The toxic styrene gas leak at the LG Polymers factory at Visakhapatnam has been a double whammy for us with COVID raging in the background. As I write this, there are 11 confirmed dead and over 5000 ill due to inhalation of the gas. Reports indicate that the emergency is under control and I do sincerely hope that it is the case. What a tragedy!! Who knows how many more fatalities will occur out of the thousands who have been affected? Long-term exposure to styrene has severe known side-effects including the possibility of developing cancer but I fervently hope that none of the victims who are still alive has been subjected to such high levels of sustained exposure. Time will tell.
This brief post is intended to ring an alarm bell. Our country is already battling a serious crisis. Lives and livelihoods have never been endangered with such gravity for a long time. The country’s economy is under severe strain and opening up of the lockdown in a graduated manner is inevitable. It is a tremendous risk, no doubt, since everybody knows that exposure of people as they go about restoring normalcy to their lives will lead to a further spike in COVID cases which may overwhelm our healthcare capabilities and precipitate a further lockdown in the days ahead. It is this crucial phase where things are likely to go wrong.
While we will know in due course what caused the styrene leak at Vizag, I would like to strike a note of caution among the population in general and industries, businesses and enterprises in particular. We have been under lockdown. Machinery and equipment would have largely remained idle. Maintenance would have suffered. Regular safety checks may not have been conducted. Disuse often results in equipment and perishable parts wearing out and causing breakdowns that could turn into disasters. Now, we are trying to get back to work. Most enterprises would be operating with less than optimal workforce. There is a hurry to make up losses and rev up production and profit-making activities. In this hurry, I fear that safety aspects, essential maintenance and setting to work may be given the go-by. This will be disastrous. I hope this has not been the case at LG Polymers, Vizag. Another case in point is Civil Aviation. We are going to fly fleets which have been grounded for two months or more. Let commercial interests not force short cuts. There will be hell to pay. Several other businesses, enterprises and industries would also need to exercise abundant caution as we press the ‘reboot’ button.
I end with two silent prayers – the first that the souls of our COVID and Vizag gas tragedy victims may rest in peace and the second for good sense to prevail as we get back to business. Let us hurry up very slowly…
07 May 20
Heart wrenching article……. saw shocking footage yesterday morning from Vizag due to technical glitch. The lesson learnt is – Post lockdown needs to be planned well. We might make SOPs but that’s not enough. Actual battle will be how these SOPs are implemented. A good intention but if the execution has flaws…. we might have to pay a heavy price.
A conscious attempt to ensure safety of other humans despite of huge commercial compulsions will definitely go a long way to preserve life. We as citizens need to be aware of human suffering and if in any capacity we can contribute to alleviate it we would come out triumphant
Very tragic news and it could have been prevented. Completely agree with your views. It’s all about safety culture and mindset. Safety has to be built, taught and practiced as a value. Each of us has to create a mindset that everything in life including every incident and accident happens because of deliberate action preceded by an intent and therefore all accidents are preventable. We have to teach safety as a subject nationwide and do all that possible to reach interdependent safety culture as given in Bradley curve.
Very aptly put. It would immensely help to guard against the pitfalls of a longish layoff. It would be prudent for the workforce to revisit and refresh the Standard Operating Procedures before they pick up their tools. Comprehensive system and machinery checks too would be in order. Having done these, recommencing work with a prayer on the lip wouldn’t hurt.
Absolutely right. SOPs are something which the Armed Forces are well known for because they aim to arm the weakest link in every chain. I am sure Industries, at least the hazardous ones, are no different. The phrase Industrial Safety originated from the procedures first practised in the Industrial Revolution, but it will be unfortunate if it is found that the Vizag leak was a fallout of lack of process. Sad indeed – as u hv said, time to make haste slowly in the days ahead.
Yes this Gas leak in the LG Polymers establishment is gravely tragic, to say the least. It underlines the necessity to complete a thorough maintenance of all P&M before putting these into action, even if there is no imminent threat of a situation like what we witnessed in the LG Polymers plant.
Human lives are precious and the effort should be to protect and preserve these. Those that have not fallen prey to this gas leak, but have been affected physically, will find it extremely difficult to either survive or recover completely.
We can only hope that the situation is quickly brought under control and all are safe.
Excellent article as always…The visuals and news available since the incident are so painful and was totally avoidable….hope its not a result of running a plant with reduced manning..
Yes. Getting back is important as sitting idle can become a habit too as in many places we have some numbers struggling to break out of the inertia.