Throughout history, humankind went through the worst accidents possible. Even if natural events caused some, most of the time, those disasters were human-made. Unfortunately, by entering history, such events impacted people and the environment. One of the most known examples is the Chernobyl disaster, where the radioactive environment is supposed to decommission by 2028, marking 42 years since the incident.
Industrial disasters result from accidental leakage of water or air pollutants, which happened too many times. As a result, deforestation, global warming, invasive species and overharvesting have been accelerated, but disasters also cost lives and jeopardize long-term wellbeing. Let’s get into the worst workplace accidents in history and see if we can learn something from them.
Bhopal Gas leak
In 1984, in India, there was a methyl isocyanate leak from a pesticide factory that turned the whole city of Bhopal into a gas chamber. The 30 tonnes of gas killed more than 15.000 people and affected over 600.000 workers. Even though, before the actual accident, workers were killed due to inhaling gas or taken to the hospital, the factory continued to function. Multiple gas leaks occurred one year before the disaster, almost like a warning sign. The disaster was so bad that it’s counted as one of the darkest moments in Indian history.
The error came from one gas tank that was filled with too much liquid, which led to a fast expansion of the gas in the atmosphere since the runaway chemical reaction. Unfortunately, people were not given the proper medical assistance, and the only responsible ones for the accident were a few workers.
What can we learn from this? First, the chemicals that we use are more dangerous than we’d think, and the government sometimes might forget their potential impact on people. Then, every decision has a consequence, as it is stated that the gas leak wouldn’t have been so damaging if the safety systems hadn’t been turned off. All in all, it’s poor management.
Three Mile Island
This accident happened in the US in 1979, when the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant malfunction caused part of the core to melt, which resulted in a leak of radioactive gas. However, there was not enough to cause any health problems to residents. But due to miscommunication, there was a forced evacuation after the accident, as people (and the government) believed that a hydrogen explosion was next. People were affected by radiation almost like a normal chest X-ray, so there was no worry about getting cancer.
After the incident, the government implemented better safety and training practices, from emergency response planning to upgrades to the equipment requirements. But workers could’ve been exposed to the gas and suffered fatal injuries, which, unfortunately, wouldn’t mean too much for the employers.
Now things have changed, and, in most countries, you can sue your employer if they breached their duty of care. For example, you can file a compensation claim in the UK if you can prove that you suffered an accident due to your company’s failure to provide a safe work environment, proper training and equipment.
Fukushima
In 2011 one of the most brutal workplace accidents in history occurred in Japan. The nuclear facility was affected by a major earthquake and a tsunami, which damaged the power generators. Although workers have tried to shut down the reactors, their systems failed within days, which led to a series of explosions of substantial amounts of radioactive materials. Even though the previous events were fatal, the radioactive materials affected around 16 workers, and three people were taken to the hospital due to high-level exposure.
What can we learn from this incident? That having an enormous power plant must be actively protected from potential hazards, and there should be better management regarding how to operate such facilities. Plus, the government needs to be prepared to support health services to injured people.
The Triangle Fire
In 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory in New York burned, killing 146 workers. It has been a controversial event because these deaths could’ve been avoidable if the safety features hadn’t been neglected. Since then, better laws and regulations have been implemented to protect workers’ safety.
It all started with a fire from a rag bin that the manager couldn’t extinguish, and the workers began to panic more as the fire grew. The poor conditions of the building led to the fast spread of fire, as the space was cramped, and the employers refused to install sprinkler systems and ensure other safety measures.
If you’re wondering why, it’s because back in the days, it was quite common to burn down your business in order to collect a large fire-insurance policy that employers purchased. Besides the other accident, this was caused by greed, which some employers these days still suffer from. Worker safety is the most important, and hopefully, companies will be more aware of it.
The Halifax Explosion
The Halifax explosion occurred in 1917 in Canada. Nearly 2.000 people died, and the other 9.000 were injured. The disaster flattened more than 1 square mile of the city of Halifax when two vessels containing explosives collided. The incident resulted in a tsunami that was so strong that it pressed three blocks into the city.
It all started from a ship that caught fire after some combustible motor fuel tipped over the deck and ignited. Even though the personnel tried to control the damage, the ship exploded a few minutes later. The problem seemed to be that no one knew that one of the ships carried explosives, but there are many theories about the actual cause of the accident.
The accident played an important role in the founding of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, as plenty of people were blinded by the explosion when it occurred. The blast made the government realize it lacks experience with major civic disasters.
In the end, the sad truth is that, without major incidents occurring, human nature isn’t bound to think beyond what’s happening in the present. But now, with all the technology and resources, we’re able to make predictions and look for future improvements to make our lives safer at the workplace.