The Main Cause of the Bhopal Accident - Term Paper Example

Running head: BHOPAL ACCIDENT Name Course Institution Instructor December 15, 2010 Table of Contents Description Page Introduction…………………………………………………….3 Accident…………………………………………………………4 Causes…………………………………………………………...5 Effects……………………………………………………………7 Ethics……………………………………………………………..8 Conclusion………………………………………………………11 References……………………………………………………….13 Case study Bhopal accident Introduction Bhopal is a city in India and the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. It is located about 360 mils on the south of the Indian capital, New Delhi, and has an estimated population of more than 1.5 million. On the night of the Bhopal tragedy, the population was only 850,000 and more than half of them were exposed to the toxic chemical from Union Carbide gas leak. The Bhopal facility was part of the India’s Green Revolution whose main objective was to increase the productivity of crops. During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the need to produce and use pesticides increased. This was an effort that was aimed to achieve self sufficiency in agricultural production. The decision to start manufacturing their own pesticides instead of relying on the imports was based on the India’s objective to preserve the foreign exchange as well as its policy of industrialization. In 1969, Union Carbide Company (UCC) which was the parent company decided to set up a subsidiary plant in Bhopal and named it Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL). This small company was to manufacture pesticides for the supply within Bhopal the capital city of Madhya Pradesh (Jasanoff, 1994). Bhopal was preferred as the perfect site for the Carbide plant because it was centrally located in India. There was also a railway system that served the country and offered a convenient means of transport in the country. The city was surrounded by a large lake which provided a reliable source of water, and sufficient electricity. The availability of labor helped to sustain the entire industrial plant. Before 1979, the Indian subsidiary of Carbide Company used to import methyl isocyanate (MIC) from the parent company. After 1979, it started to manufacture its own MIC and supplied it within Bhopal. MIC is one of many chemicals that are used in the production of pesticides and it is very dangerous. It is slightly lighter than water but twice dense than air, meaning that when it escapes into the atmosphere it remains close to the ground. The chemical has the ability to react with variety of substances for example, metals, water acids, and the tiny deposits of corrosive materials that collect in pipes, valves and tanks. The pesticides that were produced at Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) were all sold at the Indian market (Kurzman, 1987). Background of the Bhopal Disaster On the night of December 2-3, 1984, water accidentally entered the (MIC) storage tank where over 40 tons of methyl isocyanate (MIC) was being stored. The addition of water into the tank caused an exothermic reaction which resulted into a rapid increase in temperature in the tank. The high temperature of over 200 °C (392 °F) raised the pressure. The heat which generated by the reaction, the presence of excess concentrations of chloroform, and the existence of an iron catalyst, produced by the oxidization of the walls of the tank that was made of stainless steel resulted to that reaction. The gases that were formed could not be contained by the available safety systems. From the reactions, MIC and other reaction products that were in both liquid and vapor form, escaped from the plant into the environment. There was no prior warning for the people surrounding the plant since the emergency sirens had been switched off. The effects were more severe and devastating on the people that lived in the shanty settlements located few meters from the plant (Weir, 1987). The leak was detected first by the workers in the factory when their eyes began to tear and burn. They immediately informed their company supervisor who failed to take remedial measures until it was too late. The chemical poured out of the tank for duration of about two hours and escaped into the air, spreading within eight kilometers over the city of nearly 900,000. An estimate ranging as high as 4,000 were killed and hundreds of thousands estimated as 400,000 were either left injured or affected. The areas that were seriously affected by this accident were the densely populated shanty towns that were surrounding the plant. The victims were therefore almost the poorest members of the population. This poisonous gas not only caused death but it also left the survivors with lingering disability and diseases. According to the report from an international medical commission, the victims suffer from serious health problems that are being ignored and misdiagnosed by doctors from the local hospitals (Kurzman, 1987). Victims of Bhopal accident Cause of the accident The main cause of the accident has been researched after the happening of the disaster. According to the researchers, water leaked into MIC storage tanks. This resulted to an exothermic reaction that released large amounts of poisonous gas that opened the safety valves. The escaping gas could only have been stopped by the scrubbers installed in