Lessons from Harvey - I

Hurricane Harvey is on course to join the dubious list of disasters - headed by Bhopal, Flixbourough and Seveso - in the Chemical Industry. Not only did the category 4 hurricane cripple the refining and petrochemical hub of the world in Texas, but it also led to unprecedented spillage and release of toxic and carcinogenic chemicals into the atmosphere. According to a report in New York Times, more than 2000 additional tonnes of chemicals were released from 46 industrial facilities during the week Aug 23- Aug 30. In addition, 14 sites holding toxic wastes were inundated. It is not that Harvey arrived unannounced. It was known for a week and its lethal potential was assessed at least 48 hours before it struck Texas. Yet the chemical plants in arguably the most industrially advanced country of the globe were caught napping and their responses turned out woefully inadequate. How did this happen? A silver lining of every accident is that it mandates us to raise the bar for safe practices. But for Flixbourough we would not be having Hazop; Responsible Care emerged out of Bhopal’s graveyard. So, what do we learn from Harvey? I can quickly think of following three lessons.

Revisiting risk assessment

Revisiting plant inventory

Revisiting plant siting