“National Pollution Control Day : 2nd December” -- It is observed in the memory of those who have lost their lives in the Bhopal Gas tragedy on December 2-3, 1984 night. It is very important to control the Industrial disaster and to reduce the level of pollution. This observance is to create awareness on pollution and industrial disasters, find ways to spread awareness on preventing such tragedies from occurring again.

“Chemical Disaster Prevention Day : 4th December”  -- It is observed every year on 4th December as a homage to the victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, and to emphasize the need to produce, store, handle and transport chemicals safely.

 “Wishing won't not keep you safe, Safety will.”

 35 years have passed since the terrible disaster in Bhopal.

The accident was caused by a leak of methyl isocyanate (MIC) owned by US company Union Carbide.

There are multiple theories and possible causes of the accident, though the main theory that emerges from research conducted by Union Carbide and the Indian justice is that the accident was caused by not taking the proper precautions during cleaning and maintenance of the plant, which made the water pressure used, sodium chloride crystals, metallic debris and other impurities come into contact with the stored gas, initiating an exothermic reaction that caused the opening of the safety valves for the tanks due to overpressure and thus releasing toxic gas into the atmosphere; with the aggravating circumstance that the tank cooling system and the prior catalyst of gases released in the atmosphere, were disabled because of cost savings.

Upon contact with the atmosphere, the released compound began to decompose several highly toxic gases that formed a lethal cloud. Since they were gases that were denser than what is found in the atmosphere’s air, it swept across the city on the ground. Thousands of people and living things died almost immediately, being suffocated by the toxic cloud and many died in accidents while trying to escape from it due to the desperate and chaotic evacuation of the city. 

An estimated 10,000 people died in the first week after the toxic leak and at least 25,000 later died as a direct result of the disaster, which affected more than 600,000 people, 150,000 of whom suffered serious sequelas. In addition, thousands of livestock and pets also perished and the whole environment around the location of the accident was seriously polluted by toxic substances and heavy metals that will take many years to disappear. 

The lessons we learn from this unfortunate accident have had a significant impact on process safety and how we should be educated and trained to prevent future accidents: 

1)   Safety Culture: 

No safety measures that can prevent an accident if there is not a safety culture that governs the behaviour of management and employees. In Bhopal this basic pillar was not present or was weak. 

2)   Safety Management:

In 1984 safety management systems were not widely established, although there were recommendations and procedures such as PSM (Process Safety Management)  or the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. There were two major accidents in 1984 (Bhopal and the explosions of PEMEX in Mexico), which created the need for an organized and systematic approach. 

3)   Intrinsically Safe Design: 

The application of the principles of intrinsically safe design are those that offer the best results. In Bhopal the main cause of the disaster was unnecessary storage of large quantities of MIC, which ultimately was what caused the mass poisoning. 

4)   Knowledge Transfer based on Learning from Accidents:

The Bhopal accident still provides valuable lessons after 35 years. Concepts such as “Zero Accidents” or “Total Inherent Safety” arose as a result of accidents in 1984 as well as what was coined by Professor Trevor Kletz, one of the fathers of modern chemical safety: “Why should we publish accident reports?”. 

Since then, there has been significant progress in the development of safety and health at work, which is giving rise to the corporate social responsibility initiatives that are operating in recent times, such as Responsible Care, a voluntary global initiative for the chemical industry under which companies work to continuously improve their performance in safety, health and the environment. Paradoxically, however, one of the companies that created the Responsible Care initiative in 1987 was Dow Chemical, the company that acquired at the time the assets of Union Carbide, and has yet to take any responsibility for the accident, despite it was found that the three factors that triggered the tragedy of December 3, 1984: Lack of technical expertise, Corrosion of Materials and Equipment, and Deactivation of Safety Measures, could have been controlled by the company.

Disasters like Bhopal or the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, were incidents that tragically started to concoct the current concept of the safety culture. Surely, those accidents helped us to create a new safety culture that has saved the lives of many other people from disaster. Or at least that’s one of the only positive lessons we have managed to find…

5)   Action Plan

Should follow a plan to focus on the proactive Key Performance Indicators (KPI) like unsafe conditions /unsafe behaviors and near miss incidents to ensure and create a total safety management system which can eliminate the necessity to think about the reactive KPIs such as property damages, non-reportable and reportable accidents.

6)   Remember Bhopal: As professionals, we make decisions daily and define our Process Safety identity:

·         When you choose not to investigate a chronic failure, remember Bhopal.

