Page 42 - The Insurance Times September 2022

NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT

GUIDELINES

Background sustained efforts for effective risk reduction strategies and
capacity development under a national authority to decrease
The growth of chemical industries has led to an increase in
the occurrence of such incidents and lessen their impact.
the risk of occurrence of incidents associated with hazardous
Although tremendous efforts have been made to minimise
chemicals (HAZCHEM). A chemical industry that
such accidents and to improve emergency preparedness at
incorporates the best principles of safety, can largely
all levels, substantial efforts are still required to predict the
prevent such incidents. Common causes for chemical
occurrence of disasters, assess the damage potential, issue
accidents are deficiencies in safety management systems
warnings, and to take other precautionary measures to
and human errors, or they may occur as a consequence of
mitigate their effects. Another pressing need is to properly
natural calamities or sabotage activities. Chemical accidents
assess the potential of chemical emergencies and develop
result in fire, explosion and/or toxic release.
tools for emergency planning and response to minimise the
damage in case of any eventuality.
The nature of chemical agents and their concentration
during exposure ultimately decides the toxicity and
damaging effects on living organisms in the form of Risks Posed by HAZCHEM
symptoms and signs like irreversible pain, suffering, and Increased industrial activities and the risks associated with
death. Meteorological conditions such as wind speed, wind HAZCHEM and enhanced vulnerability lead to industrial and
direction, height of inversion layer, stability class, etc., also chemical accidents. Chemical accidents may originate in the
play an important role by affecting the dispersion pattern manufacturing or formulation facility, or during the process
of toxic gas clouds. operations at any stage of the product cycle, material
handling, transportation and storage of HAZCHEM.
The Bhopal Gas tragedy of 1984—the worst chemical disaster Vulnerability is sometimes compounded due to the location
in history, where over 2000 people died due to the accidental of Major Accident Hazard (MAH) industries closer to densely
release of the toxic gas Methyl Isocyanate, is still fresh in our populated areas. Chemical and industrial accidents generally
memories. Such accidents are significant in terms of injuries, occur due to technical failures that can be anticipated. The
pain, suffering, loss of lives, damage to property and risk associated with them can thus be predicted and reduced
environment. A small accident occurring at the local level may effectively by identification of risk areas, risk assessment and
be a prior warning signal for an impending disaster. Chemical designing pre-operative measures. The occurrence of
disasters, though low in frequency, have the potential to cause chemical accidents and probability thereof, manifesting in
significant immediate or long-term damage. a disaster, remain a cause of concern.

A critical analysis of the lessons learnt from major chemical The Genesis of National Disaster
accidents exhibited various deficiencies. Laxity towards
Management Guidelines—Chemical
safety measures, nonconformation to techno-legal regimes
and a low level of public consultation are a few such Disasters
shortcomings. The scenario called for concerted and
There has been a paradigm shift in the government’s focus
42 The Insurance Times, September 2022