While describing recent events which took place in Japan, I would like to tell a few words about the nuclear basics. First of all, I have to point out that the situation with nuclear power plant was under control. In other words, there were no defects of the equipment; so, the risk to the public was minimal.
There is a need to clarify that atomic fission was used as a heat source; no fossil fuel was used. When speaking about atomic fission, one is to understand that I am talking about uranium. Of course, one can suppose that the risk was really great as everybody is familiar with the situation in Chernobyl.
However, in this case the nuclear chain reaction had to be uncontrolled. Such situation with nuclear power plant in Japan was impossible. Another major risk was associated with the process of overheating. Taking into account the risks, I have to state that the plant was protected from regrettable consequences. The cladding, the reactor vessel, the containment building, and a dry-wall building were the barriers to protect the nuclear power plant.
It is also necessary to admit that Fukushima used the reactors BWRs. Of course, engineers had a plan to prevent the consequences of the earthquake. Keith Yost (2011) says that, “During regular operation, this chimney would be filled with a liquid/steam bubble mixture from the boiling water — in an emergency, this volume can be packed with surplus coolant, effectively raising the thermal capacitance of the reactor vessel” (para. 8). So, one may ask what happened.
At Friday, when the earthquake took place, “the reactor automatically inserted its control rods into the core and ceased the fission of the nuclear fuel. Reactor power was at 6.5 percent, and full cooling was in effect” (Yost, 2011, para. 9). Unfortunately, the on-site generators were wrecked by the earthquake. These destroyed generators couldn’t activate the coolant pumps. Further consequences are well-known.
The effects of radiation leak
When earthquake in Japan took place, some articles concerning radiation leak at the nuclear power plant appeared. They said that radiation levels were increasing; however, authorities stated that there was no danger.
Another interesting position, I would like to disclose is the similarities between the Chernobyl disaster and the disaster in Japan. Generally, I would like to point out that there were no similarities between two situations, as the disaster of 1986 was a man-made one; while the situation with nuclear power plant belonged to natural disasters.
While speaking about the effects of radiation on human beings, I have to state that it destroys living tissues. Radiation destroys the gastrointestinal system, the blood system, the immune system, etc. Moreover, it can cause cancer and genetic mutations. Jamie Epstein (2011) is of the opinion that, “radiation can cause many harsh consequences to any form of life—whether it be human, plants or animals” (para. 2). Radioactive materials have different span of life.
For instance, “Strontium-90 is only radioactive for 53 days, Uranium-235 in the environment will remain radioactive for over 700 million years, Uranium-238 will remain radioactive for 4.5 billion years, and Rubidium remains radioactive for 47 million years” (Epstein, 2011, para. 6).
When speaking about the global meaning of the disaster, Stephen Brozac and Henry Bassman (2011) state that,
The worldwide implications of the event are becoming apparent: though a
major leak in a maintenance pit of the plant has been plugged, there is still a
great likelihood that significant amounts of radioactive water will continue to
be released into the Pacific Ocean; the worldwide Just-In-Time manufacturing
cycle has been interrupted; and increased levels of radiation have been
detected on the U.S. East Coast (para. 2).
The importance of safety
While speaking about nuclear power plant construction several aspects must be taken into account. So, it is necessary to consider the construction cost of building, the operating cost, the cost of waste disposal, and the cost of decommissioning. However, the most important point, which must be taken into consideration, is safety of nuclear power plants.
The major safety components include control of radioactivity, maintenance of core cooling, and maintenance of barriers. The last component is extremely important to prevent the spreading of radiation.
According to Nuclearinfo.net, radiation doses at nuclear power plant must be thoroughly controlled. “Monitoring of individual doses and of the work environment, limit on the time a worker spends in areas with significant radiation levels, physical shielding, and the handling of equipment via remote in the core of the reactor” (Nuclearinfo.net, 2012, para. 9) are recognized to be the most important procedures, which prevent radiation doses rising.
Of course, it is necessary to regulate the neutron flux. To reduce the level of the radioactivity, it is necessary to reduce the neutron flux. If there is no opportunity to use water to cool the system, sodium or sodium salts can replace water. Thus, the chemical elements will be used as a coolant.
Finally, it is better to build nuclear power plants away from towns, cities or villages.
The need for real time response to disaster management followed the 9/11 events that required designing and integrating a dynamic emergence response management information system (DERMIS) into existing network and physical infrastructure.
The design of the system was based on software functionality deemed critical based on extensive knowledge, experience, and tacit knowledge of the Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) (Turoff, Chumer, Van De Walle & Yao 2004). Implementing the system required mapping the system design concepts into software design principles to optimize the functionality of the system.
Therefore crisis management was based on the design and development principles developed from the Dermis Design Model as illustrated on table 1 below. The table details the design premises, conceptual design, general design principles and specifications, and supporting design considerations and specifications with the purpose to design appropriate functional requirements for the concept (Turoff et al. 2004).
