BOPAL GAS TRAGEDY Flashcards
Take note
Where and when it happened? (Bhopal Gas Tragedy)
Bhopal india
December 3, 1984 (12:04 a.m)
Take note
- _____________ was a diversified manufacturing company inc. in 1934.
- Situated in the central of ________
- _________ was built in 1969. It produces pesticide for use in india to help the country’s agricultural sector increase its productivity and contribute more significantly.
- Union Carbide India Limited
- Indian state of Madhya Pradesh
- Bhopal Plant
- December 3, 1984 (12:04 a.m)
- December 3, 1984 (12:20 a.m)
- December 4, 1984
- Gas Leak Occurs
- Malfunction pressure gauge
- Gas then spread to flare tower
It was shutdown in june 1984 to save money. It is used to cool liquid MIC.
Refrigeration system
40 tones in E610, 15 tone in E611, E619 was empty. Water leaked into E610 causing runaway heat-producing reaction.
Mic Storage Tanks
Not high enough to reach gas
Water curtain
Leaking gas could have been detoxified, but the scrubber was turned off
Vent gas scrubber
It is designed to burn off gas but the connecting pipe had been removed for maintenance.
Flare tower
Take note
In Bhopal Gas Tragedy
The world’s worst Industrial Disaster with over ______ casualties and _______ injuries.
25,000 casualties, 120,000 injuries
They try to neutralize the remaining MIC in the factory
Operators
Is used to produce carbamate pesticides. A colorless liquid that has sharp odor. Is extremely toxic to humans from acute exposure
METHYL ISOCYANATE (MIC)
take note
Effects of Inhilation/Exposure to MIC
Short term effect of MIC
- respiratory tract infection
- Ophthalmic problems
- Neuromuscular toxicity
take note
Effects of Inhilation/Exposure to MIC
Long term effect of MIC
- Reproductive Toxicity
- Geno toxicity and Carcinogenicity
- Child being born suffers from birth defects
- Chronic weaknesss
- Fatigue and frequent nosebleeds
Reasons why the accident Happen
- Human error and negligence
- Lack of calibration in equipment
- Budget cut in safety measures
What should have been done
- india should have stricter laws about the amount of hazardous chemical stored in a factory.
- Funds should have alloted safety measures.
- Provide expanded programs of toxicity testing that examine the effect of chemicals to humans and environment.
- Educate of health care providers about environmental health and toxicology
- Supervisors could have been placed on night shift
- There should have been 4 stage of back up system instead of one manual back up system
- Regular intervals and proper maintenance.
- Strict regulations and methods
- Proper pressure gauge should have been used