Dangerous Goods Risks: Real-World Disasters & Emergency Management

This report summarizes the hazards presented by the nine classes of dangerous goods for emergency managers, providing insights into potential risks and real-world disaster scenarios. Each class, from explosives to miscellaneous dangerous goods, is examined for its specific hazards and potential impact. The Bhopal gas tragedy is cited as a key example of a disaster involving toxic and infectious substances, emphasizing the importance of emergency preparedness. The report also outlines key messages for the target audience, including identifying responsibilities, conducting training, and regularly reviewing emergency plans. The content stresses the need for a proactive approach to risk assessment and emergency response to mitigate the consequences of dangerous goods incidents. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and study resources.

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Class 1 – Explosives
It is considered as dangerous goods since it can generate
heat, gas, smoke, light and sound that can cause hazard.
Class 2 – Gases
It consists of liquified, compressed, refrigerated liquified
gas, aerosols and they are dangerous since they can pose a
risk due to their flammable characteristics.
Class 3 – Flammable Liquids
They can cause hazard as they are volatile in nature and
can generate a vapor of flame that have an serious damage
on the local environment.
Class 4 - Flammable Solids
This are highly combustible and a little friction can cause
fire and thus imposing a serious damage.
Class 5 - Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides
The substance that can generate oxygen are considered as a
dangerous good since they can contribute to the other
hazardous substance for causing more damage.
Class 6 – Toxic and infectious substances
It can cause heavy injury and even death of the humans
when inhaled, swallowed or contacted directly with the
skin. It can also cause disease and contains parasites, virus,
bacteria and other substance when contacted directly.
Class 7 – Radioactive materials
This are the materials that consists of an atom and
undergoing radioactive decay and it emits ionize radiation
that are harmful for the health of humans and animals.
Class 8 – Corrosives
These are chemical substances that reacts with other
chemical for causing damage and destroy materials which
comes in contact with the chemicals.
Class 9 – Misc. Dangerous Goods
Other the 8 classes there are many dangerous goods which
can cause potential harm and this are combined in a group
of miscellaneous dangerous goods.
A summary of the hazards presented
by each class
An example of a real-world disaster
/emergency event where this risk has
been/could be realized
As an example of the real world disaster or emergency
event where the risk of dangerous good can be realized
is the Bhopal gas tragedy in India. Here the leakage of
the poisonous gas for at night caused killing of 3500
people immediately and more than 1000 people later
on. The Union Carbide India was accused guilty and
warrant was issued for arresting the guilty personnel.
Here the release of gases, toxic and the infectious
substances caused death of thousand of people in a
night. This event is taken as an example since the
targeted audience is exposed to the vulnerability.
1-2 key messages for the target audience.
Some key message are provided for the target audience
for the preparation of the emergency response plan are
given below:
• The responsibility of the personnel for the preparation
of the plan should be identified and the hazards of the
dangerous goods should also be identified for the
assessment of the risk and its consequences.
• Training and testing needs to be conducted for the
management of the roles and responsibility such as
installation of emergency equipment at the site,
evacuation plan and emergency exercise practice.
• Reviewing and correcting the emergency plan and keep
it up to date for the elimination of the shortcomings and
automation of some of the procedures. A list should be
created for the emergency equipment and the response
action for immediately responding to an event without the
needs of the authorization of the higher level
management.
References
Benekos, I., & Diamantidis, D. (2017). On risk
assessment and risk acceptance of
dangerous goods transportation through
road tunnels in Greece. Safety science, 91,
1-10.
Vamanu, B. I., Gheorghe, A. V., & Katina, P. F.
(2016). Critical Infrastructures: Risk and
vulnerability assessment in transportation
of dangerous goods. Cham: Springer
International Publishing Google Scholar.