341Managing and Controlling the Process
Types of process disasters:
• An industrial accident that causes facility damage, loss of produc-
tion, and/or risk to personnel.
• The lucky fact that no one was standing adjacent to the autoclave
when it exploded is no reason to skimp on corrective action.
Guilt prompts us to go overboard in reacting to human tragedy.
Relief at our good fortune should be an equally powerful signal
to take corrective measures.
• The fact that the re department was not called and that the
media did not report the incident is immaterial to your correc-
tive action. If the process puts people, the environment, or equip-
ment at risk, then it must be addressed. Serious accidents are
often preceded by predictive events that ...