Temporality of accidents : When do they occur?
Based on the analysis of 25 000 French industrial events that occurred between 1 January 1992 and 31 December 2015, this document identifies trends over months, weeks, days and hours of accidents
Power outages during periods of cold weather
Periods of cold weather are characterised by low temperatures, sometimes combined with snowfall and/or wind. Synonymous with high electricity consumption, they are often the cause of power failures and other critical systems, such as telecommunication networks, can also be affected.[...]
The end of the switched telephone network
In an emergency situation and primarily in the event of a power outage, only switched telephone networks (PSTN) are operational. The traditional French operator’s plan to abandon these networks in 5 years time in favour of VoIP solutions should be[...]
Cooling towers: Legionnaire’s Disease still running rampant!
The group outbreak of Legionnaire's Disease in the Lisbon suburbs in 2014 has provided a sad reminder: the propagation of legionellae within the water circuits of cooling towers is a likely scenario and one capable of causing major health impacts[...]
Fireworks shows: Vigilance required before, during and after!
Every year, accidents occur during the July 14 and August 15 French holiday festivities. In 2015 unfortunately, reports came in of 11 injured in Monteux, 15 injured in Canet and 5 more in Castelsarrasin during fireworks shows that went awry.[...]
ELV and WEEE : Combating illegal treatment facilities, a challenge aimed at reducing accidental risks!
While the fight against illegal sites in the waste sector constitutes both an environmental challenge (non-compliance with discharge standards and accepted depollution methods) and an economic one (unfair competition, an obstacle to achieving European recycling objectives), it is also a…
Hydrofluoric acid : the worst of all acids?
Despite being produced 200 times less than sulphuric acid (1 M vs. 200 M tonnes/year), the ARIA database has recorded nearly 80 accidents involving hydrofluoric acid (HF) (vs. 220 for H2SO4). A series of recent accidents serves to recall its[...]
Malicious acts: Raising awareness to improve prevention
Due to the goods and products they handle or the nuisances they create, industrial sites have long been the preferred targets for those with malicious intent: 4% of accidents occurring in classified facilities involve malicious intent. In light of this[...]
Seal boxes : not to be mistaken as a cure for ageing
Commonly used to plug leaks on pipelines, seal boxes serve stop discharge flows without entirely shutting down production. Despite this advantage, several accidents have shown that this type of remedial action is not sustainable and moreover necessitates regular monitoring during[...]
