Flash
- 10/04/2019
More and more plants and factories are being automated and the amount of information being transmitted over telecommunication networks is increasing. The general consensus is that there is a risk. However, is it possible to delineate this risk and evaluate its consequences — particularly its environmental consequences — by analysing the events logged in ARIA’s database? For an answer, download this flash.
Study
- 26/02/2019
The accident that occurred in Dieppe, France, on 17 February 2018, reminds us that the process of manufacturing vegetable oil is not without risk. Although in the present case the explosion was located in the vegetable oil extractor, the many steps of the process are accident-prone. This report presents, for each step, the associated risks and preventive measures.
Flash
- 06/02/2019
Accidents caused by incompatible mixtures are not limited to newly-produced chemicals! The end of their life cycle can also be a source of risk. Several recent events in France and abroad confirm this, sometimes with dramatic consequences. This flash focusses on this issue, underlying the failures at the origin of the accidents and making a few recommendations to avoid their occurrence.
Flash
- 21/01/2019
Forklifts are often used for handling operations. They allow to carry toxic, flammable, explosive and other dangerous products on pallets. Manoeuvres can lead to hazardous situation with serious consequences : pollution or contamination following a split of products, fire ignited on hot spot created by the friction of the forklift forks, explosion of a fuel storage or electric batteries, intoxication due to CO/gas emission from the forklift… This newsflash presents 4 latest and significant technological accidents, caused by a handling with a f [...]
Study
- 07/12/2018
At the end of January 2018, the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region (BFC) suffered numerous episodes of intense rainfall and floods. The storm Eleanor was indeed, according to Meteo-France, accompanied the 4 and 5 of January of rainy precipitations and important snow on the east of France. These weather events have not been without impact on industrial facilities. Summarizing the results of the questionnaires received by the DREAL Bourgogne-Franche-Comté from the operators concerned, this document summarizes some elements of feedback.
Ageing and management of spare parts: a major challenge
Flash
- 26/06/2017
The accident can quickly occur when the repair of an ageing equipment is not conducted in a timely manner! Often involved: an improper management of replacement parts, which are not available in due course. Patch-up jobs, consisting in reallocating pieces coming from other units without taking sufficient precautions, can also be particularly dangerous. Based on illustrative events, this flash draws a panorama of risky configurations and provides some good practices.
Overview of accident statistics on waste management facilities
Study
- 12/10/2016
Waste management activities are not only a potential source of chronic risks (atmospheric pollution, olfactory or noise nuisances, etc.), they may also be responsible for the risk of accidents!
This study, based on the analysis of 1100 accidents that occured over a 10-years period (2005-2014), draws an overview of accidental situations occuring in waste management activities.
Lessons learned from major events towards improving hydraulic safety
Study
- 19/04/2017
Since 2010, information collected on dam-related events has been recorded in the ARIA base. By the end of 2015, a total of 228 events had been entered into the database. This summary, written jointly by the BARPI and BETCGB bureau, presents the primary lessons resulting from their analysis. The study method has focused in particular on experience feedback regarding hydro-mechanical devices and command-control systems
Temporality of accidents : When do they occur?
Flash
- 19/04/2017
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
Flash
- 11/04/2017
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. If energy demand is higher than production, load sharing can be implemented. But what are the risks?
The end of the switched telephone network
Flash
- 11/04/2017
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 anticipated.
ELV and WEEE : Combating illegal treatment facilities, a challenge aimed at reducing accidental risks!
Flash
- 04/03/2016
While the fight against illegal sites in the waste sector constitutes both an environmental challenge (non-compliance with discharge standards and…
Anticipating fire and explosion risks in wood silos
Flash
- 20/07/2015
Over the past 3 years, more than 40 fires involving silos containing wood chips or sawdust have been recorded in the ARIA database. In such instances, operational difficulties are commonly encountered by emergency services (lengthy interventions, vulnerability of storage structures, etc.). Each response is therefore unique and requires comprehensive knowledge of all potential risks.
Hydrofluoric acid : the worst of all acids?
Flash
- 09/12/2015
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 hazards, especially the serious consequences in the event of its release...
Cooling towers: Legionnaire’s Disease still running rampant!
Flash
- 18/05/2016
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 whenever water droplets are dispersed from these towers. The regulatory regime for preventing the risk of legionellae stemming from cooling towers has been substantially modified. The regulations currently in effect in France are considered by experts to be among the most elaborate. Nonetheless, new cas [...]