Case studies

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Complete a short survey[16]

This chapter describes all the case studies that have been identified as illustrating the importance of the technical assessment criteria in preventing, controlling or mitigating major accidents.

Each of the case studies provides:

  • a brief description of the accident;
  • a summary of the technical measures that were missing or not implemented properly;
  • the source reference(s).

A table of case studies and technical measures (PDF) [17] [57.2KB] provides a cross index of which technical measures were found to be inadequate in each case study.

The case studies included are:

Link URLs in this page

  1. COMAHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/index.htm
  2. Overview - Backgroundhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/background/index.htm
  3. Seveso IIIhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/seveso/index.htm
  4. COMAH Regulations 2015https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/background/comah15.htm
  5. Cost recovery in detailhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/charging/index.htm
  6. The COMAH Competent Authorityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/authorityindex.htm
  7. Guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/guidance.htm
  8. Competent authority guidance and key internal CA procedureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/ca-guides.htm
  9. Notificationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/notification/index.htm
  10. Submitting public informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/submitting-public-information.htm
  11. Establishments subject to COMAH 2015https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/comah-establishments.htm
  12. Emergency plan testing during coronavirushttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/external-emergency-plan-tests-during-coronavirus.htm
  13. Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/resources.htm
  14. Safety alertshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/alerts/index.htm
  15. Investigation reportshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/investigation-reports.htm
  16. Complete a short surveyhttps://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3YY388L
  17. table of case studies and technical measureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/assets/docs/casetechtable.pdf
  18. Abbeystead Explosion (23/5/1984)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/caseabbeystead84.htm
  19. Albright and Wilson, Avonmouth (3/10/1996)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casealbright96.htm
  20. Allied Colloids Limited (21/7/1992)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casealliedcol92.htm
  21. Associated Octel Company Limited (1/2/1994)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/caseoctel94.htm
  22. B&R Hauliers (25/9/1982)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casebrhauliers82.htm
  23. BASF Warehouse Fire (9/10/1995)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casebasf95.htm
  24. Beek (7/11/1975)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casebeek75.htm
  25. Bhopal - Union Carbide (3/12/1984)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/caseuncarbide84.htm
  26. BP Oil (Grangemouth) Refinery Ltd (13/3/1987)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casebpgrange87.htm
  27. BP Oil (Grangemouth) Refinery Ltd (22/3/1987)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casebpgrang87b.htm
  28. BP Oil - Dalmeny Refinery (11/6/1987)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casebpdalment87.htm
  29. BP Oil West Glamorgan (17/1/1981)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casebpglamorg81.htm
  30. Chemstar Ltd Explosion/Fire (6/9/1981)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casechemstar81.htm
  31. Chevron Pembroke refinery (02/06/2011)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/chevron-refinery.htm
  32. Chicago Gas Release (26/4/1974)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casechicago74.htm
  33. Dow Chemical Factory Explosion (27/6/1976)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casedow76.htm
  34. Explosion Caused by Explosion Suppression Systemhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/caseexplosion.htm
  35. Feyzin (4/1/1966)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casefeyzin66.htm
  36. Flixborough (Nypro UK) Explosion (1/6/1974)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/caseflixboroug74.htm
  37. Havkong Incident (23/1/1993)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casehavkong93.htm
  38. Hickson and Welch Ltd Fire (22/9/1992)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casehickwel92.htm
  39. International Biosynthetics Ltd (7/12/1991)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casebiosynthey91.htm
  40. Marathon Petroleum Refinery - Texas (30/10/1987)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casemarathon87.htm
  41. Mexico City - Pemex LPG Terminal (19/11/1984)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casepemex84.htm
  42. Mill Woods Pipeline Failure (March 1976)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casemillwoods76.htm
  43. Pasadena - Phillips 66 (23/10/1989)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casepasadena89.htm
  44. Polymerisation Runaway Reaction (May 1992)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casepolymerisa92.htm
  45. Railcar Shunt Causes Propylene Releasehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/caserailcarshunt.htm
  46. Rupture of a Liquid Nitrogen Storage Tank - Japan (28/8/1992)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/caseliqnitro92.htm
  47. San Francisco Natural Gas Pipeline Puncture (25/8/1981)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casesanfran81.htm
  48. Seveso - Icmesa Chemical Company (9/7/1976)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/caseseveso76.htm
  49. Shell - Stanlow (20/3/1990)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casestanlow90.htm
  50. Sparking During Liquid Transferhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casesparking.htm
  51. Staveley Chemicals Ltd - Derbyshire (27/6/1982)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casestaveley82.htm
  52. Texaco Refinery - Milford Haven - Explosion and Fires (24/7/1994)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casetexaco94.htm
  53. Universal Freight Warehouse (13/2/1982)https://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/caseuniversal82.htm
  54. Warehouse Firehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casewarehouse.htm
  55. COMAH: Notification formhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/assets/docs/comah-notification-form.xlsx
  56. A guide to the COMAH regulations 2015 (L111) https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l111.htm
  57. Leadership for the major hazard industrieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg277.htm
  58. Better alarm handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/chis6.pdf
  59. Chemicalshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/chemicals/index.htm
  60. Nuclearhttp://www.onr.org.uk/
  61. Managing human factorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/index.htm
  62. Safety bulletinshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/index.htm
  63. Seveso III Directive https://www.hse.gov.uk/seveso/index.htm

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

COMAH
Control of major accident hazards

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2023-07-13