Chapter 21. Major Incident Legislation

21.1. History of Major Incidents

Since the 1960s developments in the process industries have resulted in large quantities of noxious and flammable substances being stored and transmitted in locations that could, in the event of failure, affect the public. Society has become increasingly aware of these hazards as a result of major incidents that involved both process plant and public transport such as:
Aberfan (UK)1966144 deaths due to collapse of a coalmine waste tip
Flixborough (UK)197428 deaths due to an explosion resulting from the stress failure of a temporary reactor by-pass, leading to an escape of cyclohexane
Beek (Netherlands)197514 deaths due to propylene
Seveso (Italy)1976Unknown number of casualties ...

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