Background
The growth of chemical industries has led to an increase in the risk of occurrence of incidents associated with hazardous chemicals (HAZCHEM). A chemical industry that incorporates the best principles of safety, can largely prevent such incidents. Common causes for chemical accidents are deficiencies in safety management systems and human errors, or they may occur as a consequence of natural calamities or sabotage activities. Chemical accidents result in fire, explosion and/or toxic release.
The nature of chemical agents and their concentration during exposure ultimately decides the toxicity and damaging effects on living organisms in the form of symptoms and signs like irreversible pain, suffering, and death. Meteorological conditions such as wind speed, wind direction, height of inversion layer, stability class, etc., also play an important role by affecting the dispersion pattern of toxic gas clouds.
The Bhopal Gas tragedy of 1984—the worst chemical disaster in history, where over 2000 people died due to the accidental release of the toxic gas Methyl Isocyanate, is still fresh in our memories. Such accidents are significant in terms of injuries, pain, suffering, loss of lives, damage to property and environment. A small accident occurring at the local level may be a prior warning signal for an impending disaster. Chemical disasters, though low in frequency, have the potential to cause significant immediate or long-term damage.
A critical analysis of the lessons learnt from major chemical accidents exhibited various deficiencies. Laxity towards safety measures, nonconformation to techno-legal regimes and a low level of public consultation are a few such shortcomings. The scenario called for concerted and sustained efforts for effective risk reduction strategies and capacity development under a national authority to decrease the occurrence of such incidents and lessen their impact. Although tremendous efforts have been made to minimise such accidents and to improve emergency preparedness at all levels, substantial efforts are still required to predict the occurrence of disasters, assess the damage potential, issue warnings, and to take other precautionary measures to mitigate their effects. Another pressing need is to properly assess the potential of chemical emergencies and develop tools for emergency planning and response to minimise the damage in case of any eventuality.
Risks Posed by HAZCHEM
Increased industrial activities and the risks associated with HAZCHEM and enhanced vulnerability lead to industrial and chemical accidents. Chemical accidents may originate in the manufacturing or formulation facility, or during the process operations at any stage of the product cycle, material handling, transportation and storage of HAZCHEM. Vulnerability is sometimes compounded due to the location of Major Accident Hazard (MAH) industries closer to densely populated areas. Chemical and industrial accidents generally occur due to technical failures that can be anticipated. The risk associated with them can thus be predicted and reduced effectively by identification of risk areas, risk assessment and designing pre-operative measures. The occurrence of chemical accidents and probability thereof, manifesting in a disaster, remain a cause of concern.
The Genesis of National Disaster Management Guidelines—Chemical Disasters
There has been a paradigm shift in the government’s focus from its rescue, relief, and restoration-centric approach to a planning, prevention/mitigation and preparedness approach. It has been realised that effective Chemical Disaster Management (CDM) is possible by the adoption of preventive and mitigation strategies as most chemical disasters are preventable in comparison to natural disasters that are difficult to predict and prevent.
With this renewed emphasis, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) took up the task of strengthening CDM in recognition of the gravity of the risk posed by HAZCHEM. The main stakeholders in the management of chemical disasters are Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF; the nodal ministry); Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA); Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH& FW); Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE); Ministry of Agriculture (MoA); Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways (MoSRT& H); Ministry of Defence (MoD); Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (MoC& F); Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP& NG), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE); state governments and Union Territories (UTs) and the chemical industries.
As a first step, a meeting of the stakeholders including representatives of Research and Development (R&D) organisations, professionals from scientific and technical institutes, academics, technocrats from leading national institutions and apex industrial associations/consortiums of corporate sectors was convened on 17 February 2006, with a view to pool the knowledge in this multidisciplinary field. A core group of experts was constituted from amongst these participants. Several meetings of the core group were subsequently held and a draft document was evolved for bridging the gaps that were identified.
These deliberations acknowledged several initiatives taken up by the government and other stakeholders. The draft document was reviewed by a group of experts on 18 May 2006, for evolving a consensus among various stakeholders including the nodal ministry. Detailed inputs from MAH units and regulators were obtained during a meeting held during 7–8 September 2006, at Bhopal. The recommendations and action points that emerged out of these deliberations have resulted in the development of the National Guidelines for the Management of Chemical Disasters (hereinafter referred to as the Guidelines).
Structure of Guidelines
The present work is an important step in the direction of the development of plans for the management of chemical disasters. The Guidelines have been prepared to provide directions to ministries, departments and state authorities for the preparation of their detailed Disaster Management (DM) plans. These Guidelines call for a proactive, participatory, well-structured, fail-safe, multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approach at various levels.
The Guidelines consist of seven chapters; the details of which are as follows:
Chapter 1 provides an introductory brief of risks, vulnerabilities and consequences of chemical accidents; provides an account of causal factors of chemical disasters so as to restrict and contain them; and enlists major chemical accidents—their initiators, and impact on human lives and the environment. The aims and objectives of the Guidelines focus on all aspects of the DM cycle to assist the ministries and departments of the Government of India, state governments and other agencies to prepare DM plans.