·         When the right choice is not the most economical choice, remember Bhopal.

·         When choosing to accept actual operation because you cannot get expected or design operation, remember Bhopal.

·         When designing a solution that manages a hazard instead of eliminating it, remember Bhopal.

·         When tempted to execute a procedure the way you think it should be written instead of how it is actually written, remember Bhopal.

·         When thinking about substituting engineered equipment with people, remember Bhopal.

·         When redesigning a system to make it “Safer,” remember Bhopal.

·         When operators have concerns with a decision you are about to make, remember Bhopal.

·         When making changes for the sake of improving personal safety , remember Bhopal.

·         When you perform a safety audit, remember Bhopal.

Bhopal Incident Investigation /Case Description ppt is also enclosed to look more deeper to understand the root causes and learnings from the Incident. An article from Management & Asset Management:Vol.27 No.3, on “The Bhopal Disaster- Learning from Failures and Evaluating Risk”, an investigation done based on Fault Tree Analysis & Reliability Block Diagram; is enclosed for learnings.  

Let's own our own areas and say : "I am responsible for the safety of all working with me"

“Safety Is A Race We ALL Can Win.”

With the goal of “0” ACCIDENT.

Regards,

Dr.R.K.Sharma

• To encourage all the travelers to follow the traffic rules and wear helmets while diving two wheelers and seat belts while driving four wheelers.
• To aware the people about the speed limit of the vehicles to prevent road accidents.
• To maintain the speed and required distance from other vehicles
• To aware people that do not drink alcoholic beverages while driving.
• To aware people that do not drive when tired.
• To aware people that do not use mobile phones while driving.
• To keep vehicle in maintained / healthy condition always for safe driving.
• To aware about road signs.
• To implement the new preventative measures which are proved to lessen the risk of road accidents, death or injury.

FIRE WORKS- A DEADLY AFFAIR

IT IS ADVISABLE TO EXERCISE SELF-RESTRAINT, BY FOLLOWING FEW SAFETY MEASURES WHILE LIGHTING FIREWORKS.

 DOs

M Buy fireworks of authorized/reputed manufacturers only.

MOrganize a community display of fireworks rather than individuals handlin

crackers.

M Always use a long candle/'phooljhari' for igniting fire crackers and keep elbow

     joint  straight to increase the distance between the body and the crackers

M  Always supervise children while they light fireworks..

M  Light fireworks outside the house.

M  Hold sparklers away from the body.

M  Store fireworks in metal containers away from a heat source. When there    are      young children. Keep fireworks  out of their reach. 

M  Always wear close fitting cotton clothes while lighting fireworks. Have concern for the aged, the sick and the infants. Never light loud fireworks near them.

M  Keep a bucket of water handy. This will not only help to put out small fires but also help to cool burns in case of emergency.

M Always be prepared for an emergency. If clothes catch fire. Do not run pour water if available or stop where you are. Drop to the ground and roll to put out the flames. In case of burns pour water till the pain subsides. Do not apply oil or greasy substance or ointment. Water helps to cool the burn and reduces damage to the skin. In case of Burns consult the Doctor

Don’ts

M Don’t wear loose flowing clothes or clothes with long sleeves while lighting fireworks.

M Don’t ignite fireworks while holding them.

M Don't bend over a firework while lighting it. Light it from the side and quickly move away. Never return to it after lighting. It may explode on your face.

M Don't light Anars (flowerpots) holding in your hand.

M Don't light fireworks under confinement in a metal container.

M Don't tamper with misfired fireworks.

M Don't allow small children to handle fireworks.

M Don't keep extra fireworks in your pocket.

M Don't apply any cream or ointment or oil on burnt area

M Don't light fly about fireworks like rockets etc. In IGL complex.

Pledges for Green Life Style & Sustainable Development

“ You can make a difference:– individual actions, when multiplied, can make an exponential difference to the planet! ”

(Also look into the enclosed file on “ Pledges for Environmental Improvements”)

“Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care.”

World environment day annual celebration campaign was started to address the huge environmental issues like wastage and losses of food, deforestation, increasing global warming and so many. Every year's celebration is planned according to the particular theme and slogan of the year to bring effectiveness in the campaign all through the world. We want you to be a part of the growing voice that calls upon saving our environment for the future generations. Take this as an opportunity to green up your lifestyle.

