Accident and Loss Statistics

Chemical Process SafetyChE 258

Overview Accidents Models Engineering Ethics Loss Statistics Perceptions Example

Definition Accident –

is an undesired event that resulted in unwanted deterioration of

health of a living organism value of an organization quality of the environment

Safety, Hazard, and Risk Safety or loss prevention is the

prevention of accidents by the use of appropriate technologies to identify the hazards of a chemical plant and to eliminate them before an accident occurs.

Safety, Hazard, and Risk A hazard is anything with potential

for producing an accident

Risk is the probability of a hazard resulting in an accident.

Types of Personnel Accidents Struck by Contact by Caught in Caught between Foot-level Fall Exposure

Struck against Contact with Caught out Overexertion Fall to below

Accident Causation Theory “Acts of God” “Pilot Error” – beginning of

industrial revolution “Mismanagement” – current legal

leanings

Heinrich Domino Theory

Predictable chronological sequence of causal factors lead to accidents

Fault of person Unsafe practices Unsafe conditions Accident, and Loss

Developed by H.W. Heinrich in 1920’s

Marcum’s 7 Domino Sequence of “Misactsidents”

Supposes that all accidents can be avoided and that the liability resides with management

Inadequate preparation Substandard performance Miscompensated risks Harmful contact incident Adverse reaction Sustained losses, and Incurred costs

System-Induced Error

An accident occurs if a triggering event occurs at a time when the innate error tendencies of humans as determined by performance influencing factor lead to an error in an unforgiving environment

Developed during the 1980’s

System-Induced Error Innate error tendencies of humans

Fallible memory Reliance on rules Information processing limitations

System-Induced Error Performance influencing factors

Physiological and Psychological state Low motivation Overloaded

Inadequate training

System-Induced Errors Unforgiving Environment

Absence of barriers (physical) to making errors

No support for recovery

System-Induced Error

An accident occurs if a triggering event occurs at a time when the innate error tendencies of humans as determined by performance influencing factor lead to an error in an unforgiving environment

Chemical Engineering Ethics

American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Fundamental PrinciplesEngineers shall uphold and advance the

integrity, honor and dignity of the engineering profession by

1 using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare;

2 being honest and impartial and serving with fidelity the public, their employers, and clients;

3 striving to increase the competence and prestige of the engineering profession

Chemical Engineering Ethics

American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Fundamental Canons1 Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health,

and welfare of the public in performance of their professional duties.

2 Engineers shall perform services only in areas of their competence.

3 Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.

4 Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest.

Chemical Engineering Ethics

American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Fundamental Canons5 Engineers shall build their professional reputations

on the merits of their services.6 Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold

and enhance the honor, integrity, and dignity of the engineering profession.

7 Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers and shall provide opportunities for the professional development of those engineers under their supervision.

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health

Administration

Established by Congress in 1970 in the “Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970” OHSAct

OSHA has defined terms related to work related losses

OSHA Definitions Occupational Injury is any injury

such as a cut, fracture, sprain, amputation, etc. which results from an exposure involving a single incident in the work environment.

From Table 1.2 in text

OSHA Definitions Occupational Illness of an employee is

any abnormal condition or disorder, other than one resulting from an occupational injury caused by exposure to environmental factors associated with employment. It includes acute and chronic illnesses or diseases which may be caused by inhalation, absorption, ingestion, or direct contact.

OSHA Definitions Lost Workdays are those days

which the employee would have worked but could not because of occupational injury or illness. Also need to account for diminished long term performance.

OSHA Definitions Recordable Cases are those

involving an occupational injury or occupational illness, including deaths. Not recordable are first aid cases which involve onetime treatment and subsequent observation of minor scratches, cuts, burns, splinters, etc., which do not ordinarily require medical care.

OSHA Definitions Nonfatal cases without lost workdays are

cases of occupational injury or illness which did not involve fatalities or lost workdays but did result in (1) transfer to another job or termination of employment, or (2) medical treatment other than first aid, or (3) diagnosis of occupational illness, or (4) loss of consciousness, or (5) restriction of work or motion.

OSHA Definitions There are tables of

“lost work days” that are assigned to losses of various members of the body

Fatality is equivalent to 24 worker years

OSHA Definitions These “lost work

days” are not only based on how long it will take to recover but also on the individuals diminished ability to carry out the job function

Injury and Loss Statistics There are several different

statistics that have been defined and collected by government and industrial agencies

OSHA Injury & Illness RateOSHA Injury&Illness Rate =(# of Injuries&Illness*200,000)/(Total hrs all

employees)

Based on 100 worker-years40 50

2000hrs wk hrWorkYear yrwk yr

OSHA Lost Workdays Incidence Rate

Same bases, but use lost workdays

Lost Workdays Incidence Rate = (# lost workdays * 200,000)/(Total hrs

worked)

Other Loss Statistics

FAR is the Fatal Accident Rate

FAR=(# of Fatalitiesx108)/(Total hrs all employees)

Based on 1000 workers’ career

Table 1.3 & 1.4 lists several FARs

540 50 5010

hr wk yr hrWCareer careerwk yr career

Other Loss Statistics Fatality Rate

# /

#

Fatalities yrFatalityRate

Total PeopleExposed

Causes of Accidental Death in US

Major causes of death in US

Accident Pyramid Typically there

are numerous property losses and minor injuries for every fatality

“An accident is usually visible the day before it happens”

Risk Risk is the product of the probability of

the occurrence of an accident and the severity of the accident

The Chemical Processing Industry has the possibility for severe accidents due to operating conditions and materials

Engineers try to reduce the probability of occurrence to reduce the risk

In the real world we have to accept some risks

Public Perceptions Public Opinion Poll “Would

you say chemicals do more good than harm, more harm than good, or about the same amount of each”

The Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA) recently (2000) changed its name to American Chemists Council (ACC) to avoid the word “chemical”

Risk to Human Life Survey You will rank

which causes the greatest number of deaths each year

Each question is the same, only decreasing rank

Causes of death Handguns Smoking Motor Vehicles Private Aviation Commercial

Aviation Alcoholic Beverages Nuclear Power Food Preservatives Pesticides Skiing

Risk to Human Life Survey Start Internet Explorer http://classes.che.umr.edu LIBRIX Front Page Give username and password If first time, username is AFS Email

name and password is Student number

“Risk to Human Life” survey

LIBRIX Go to “My Profile” Change password to your choice so

that you can remember Will use LIBRIX some more during

the semester.

In Class AssignmentThe FAR for travel by car is reported as 57 while

that for travel by air is 240

1) If the average speed of travel is 50 mph by car and 250 mph by air, determine the deaths per million miles travel by car or air.

2) If you are required to make a round trip from St. Louis to Los Angeles, which is the safer mode of transportation as indicated by the statistics?

Solution

6

8

57 1 100.0114

10 50

deaths hr deathsCar MillionMileshr miles MillionMiles

6

8

240 1 100.0096

10 250

deaths hr deathsAir MillionMileshr miles MillionMiles

2) For a fixed distance, air travel is the safest mode

1) Calculations