who will be affected. A large number of people will be affected both physiological and psychological. 8.0 Conclusion Bhopal city tragedy is a good example of accident that is associated with industrial establishment. The incident occurred on 3 December 1984 in which more than 2,259 people died within hours. The plant that produced a pesticide released a raw material, methyl isocyanate, which is acidic and harmful both to people and to construction materials. Water within the system was able to enter to tank 610 that had the dangerous methyl isocyanate gas increasing the temperature resulting in an increase of pressure. The increase of the pressure resulted in the loosening of a valve resulting in the emission of the poisonous gas to a city with a population of 500,000 people. Corporation policies are attributed to the culmination of the incident. The workers worked in poor conditions and were poorly paid. Maintenance and repairs were inconclusive and were carried out by poorly skilled employees, since the corporation were not able to afford skilled employees. Regulations were ignored and appropriate process and personal safety measures were not in place. Moreover, there was no risk assessment plan, thus no appropriate measures to control such an incident if it occurred. It is important that the right regulations and safety measures be in place to ensure that risks are reduced. Maintenance and servicing is important in ensuring that the plant fully functions and risks are reduced. Local authorities and the government should put in place the appropriate measures to monitor the development and operation of the industrial establishments and other processes. In the case of Preston city, it could have been adversely affected due to its endowment. Its industrial establishments and large population could have been negatively affected including the marine, air and land creatures. 9.0 Bibliography Benoit, W., 1995, Accounts, Excuses, and Apologies: A Theory of Image Restoration Strategies, New York: Suny Press. Cassels, J., 1993, the Uncertain Promise of Law: Lessons from Bhopal, Toronto: University Of Toronto Press. Chouhan, T., 2004, Bhopal: the Inside Story – Carbide Workers Speak Out on the World's Worst Industrial Disaster, New York: The Apex Press. Eckerman, I., 2004, the Bhopal Saga — Causes and Consequences of the World's Largest Industrial Disaster, Gujarat: Universities Press. Fortun, K., 2001, Advocacy After Bhopal: Environmentalism, Disaster, New Global Orders, Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Kurzman, D., 1987, A Killing Wind: Inside Union Carbide Catastrophe, New York: McGraw-Hill. Kovel, J., 2002, the Enemy of Nature, London: Zed Books. Lapierre, D. & Moro, J., 2001, Five Minutes Past Midnight in Bhopal, New York: Warner Books. Mathews, C., 1988, Strategic Intervention in Organizations: Resolving Ethical Dilemmas, New York: Sage Publishers. Preston City Council, 2009, Welcome to Preston City, Available at: http://www.preston.gov.uk/ [Accessed 23 February 2009] Varadarajan, S., 1985, Report on Scientific Studies on the Factors Related to Bhopal Toxic Gas Leakage, Indian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.  Weir, D., 1987, The Bhopal Syndrome, San Francisco: Sierra Club Books Read More