Flash
- 12/07/2019
This ARIA newsflash lists the causes of the various cases of collapse and rupture of silos compiled in the ARIA accidentology database. It reminds the appropriate questions to ask and the guides available to avoid collapses of concrete cells. As the visual checks are not sufficient, the complementary techniques to be considered are also presented.
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 [...]
Beware of smoke from fire!
Flash
- 24/04/2018
Whether white (rich in aerosols or water vapour), grey (a mixture of aerosols and solid particles) or black (large solid particles), the smoke released from fires presents several risks. Beyond death from intoxication, fumes are a potential health hazard owing to the substances they contain. Smoke is also corrosive to metal structures or electronic components. Finally, they can accentuate the combustion of surrounding goods by pyrolysis.
Runaway reactions, case studies, lessons learned
Press article
- 20/11/2017
Runaway reactions are a major source of industrial accidents. They can occur in a wide array of sectors, including chemicals, petrochemicals, food processing, plastics and rubber manufacturing, and metalworking and are primarily caused by a loss of process control. The processes involved are quite diverse, encompassing chemical reaction, polymerisation and distillation, among others. The loss of process control is related with various factors that are examined in this article. Several accidents that occurred in France and recorded in the ARIA1 [...]
Proceedings of the 12th seminar “Lessons Learnt from Industrial Accidents”
Study
- 13/06/2017
Since its creation in 1999, the seminar on “Lessons Learnt from Industrial Accidents” is organized every two years by the BARPI. This event is devoted to inspectors of the environment. It is organized with the support of the European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL). Below are the proceedings of the latest edition, which took place in Lyon on 31 May and 1 June 2017.
Accidentology associated with the ageing of industrial installations
Flash
- 26/06/2017
Ageing of industrial installations is a normal and well-known phenomenon. However, it deserves to be properly managed! Conception or construction defaults, insufficient maintenance are some of the several factors that can contribute to an uncontrolled acceleration of ageing… and that continue to lead to accidents with sometimes heavy consequences. As far as ageing is concerned, anticipation remains the key word! This flash offers an overview of the main degradation mechanisms and some lessons learnt from accidents.
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.