the plant, but unfortunately they were temporarily out of order to be repaired. The factory personnel are also said to have neglected the safety procedures. For example, there were no valves to stop water from flowing into the storage tanks. The cooling installations of the tanks were also out of order. By a matter of fact safety measures were very low in this factory of Union Carbide and these safety procedures were said to be neglected in order to cut down the budget cost. The Union Carbide and its Indian subsidiary and the Indian government which were close partners in the factory were all held responsible for the happening of the disaster. They were blamed of their negligence in that, despite the intense instability and toxicity of the chemicals used in the factory, safeguards which were known to be substandard were ignored instead of being fixed. There are different theories that explain how water entered the tank in which the poisonous chemical was stored. It is argued that immediately before the disaster, workers were cleaning out a clogged pipe with water about 400 feet from the tank. The operators assumed that it was most likely for the water to leak into the tank owing to bad maintenance and leaking valves. However, this water entry route could not be identified. Union Carbide Company (UCC) alleges that water was introduced directly into the tank as an act of sabotage by a discontented worker through a link to a missing pressure gauge on the top of the tank (Weir, 1987). The investigation team from Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) found no evidence of the necessary link. However, the investigation is believed to have been totally controlled by the government denying investigators from UCC access to the tank or to have interviews with the operators. Workers who constantly complained about poor safety measures were reprimanded and occasionally fired. There were also no plans for coping with a disaster of this scale. Tank alarms that would have signaled personnel to the leak were not functioning and there were no backups. The water sprays that were intended to dilute escaping gas were badly installed and proved futile. Damages that existed in the pipes and valves had not been repaired or even replaced because the factory management considered this a high cost (Weir, 1987). Effects of the accident Health effects The Bhopal accident resulted to both short and long term effects. Apart from many deaths, exposure to MIC has left so many people with both eyes and lungs damages. It has also caused respiratory ailments for example gastrointestinal problems like hyperacidity and chronic gastritis, chronic bronchitis and emphysema and vision problems. The gas has also caused neurological disorders such as memory and motor skills and psychiatric problems of various types like anxiety and depression. The victims also suffered from musculoskeletal problems that affected the bones and gynecological problems, ophthalmic problems like chronic conjunctivitis and early cataracts. It is estimated that most of the children born in Bhopal after the disaster are much vulnerable to death as compared to children elsewhere. This is attributed to the fact that their parents cannot care for them adequately. Despite the severe health problems and the many deaths that have occurred, Union carbide claims that the MIC is still a mild throat and ear irritant(Kurzman, 1987). Three eye victims of the toxic gas that leaked from the Carbide Chemical Plant Environmental effects The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has issued a report on the damage that was caused to the crops, animals and fish. According to the report, the toxic substances from Carbide plant were harmful to animals. Huge numbers of cattle, cats and dogs as well as birds were killed. Due to exposure to the gas, plant life was also badly damaged. There was also an extensive defoliation of trees in the low lying areas. After the accident, there was a campaign for environmental rehabilitation in India an initiative that was considered as too late (Jasanoff, 1994). Effects of Bhopal accident on livestock Ethics In comparison to the Carbide main plant in America, ethical issues arose in the subsidiary plant in Bhopal. The following issues were thought to have contributed to the Bhopal gas disaster. Safety Standards by Design The design of safety systems was very poor in Bhopal Union Carbide. The safety standards in operation initially were dropped. For example the new computerized data loggers which are standard safety systems in the parent plant in US were never integrated at the Bhopal plant. Maintenance Procedures The Indian Government did not implement safety and environmental laws and regulations. As a result, the existing systems in the Bhopal plant were never maintained. The MIC storage tank, sirens, temperatures and pressure gauges, reserve storage tank for excess MIC, gas scrubber and flare tower were poorly maintained and others were shut down. Most technicians at Bhopal were untrained and did not know how the systems work. The management of the plant constantly ignored the complaints raised by the union officials. Community Information and Lack of Emergency Procedures The high population residing near the plant was in great risk and despite them being warned, they could not perceive the danger. The