Aria newsflash – Heat waves
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Periods of intense heat cause many fires, especially within the agricultural sector. But a heat wave can also give rise to other phenomena like: solvent evaporation within warehouses containing sensitive substances (nitrocellulose, peroxides, etc.), the accumulation of inflammable vapours in confined spaces (storage sites, material transfer stations), and the uncontrolled heating of stored materials, wastes or even refrigeration systems.
Major pollution accidents have also been recorded due to heat. Watercourses, when experiencing very low water levels, are in effect more sensitive to the accidental discharge of oxygen-consuming substances (BOD, COD, TOC, NTK) capable of causing high levels of fish mortality.
To prevent such accidents from occurring, organisational measures (including operating procedures, monitoring and analyses) must be prepared and strictly followed; moreover, a series of technical protocols and extinction systems adapted to the specific weather and process hazard characteristics need to be implemented.