Table 1
Historical Insight
From an historical perspective, the Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) served civilian, regulatory, threat assessments, government disaster response effectiveness, and response planning by drawing on a larger network of expertise consultants and specialists, before it was modified to “Emergency Management Information System And Reference Index” (EMISARI) in disaster response system management design. EMISARI addressed technical and software needs (Turoff et al. 2004).
OEP Philosophy
One approach was System Training and Simulation. In this case, the core elements included training in a practical environment with simulated and practical events and quick apprenticeship. The next included crisis memory, exception as norms, scope and nature of crisis, role transferability, information validity and timeliness, free exchange of information, and coordination (Turoff et al. 2004).
The key obstacles toward being effective in crisis management included high uncertainties, poor and lack of effective communication channels, non-flexible information processing at all levels, data movement, and lack of training (Turoff et al. 2004).
Conceptual Design
TheOffice of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) cuts across the nine emergency categories serving as a source of tacit knowledge to influence the software functionality of the emergency response system. The core concepts include metaphors which are the mental models for creating cognitive maps, the concept of human roles with actionable roles, notifications based on events, and context visibility for understanding users. That was in addition to hypertext concept for using different system functionalities (Turoff et al. 2004).
Generalized Design Principles
Toward achieving the design objective of the emergency system, the critical components to factor include system directory with its variants expressed in a hierarchical structure to aid members use the system effectively. That is in addition to information source and timeliness for capturing real time qualitative and quantitative data into a database (Turoff et al. 2004).
Open Multi-Directional Communication, content address, up-to-date information and data, Link Relevant Information and Data, Authority, Responsibility, and Accountability, and Psychological and sociological factors are additional factors (Turoff et al. 2004).
Supporting Design Considerations
The general requirements for designing the system include geographically, oriented resource database for the provision of real time information on emergencies. Others include collective memory for providing rules and description about events, Online Communities of Experts for collaboration with different experts and markets (Turoff et al. 2004).
Conclusion
The functionality of the system is critical in enabling the provision of real time information for responding to emergency situations.
References
Turoff, M, Chumer, M, Van De Walle, B & Yao, X 2004, ‘The Design of a Dynamic Emergency Response Management Information System (Dermis)’, JITTA, Journal of Information Technology Theory and Application, vol 5 no. 4, pp. 1-35. Web.
The role of ICT in the management of disaster is enormous in the current world. ICT has proved to be very vital in effectively suppressing the impacts of the tragedies that humanity faces in the modern world.
The events of the beginning of the 21st century has witnessed an unprecedented capacity of ICT to solve the emerging human problems and calamities (Streitz, Kameas & Mavromamati 2007, p.114). The adoption of ICT services in disaster management has greatly improved the efficiency of handling such fatal occurrences. With the invention of advanced technology, the effects of disasters that occur inadvertently have been greatly reduced. (Oosterom, Zlatanova, & Fendel 2005, p.332). Thus, the purpose of this essay is to outline the systems designed to deal with disaster management.
Such computer applications, like the GPRS, have all revolutionized preparation for disaster and mitigation schemes.
Method
Disaster management programs are broadly based on their applications. Depending on their design framework, these software packages tend to solve numerous disaster problems. Through extensive consumer research, these programs are tailored to meet the exact needs of the consumers. The programs are very useful in averting possible loss of life or damage to property by aiding in the coordination of evacuation activities after disaster strikes. (Streitz, Kameas & Mavromamati 2007, p.114).
The designed software application should be capable of taking into consideration all the requirements of the disaster cycle:
Mitigation: how does the program operate to extenuate the effects the disasters?
Preparedness: Does the program have a functionality of alerting humanity in time to avert damages?
Response: How exactly does the application aid in offering any reaction to the disaster?
Recovery: In any case the disaster occurs, how exactly does the application operate to offer recuperation to victims?
These are fundamental questions the software designer must answer in the system development process.
Discussion
Computer applications used in disaster management are anchored on several variant aspects. The programs must yearn to meet these foundations in order to fulfill the mandate of the program design. The table below is a summary of all these aspects and their significance.
Design concept
significance
Incessant information
Disasters may occur very fast and it is often very difficult to predict them in time; the software design should ensure constant and timeless flow of information relevant to avert the disaster.
Poly-faceted and open information
Disaster management systems have to provide a multi directional communication and broad based system communication. This leads to enhanced communication
Content of information and location
The system must be able to supply enough information and its location in the directory
Data linkage and updates
The data should be intertwined to enhance search in the directory. Information from the database must be up to date for timely action
Psycho-social impacts
Psychological effects the information imparts on the users must be accounted for as a proper design method
According to American civil defense association, inception of ICT has witnessed improvement in disaster response and management. With the adoption of ICT systems over the last ten years, the casualty levels of Hurricanes have ebbed in the US. The table below summarizes the findings (Garcia and Hegge 2012).
