Industrial Accidents Happen
What do you think is the common cause of most industrial accidents? Is it unsafe work conditions; maybe a worker doing something without complete authority; or safety procedures that weren’t complied with?
There is so much to an industrial accident and unfortunately they are far too common. They can have severe consequences on human lives and cause millions of dollars in property damage.
Recently there was an industrial accident where people were critically injured after an explosion rocked a chemical plant in North Andover, MA. According to the January 7, 2016 Boston Globe article, the explosion was caused when trimethylaluminum, a highly reactive chemical that is used to make LED lights and electronics, mixed with water, creating a violent reaction and explosion.
Exactly what happened in that facility is not common knowledge. But when there is an accident like this there are always questions left unanswered. Could the accident have been avoided? Where the right tools available to the employees?
Did the explosion happen because there was a spill and they used foam, which usually contains water, on the spill? Did they have the right chemical spill absorbent on hand to rendered the reactive chemical impervious to water? Or maybe it wasn’t a spill at all. Maybe a small amount of water accidentally came in contact with the reactive chemical causing the explosion. Who knows?
One would think that the systemization of safety procedures and accident prevention programs would make industrial jobs less complicated and safer.
In many respects just the opposite has happened. The ever increasing sophistication of industrial occupations has made things so much more complex. In some cases, it has increased the dangers to humans, making industrial safety and accident prevention programs more important than ever.
Industrial accidents can be minimal providing industrial safety procedures are being followed and the right tools are available so employees don’t have to improvise.
Protecting employees against accidents occurring in industrial environments is the number one objective of industrial safety.
Often times employees don’t realize how harmful it can be if even the simplest of safety measures aren’t followed. The mainstay of a safe working environment is a safety program that encourages employees to take all the safety measures in the program seriously.
In most cases safety procedures are being followed, the right tools are available so employees don’t have to improvise and an industrial accident happens anyway.
That brings us back to the question at the top. What do you think is the common cause of most industrial accidents?
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