While the cause of the tragedy was still under investigation at this writing, every company handling chemicals needs to consider what actions might have been taken to prevent the explosion and what procedures could have minimized the catastrophe. Prevention is critical to fostering a safe working environment. Often, by the time an incident has occurred, it is too late to react although knowing how to react is also critical.

To prevent incidents in the first place, companies must implement effective safety programs. Experts at Quantum Compliance in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, suggest the following steps:

Designate a team to establish a safety program that includes chemical storage and handling procedures, fire procedures and emergency response plans. The team should also create practice scenarios to test the program.

Perform routine chemical inventory counts by quantity, type and location.

Integrate inventory software with the purchasing system so the inventory reflects when a new purchase is made.

Ensure that chemicals can be tracked when moving around a facility.

Emphasize the importance of labeling.

Make someone accountable as a gatekeeper.

Of course, even when safety guidelines are in place, accidents do happen. Knowing how to react when an accident occurs is essential to minimizing the damage.

Companies storing hazardous chemicals and local emergency response authorities benefit greatly from a central communications system. This will enable first response teams to determine whether hazardous materials are on site and how to handle the situation safely.

Had these principles been applied at Ruhai, the catastrophe might have been prevented or minimized.

– Richard Beercheck
dick@lubesngreases.com