40 years ago the world’s worst industrial accident happened at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India.
Over 500,000 people in the small towns around the plant were exposed to the highly toxic gas methyl isocyanate.
The final death toll was estimated to be between 15,000 and 20,000. Some half a million survivors suffered respiratory problems, eye irritation or blindness.
It still amazes me that there are those who work in hazardous process industries that are not aware of this tragedy and it’s cause. Why?
When we stop discussing such tragic industrial accidents, we forget.
The silence can make those important lessons fade away, and without that conversation and understanding we lose the chance to reflect and improve our process safety.
Keep the conversation going. Look it up, learn, tell your apprentices about it, speak to your team members, just don’t forget…