general manager of the Carbide Chemical Company has a moral responsibility to communicate the risk and evict them out of that place. It is clear that the community is not conversant with potential hazards and the company has no plans to enlighten them. Moral Responsibility of Multinational Corporations The overall supervision of the Bhopal plant was carried out by the parent plant based in US. The major decisions in the subsidiary plant including budgeting and workers training was approved by UCC. After the disaster, both UCC and UCIL disregarded the victims of the tragedy. They had a moral responsibility to compensate the victims. The UCC never accepted the liability for the disaster and they blamed the local workers. Moral Responsibility of the Governments of Industrialized Nations The governments of industrialized nations should ensure that the multinational companies operating in the country are responsible for their actions. For example the Indian government ought to have sued the UCC based in US. They should be sued and forced to take the liability. Moreover, the international law should be enforced to involve itself on issues of pollution, industrial hazards and regulating all multinational companies. Moral Responsibility of the Governments of Developing Countries The government of developing countries ought to have regulatory agencies responsible for assessing the nature of the industry to be elected and the nature of the location. The installation of the Bhopal plant in India was a safety violation. The government therefore has a responsibility of ensuring that the conditions surrounding the plant are fit and security measures are put in place. CODE OF ETHICS OF ENGINEERS The Fundamental Principles Engineers should uphold and promote integrity, honor and dignity of the engineering profession by: I. applying their knowledge and skills for the development of the welfare of human being; II. being honest and unbiased and serve their clients and employers and public with loyalty; and III. strive to increase the competence and reputation of the engineering profession. The Fundamental Canons 1. Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, welfare and health of the public in the performance of their professional duties. 2. Engineers shall carry on with their professional progress throughout their careers and shall provide opportunities for the professional and ethical development of those engineers under their control. 3. Engineers shall not seek ethical approval against another engineer unless there is a concrete reason to do so under the relevant codes, procedures and policies governing the engineer’s ethical conduct. 4. Engineers shall respect the proprietary information and intellectual property rights of others; these include non governmental organizations and professional societies in the engineering arena. 5. Engineers shall interact only with reputable persons or organizations. 6. Engineers shall submit a public statement only in an objective and truthful manner and shall avoid any act which brings discredit upon the profession. 7. Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or customer as honest agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest. 8. Engineers shall consider environmental impact and sustainable development in the performance on their professional duties. 9. Engineers who are members of the society shall make an effort to abide by the constitution, policies and by-Laws of the society. 10. Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of the capability; they shall build their professional reputation and not compete unfairly with the rest. Conclusion The Bhopal gas tragedy and its aftermath was a warning and a big lesson to India in particular and to all industrialized countries throughout the world. Based on the nature of Bhopal accident, it was clear that industries and especially those that manufacture chemicals and other toxic substances are vulnerable to so many risks. This means that proper planning, preparedness and response is necessary for every country so as to prevent and regulate the impacts of such tragedies. The Bhopal disaster was as a result of a combination of organizational, technological, legal and human errors. Several issues were said to contribute to the occurrence of the accident. These factors were both internal and external and included among others; environmental issues, employment issues, safety issues, corruption, human rights infringement and poor resource management. After the Bhopal accident, India has adopted various measures for planning and preventing future industrial accidents. Some of these measures include danger zone warnings, employee training, quality assurance and equipment, proper handling of hazardous waste materials and health and safety inspection check (Kurzman, 1987). References: Jasanoff S., (1994). Learning From Disaster: Risk Management After Bhopal. University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia. Kurzman D., (1987). A Killing Wind: Inside Union Carbide and the Bhopal Catastrophe. McGraw Hill Book Company. Weir D., (1987). The Bhopal Syndrome: Pesticides, Environment, and Health. Sierra Club Books, San Francisco. “Coping With Disaster”. Technology Review, Volume 91, Issue 6. August 1988. http://www.bhopal.com http://www.mp.gov.in/bgtrrdmp/ Read More