Year
Reduction
2007
Casualties Reduced by 4% from 2006
2008
Reduced by 2%
2009
Reduced by 1%
2010
Reduced by 3%
2011
Reduced by 5%
The reduction of casualty levels have been partly attributed to the adoption of advanced technology in ICT.
References
Garcia, AW & Hegge, WS 2012, Hurricane storm surge data. Pine, New York.
Oosterom, PJ, Zlatanova, S & Fendel, EM 2005, Geo-information for disaster management. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Streitz, NA, Kameas, A & Mavrommati, I 2007, The disappearing computer interaction design, system infrastructures and applications for smart environments. Springer, Berlin.
It’s often in the tranquillity of our lives that disaster strikes creating havoc and emergencies that rip apart families and communities. During the last few years, the media has been full of various natural disasters ranging from ice storms, hurricanes in the Gulf region, Pacific cyclones, blizzards, ice storms, or heatwave spells. The not-so-natural disasters like California wildfires, power outages, terrorist attacks, hazardous chemical or material spills, road, air, and sea accidents, and the multitude of ramifications of these calamities. It is in midst of these alarming circumstances, family and personal safety are crucial and require a great deal of preparedness to cope with the resulting chaos that engulfs individual families. Taking preparatory measures to get ready for any unexpected emergency and reduce the stress help in reducing stress on the family. Every individual requires a formulation of a personal emergency plan of action in place as a basic necessity.
Main Discussion
The Indiana Memorial Union (IMU) building in Indiana University, Bloomington is the showpiece of the campus catering for student studies, dining, games, entertainment, and shopping mall. The building also has hotels, restaurants, cafes art gallery, and other amenities. In essence, a disaster within IMU would spell a calamity to the soul of the Indiana University campus life. My study on a disaster plan will focus on a plan to avert such a calamity on the monumental building.
Whenever large-scale calamities transpire, the various public safety organizations are called in to cater for the emergencies, including the fire departments, police departments, ambulance, and medical. Similarly, the American Red Cross and other volunteer organizations provide support, sanctuary, and other emergency requirements like restoring electricity, communication lines, and requiem’s utilities. However, these private and public utility organizations may not be able to reach the affected people or families due to the logistics of inaccessibility, hence meaning the affected can be left stranded for long periods sometimes leading to catastrophic endings for the afflicted. This is therefore when the need or availability of a personal emergency plan for disaster preparedness comes in. In Indiana Memorial Union (IMU) building, such an episode can strike in the midst of all the activities that occur there during the day or night time creating havoc and panic amongst the multitude of people there. A tragedy can also occur and confine somebody at the building and the basic necessities like water, gas, and communication are cut off for hours or days leaving the individuals stranded, hungry, and cold. Other tragedies can occur due to weather or terrorist attacks and the building is neglected for long periods as the whole region is engulfed in chaos. In case when a disaster strikes (e.g. tornado) and there is an emergency evacuation, it’s required that a strategic location for shelter. It is therefore imperative for each individual and family to have an emergency plan of action in case disaster strikes (FEMA, 2008).
According to Cornell University Personal Emergency Plan document, a personal disaster plan should include four basic steps: the knowledge of the various risks and how to deal with them; debating the action plan within the family; enacting the action plan; and rehearsing the plan of action (Cornell University, 1999). The knowledge of the potential hazards that may be experienced by the IMU building is essential to enable the formulation of a disaster plan. This will involve preparing for accidental fires, chemical leaks, earthquakes, tropical storms, etc. Similarly, people residing in the building need to formulate emergency measures for individuals who might get stranded in remote parts of the building or stranded at the lift and lobby areas and this might ultimately make a difference in life and death before evacuation is achieved (Cornell University, 1999).
The American Red Cross elucidates the course of a disaster plan more clearly through several emergency steps. A first step should be the circulation or posting of emergency phone numbers for an ambulance or medical services, police department, 911 which will assist students or visitors to reach the public and private disaster assistance crews. These are clearly posted in all designated public buildings at the campus, easily visible areas, and drilled to the students or designated disaster marshals. All disaster marshals should learn First Aid and CPR by training in the methods and practicing the same to ensure proper preparation involving the University. The same emergency measures should also be taught to the other students and staff irrespective of status as a further step to ensuring that all University members both staff and students are conversant with the basic first aid and revival techniques (American Red Cross, 2008).