It is celebrated to successfully get carbon neutrality, focusing on the forest management, reducing greenhouse effects, promoting bio-fuels production by planting on degraded lands, use of hydro-power to enhance electricity production, encourage common public to use solar water heaters, energy production through solar sources, developing new drainage systems, promoting coral reefs and mangroves restoration in order to get prevented from flooding and erosion including other ways of environmental preservation.

How do we adapt to conserve Our Planet & Consume resources with Care:

Conserve Energy for Sustainable Development is thinking in terms of creating less impact on our environment. There are many simple and manageable things that we can do every day which add up to the huge change. Governments and businesses around the world can continue to work together to clean up carbon pollution and reduction in GHG emissions and work towards a clean-energy economy. Opportunities exist to promote more energy efficient homes and businesses and to improve industrial practice.

·         We can shift our consumption patterns towards goods and services with lower energy and material intensity without compromising quality of life.

·         Households consume 29% of global energy and consequently contribute to 21% of resultant CO2 emissions.The cost of renewable energy is increasingly competitive with that derived from fossil fuels. One-fifth of the world’s final energy consumption in 2013 was from renewables.

·         Globally, energy consumption grew most quickly in the transport and service sectors, driven by rising passenger travel and freight transport, and a rapid expansion in the service economy.

Energy is fundamental to the quality of our lives. Today, we are totally dependent on an abundant and uninterrupted supply of energy. It is our duty to save it for the coming generations.

1. Unplug your electronics (DVD players, TVs, Cell phone chargers, etc.) when you are not using them.
2. Changing to LED lights not only saves electricity but it also reduces the amount of waste because they do not need to be replaced as often.
3. Buying local products, saves petroleum and supports local business growth- Less carbon foot prints
4. Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
5. Clean the condenser coils at the back of your refrigerator, once in a year for better productivity.
6. Buy energy efficient appliances (look for the energy star label).
7. Cover pots on the stove to avoid losing excess heat and wasting energy.
8. Switch off your Television or Computer, rather than leave it on stand by.
9. Check the air pressure in your car tyres since under-inflated tyres reduce fuel efficiency.
10. Don’t charge your cell phones overnight.
11. Use rechargeable batteries.
12. Buy solar: Everything from calculators to radios are available in solar these days, as well as solar panels to heat your hot water heater!
13. Opt for an energy star qualified laptop instead of a power guzzling desktop.

Even though households are relatively low consumers of water, population growth and expanded water use have outweighed the effect of water saving technology and behavior. Less than 3 % of the world’s water is fresh (drinkable), of which 2.5 % is frozen in the Antarctica, Arctic and glaciers. Humanity must therefore rely on 0.5% for all of man’s ecosystem’s and fresh water needs. More than 1 billion people still do not have access to fresh water. Excessive use of water contributes to the global water stress thus use it wisely.

1)      From our toilets to our tubs, approximately 60 percent of a home's water consumption takes place in the bathroom,

§  Turn off water while brushing/shaving/washing dishes.

§  Instead of taking baths, take shorter showers with low-flow showerheads.   

§  Upgrade your toilet to a low flush model.

§  Put dye tablets or food coloring in your toilet tank and wait to see if the color appears in the bowl (without flushing).  If it does, you have a leak! Fix all the leaks promptly.

2)      Make sure that the overhead tanks do not over flow.

3)      Operate the washing machine only when it is fully loaded.

4)      Use the proper water level or load size selection on the washing machine.

5)      Watering of lawns and gardens can double normal household water use during the hot, dry summer months. Established lawns and landscape plantings will usually survive with less watering.

6)      Retrofit older buildings and facilities with water-efficient plumbing fixtures.

7)      Recharge ground water by the method of rainwater harvesting.

All of us use water in our homes and make it dirty. Contaminated waters are the cause of a large number of diseases. Hence reduce water pollution.

1)      Cooking oil and fats which choke the pipes, should not be thrown down the drain, instead throw them in dustbin.

2)      Chemicals like paints, solvents, insecticides, motor oil and medicines may kill microbes that help purify water. Throw them into dustbins.

3)      Wash your vehicle at a proper washing place/ garage/ authorized servicing centre and avoid mixing of oil in water.

4)      Avoid applying chemicals to your garden especially during rainy season.

5)      Do not dump plastics/polythene bags into the drainage lines.

       1)      Avoid using Power Horns.

2)      Always maintain your motor vehicle and its exhaust silencer in proper condition.

3)      Avoid the use of Loud Speakers / Loud music systems between 10:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M.