Chapter 2 reviews the existing regulatory framework and practises. It furnishes an overview of the institutional framework with details of the monitoring mechanisms and compliance by central and state governments. It also provides an overview of the functioning of research institutes, autonomous bodies, professional institutes, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and MAH units, their compliance to statutory safeguards, and the efforts of the MoEF in setting up crisis management groups in industrial areas to ensure chemical safety. Various initiatives highlighting substantial work done in the area of emergency response and management systems in installations, storages and transport sectors are also illustrated. A bird’s eye view of international best practises and developments within India is also given.
Chapter 3 gives an overview of the salient gaps identified in various aspects of the management of chemical accidents, transport accidents and medical emergencies. The management of chemical disasters will aim at prevention and mitigation with the introduction of safer process technologies, improved performance of safety devices and reduction of human error. Immediate effects of a disaster can be mitigated through installing engineering systems like scrubbers, flares and venting systems. The various work areas and activities that can be undertaken within the framework of the Guidelines are described in chapters 4 to 6.
Chapter 4 includes comprehensive guidelines for a regulatory framework, code of practises, procedures and standards, testing and information, technical and technological information, preparedness including education, training, creation of appropriate infrastructure, capacity development, awareness generation, institutional framework, networking and communication, R&D, and response, relief and rehabilitation for CDM. The roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders at centre, state and district levels are also described. The salient highlights include:
Strengthening of the present regulatory framework to meet the defined national policies and aspirations; augmentation of technical support functions.
A supportive and technology neutral regulation framework.
Legislation on land-use policy (buffer zone around chemical industry).
Standardisation of national codes and practises.
Emphasis on regular safely audit, identification and selection of professional organisations and their accreditation.
Commissioning and decommissioning of chemical industries.
Preparation of On-Site and Off-Site Plans.
Regular testing of emergency plans.
Need of medical first responders and medical inventory to deal with specialised chemical accidents at the installation site.
Crisis management plans of hospitals to manage the victims of chemical emergencies.
Concept of mobile hospital and mobile teams.
Issues related to public health response, medical rehabilitation and harmful effects on the environment.
Post-disaster documentation and analysis.
Chapter 5 comprises comprehensive guidelines for installations and storages (including isolated storages of HAZCHEM) that contain good engineering practises for safety, accident reporting, investigation and analysis checklists and safety promotional activities as important tools for effective CDM.
Chapter 6 deals with guidelines related to chemical accidents during transportation of HAZCHEM. The areas covered include:
Preparation of a highway DM plan.
Modification of rules pertaining to transport emergencies.
Specific roles and responsibilities of MAH units, transporters, drivers, authorities and aspects related to emergency communication systems and training of various stakeholders.
The need for the development of an efficient pipeline management system.
Chapter 7 sets out the approach to implementation of the Guidelines and also highlights the key points for ensuring the implementation of the plans prepared by the central ministries, departments and states. The strategy to be adopted for the important activities to be included in the Action Plan are given below:
Putting in place a national mechanism for covering all major disasters and reporting mechanisms at the district level.
Dovetailing regulations governing HAZCHEM safety with the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (DM Act, 2005).
Establishing a risk management framework criterion for chemical assessment.
Strengthening of the institutional framework for CDM and its integration with the activities of the NDMA, State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs), District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) and other stakeholders.
Renewed focus on model safety codes/standards for prevention of accidents at industry level by matching processes and technologies for safety installations comparable with the best available in the world.
Identifying infrastructure needs for preparing mitigation plans.
Implementing a financial strategy for the allocation of funds for different national and state/district level mitigation projects.
Establishing an efficient information network for dissemination of alerts, warning and response messages.
Identifying/recognising training institutions.
Strengthening the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), fire services, medical first responders and other emergency responders.
Revamping of home guards and civil defence for CDM.
Developing a national medical emergency plan binding all government, private and public hospitals with unified, well-established triage and other emergency procedures.
Developing highway DM plans for all the identified stretches, nodal points, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) integrated in the driver’s kit.
Establishing a register of relevant national and international institutes and information exchange programmes.
Establishing post-disaster documentation procedures, epidemiological surveys and minimum criteria for relief and rehabilitation.
Sensitising the community on chemical disasters.
Sensitising all stakeholders, especially the management of MAH units for a more proactive role in prevention of chemical accidents by instituting regular internal audits of plant safety measures, actuation of On-Site emergency plans and establishment of mutual aid arrangements.
The MoEF, as the nodal ministry, will prepare a detailed Action Plan in accordance with these Guidelines with specific tasks, activities, targets and timeframes that will also form a part of the national DM plan.
In view of the expected time lapse between the formulation and approval of the DM plan, an interim arrangement has also been suggested, highlighting the following features:
Baseline information on hazard identification and risk assessment in chemical installations and pipelines.
Incorporation of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology.
Identification and incorporation of legislative and institutional framework for disaster preparedness with specific and measurable indicators.
Risk mapping.
Development and improvement of relevant databases including isolated storages and warehouses.
Preparation of a National Response Plan.
Pooling of resources available on transport routes of chemicals.
Crisis Alert System (CAS) and continued training programmes.
The activities mentioned above will be initiated with immediate effect and will be further intensified in due course of time. An institutional framework for the management of chemical disasters will be set up at the national level, which will integrate and strengthen the existing institutional mechanisms on CDM. For efficient and coordinated management, the state governments will issue guidelines for the preparation of district and local level plans in accordance with these Guidelines. The objective is to evolve an attainable and practical approach for the management of chemical disasters in India with the participation of all stakeholders including local communities for On-Site and Off-Site emergencies.
