Industrial and urban accidents can take a wide variety of forms and their impacts vary considerably in both scale and nature
In some cases these accidents will have very limited impacts beyond the immediate area and can be dealt with locally, although others can have cascading effects that will have a wider impact. Most industrial sites are regulated by the Health & Safety Executive and the Environment Agency to ensure they are safe. The Emergency Services have clear procedures for dealing with accidents on those sites.
The Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations 2015 are in place to prevent major accidents involving dangerous substances and limit the consequences to people and the environment of any incidents which do occur.
The risks
- Fire.
- Chemical, mine or nuclear explosion.
- Biological, chemical and radiological contamination.
- Dam breach
Potential impacts
- Physical and psychological casualties.
- Disruption to services, particularly energy and transport.
- Damage to property and infrastructure.
- Environmental contamination.
- Damage to the economy
What you can do
- Know your building - find out escape routes for the buildings in which you live and work and ensure visitors are made aware of this information.
- Know your area - be aware of nearby hazardous sites.
- Keep a stock of essential supplies - remember to check perishable items use by dates regularly.
- Prepare an emergency grab bag in case you are asked to evacuate.
- Turn off ventilation systems and all sources of ignition and extinguish naked flames.
- If the danger is outside go indoors, stay indoors and tune in to your local radio station.
- If the danger is inside go out, switch off power sources and go to a safe place.
- Always follow the advice and instructions of the emergency services.
- Keep a paper copy list of important contact numbers, including family and friends