4)      Ensure that your diesel Generator Set is provided with acoustic enclosure which gives a reduction of a minimum 25 dB(A) (as per the provisions of the Govt. of India notification GSR 371(E)).

2)      Plant trees.

3)      Less packing leads to less waste. Buy things in bulk to avoid excess packaging.

4)      Skip the elevator and take stairs.

5)      Take the bus or train- support public transportation.

6)      Ride your bicycle.

7)      Always try to give a ‘print’ on both sides of the paper. Reuse/print again one sided non-use printed papers.

8)      Find new uses for old things.

9)      Unload your trunk, the lighter the load, the less fuel your car consumes.

10)  Start Gardening

11)  Locally grown, organic food has fewer pesticides and chemicals (or none at all) and reduces the energy and pollution caused by transportation.

12)  Sign up for online banking to stop receiving paper statements.

13)  Bring lunch to work in reusable containers.

14)  Dispose useless cell phones at a nearby authorized cell phone dealer.

15)  Choose reusable instead of disposable products (like razors, cups, pens, etc).

16)  Weather permitting, take your exercises outdoors.

17)  Make maximum use of natural light.

18)  Don’t idle away energy. Beyond one minute, it is more fuel-efficient to restart your car.

19)  Do not use the clutch pedal as foot rest.

20)  Shop smart. Bring your own bags to the grocery store. Keep a few reusable shopping bags within easy reach - in your car, purse and office or just near the front door.

21)  Use packing that can be recycled. Ask your vendors to use less packaging when feasible.

22)  Carrying filtered water in hard-plastic water bottles can help you cut down on buying plastic water bottles and other beverages when you're on the go.

23)  Adopt Green Building concepts when you go for a new construction.

24)  Spread the Green word!

Looking for support and commitment from each and every one to save our planet for our coming generations .

Regards,

 Dr.R.K.Sharma

Secretary, NSC Uttarakhand chapter

Sub: Golden Jubilee Year of National Safety Council (1966-2016)

Dear

As you are aware, the Council will be completing 50 years on 4th March 2016. Therefore, the Board of Governors has decided to celebrate the year 2015-16 as a Golden Jubilee Year. A number of special activities and events are being planned by the Council throughout this year with a aim to extend the reach and enhance the visibility of the Council.

We propose to launch the Golden Jubilee Year by releasing a specially designed logo and a ‘Commemoration Book’ at the hands of the Hon’ble Minister of State for Labour & Employment (Independent Charge), Shri Bandaru Dattatreya in the NSCI-2014 Award function which is scheduled to be held on 12th March, 2015 at the SCOPE Auditorium, New Delhi. Some other activities planned are as follows :

1. Training programmes for SMEs at some of the industrial pockets in the country. 

2. Seminars on some important current topics on safety for NSC members with participation by invitation only.

3. Collaborative Training Programme on ‘Industrial Safety’ with some employers organizations like CII.

4. Safety Training Programmes for School Children.

5. Production of spot film of 1 or 2 minute duration with important safety message for telecasting on TV channels.

6. APOSHO-31 Conference & AGM.

The Board has also decided that the NSC Chapters should also celebrate the Golden Jubilee Year by taking up similar activities in their States. I particularly, suggest that the Chapters should plan the following types of activities in their States;

i) Training Programmes in various industrial pockets in the State particularly for small scale industry workers in local language.

ii) Seminar in collaboration with Hqs. 

iii) Using Golden Jubilee Year Logo on the letter heads, banners, envelopes, etc. of the Chapter. (The Logo stickers will be made available by the NSC Hqs.) 

iv) Publishing suitable advertisements in the local newspapers on important occasions such as NSD.

v) Enrolling more new members from the States.

vi) Some activities with innovative ideas to extend the reach and visibility of the NSC during the year.

vii) Organising marathons/ minithons with Safety as a theme.

Looking forward to work together for furthering the goals of the NSC for the welfare of our workforce and the Society at large.

Regards,

Yours sincerely, 

V.B. Sant Director General  Chairman,NSC

Plot No. 98A, Sector 15

C.B.D.Belapur, Navi Mumbai - 400614

Maharashtra

Tel. No. 022- 27564396 Uttarakhand                                                                                                                                                                              R. K. Singh                                                                                 Dr.R.K.Sharma Secretory,NSC Uttarakhand

National Safety Council Dy.Director of factories&Boilers                              GM(HSE),India Glycols Ltd.

Institutional Area,  Uttarakhand,Haldwani Nainital                                       Kashipur,U.S.Nagar