A Look at Disaster Management Strategies for Chemical Process Industries

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How Careful Planning Helped in Averting a Disaster

AERB carried out a review of the abovementioned significant event, both from the disaster management perspective and the safety aspect, after restoration and restarting of the plant. It was observed that due to real time information from the Ukai dam officials, the availability of documented standard operating procedures to handle plant emergencies and the involvement of trained and experienced manpower, the plant was safely shutdown before the entry of floodwater within the premises.

The pre-planning ensured that the hazardous chemicals and critical equipment were shifted to higher elevations, thereby preventing any combination accident. Certain safety issues related to the emergency response activities were observed, with respect to preparedness and mitigation during the flood. It was noted that a flood incident had occurred in this Hazira Surat industrial site in 1998. In view of the increased frequency of flooding, AERB recommended certain measures for improving disaster risk management due to flood hazards. Some of the significant recommendations are mentioned below.

Procurement and maintaining two numbers of motor operated boats in the Fire and Safety department, for effective and efficient rescue of plant and residential township personnel during flood situations.

The control room should be equipped with life jackets/air bags to ensure plant safety by timely shut down of the plant and rescuing the control room personnel.

Openings should be made at suitable locations in the Control Room for draining the stagnated floodwater from the cable trenches.

Portable diesel-operated pumps should be made available for dewatering the floodwater.

The control room should be provided with proper access to the roof top for shifting personnel to safer location in case the flood water level rises to more than 6 ft.

Adequate emergency searchlights should be made available (at least four numbers) for proper mobility in the plant area in case of a total black out (no electrical power supply from any means).

The plant should ensure availability of portable diesel generator sets of suitable rating to recharging walkie talkie (wireless communication sets) sets and portable illumination devices during such emergencies.

The plant should explore the possibility of constructing a storeroom above the fire station control room for storing the emergency and life-saving equipment during such incidents.

A water tank with capacity of 5,000 litres should be installed for catering to the drinking water requirements of plant and the residential personnel.

The height of the dyke wall of the fire pump house should be raised, keeping the reference of highest flood-level in the plant area.

It was recommended to mark the ‘Reference Flood Level’ of the plant site (based on the recent flood incident) for initiating planned safe shutdown of the plant. The marked flood level is now documented in the site emergency preparedness plan and the technical specifications for the operation of the plant.

A disaster management plan for flood emergency has been prepared by the fertiliser unit, clearly defining the precautions to be observed in case of a flood emergency, major actions to be taken during flood emergency and after the flood emergency by various departments in plants such as the Personnel & Administration department, Medical department, Production department, Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Civil, Fire & Safety, and Laboratory & Materials departments.

The document clearly defines the role of each department before the flood incident, during the flood incident and after the flood incident. The plant has implemented the recommendations and, with the thoughtfully- prepared disaster management plan, it is prepared to mitigate any challenge stemming from flood hazards.

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