All the locations of power, hydro, and gas shut-offs shall be clearly marked and drilled to the IMU building residents and campus members including how to operate them. Emergency equipment like flashlights, axes, fire extinguishers, etc., shall be kept in easily accessible areas that are known to all the university members. Workable smoke detectors with clean batteries must be installed on each floor and wing of the building. Experts reaffirm that well-maintained smoke detectors enhance the chance of surviving a fire by 50 percent. All the students and staff should also be taught how to operate the fire extinguishers. Periodic documented safety checks should be done on the fire equipment including drills on the campus members who use the building. The safety checks should encompass the building’s potential hazardous areas like dilapidated machinery and equipment that can spark off electrical faults. The various steps to follow when a disaster strikes will be formulated, this includes; evacuation measures, allocation of duties to deal with various arising issues, First Aid teams, securing sensitive equipment that can cause further damage like chemical spills, loss of vital equipment, among others. All this needs a coordinated and well-drilled stratagem involving the administration and emergency assistance teams.
Just like in homesteads, the IMU building needs to stock a two week supply of essential commodities like non-perishable food, portable radio, flashlight, bottled water, extra batteries, and first aid kit must be kept at hand to deal with situations that might lead to some people being confined and inaccessible within the building. The disaster supply kits are stored in areas that are easily accessible. The Cornell University emergency plan lists some of the essentials as follows: two-week stockades of prescription medicines; two-week stockade of non-perishable and special dietary rations; several sets of flashlights and accompanying batteries; several sets of portable radios and batteries; a First Aid manual and kit which must have bandages, antiseptic lotions, binding tapes, compresses, painkiller anti-diarrhea pills; mosquito repellent lotion or paste, citronella candles and matches; available coolers for either food storage or ice; water sanitization kits i.e. tablets, plain chlorine, and iodine; cleaning kit such as mops, towels, and disinfectants; cameras and batteries; portable lamps; plastic disposable trash bags, toilettes, and towels (Cornell University, 1999).
The disaster plan also calls for an emergency communications fallback. The IMU building occupants and University staff and students should ensure that a family member or friend call or e-mail to confirm their well-being when a tragedy occurs. The contact should be located far enough to ensure from your particular location hence are unlikely to be affected by the same disaster. Every faculty member should have a contacts number such that they can check on each other including family and friends. E-mails can and text messages can be equally effective as telephones are flooded or congested as all people call then. The evacuees who are grouped are in small members with a disaster marshal in charge. They are then encouraged to have an established meeting place as a procedure in the evacuation process. The disaster marshals then confirm the availability of each member of their group hence ensuring nobody is left stranded within the building in case of an emergency evacuation.
The professional disaster assistance crews also advise that when disaster strikes, all the building occupants should remain calm and patient while awaiting the emergency teams from Bloomington, Indiana. They should always follow the advice of local emergency assistance staff; listen to the media, radio, television, and websites for news and directives. A toll-free emergency telephone number is usually established for use in the affected areas by the local authorities. If there are casualties among the occupants of the building, first aid should be administered while the local authorize are made aware of the number of casualties. The team leaders should check for damage using the flashlights rather than lighting matches or candles or even turning on the electricity. The checklist should include fires, fire hazards, chemical or gas leaks, creaking walls, and unsteady pillars and beams. Any damaged equipment or facility should be shut off or cordoned off to the building occupants (FEMA, 2008).
The distressing effects conveyed by disasters are sometimes more traumatic than the monetary strains of damage and loss of personal property on the person. The Indiana University campus and IMU should therefore be psychologically prepared by the experts for such eventualities. All the disaster victims are afflicted to some extent by the catastrophe leading to bouts of sadness, grief, and anger. A disaster plan also requires a post-mortem revaluation of the victims to rehabilitate the victims from extended effects of stress and depression occasioned by the loss of personal property, family members, and first-hand traumatic experience of the disasters. The University should therefore set up an emergency psychological and psychiatric unit that can assist the affected members to deal with the after-effects of the trauma. The grouping can liaise with local faith-based organizations, voluntary groupings, FEMA for counseling these people. All building occupants including students and staff should be trained on ways to recognize the signs of people who require counseling. This includes difficulty in communication, sleeping disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, limited attention span, low work morale and performance, migraines and stomach problems, low concentration, depressions, mood swings, etc. Everybody is however encouraged to assist the distressed people by recommending them to the professionals and being helpful and understanding (Ripley, 2007).
Conclusion
Although tragedies and catastrophes can occur without warning, disaster preparedness is paramount for all individuals especially in those residing in disaster-prone areas. An emergency disaster plan can forestall the number of casualties in the affected areas to within a minimum when a well-formulated plan of action is established and enacted by the occupants. This disaster plan for the Indiana Memorial Union building at Indiana University calls for a coordinated effort from all the occupants of the building and a formal indoctrination in the specific steps to follow whenever an emergency or disaster befalls the building. The cooperation of the various sectors of the administration and student body is essential in minimizing the effects of a disaster. The aftermath of the disaster also calls for assistance for the victims of post-traumatic stress disorders and other forms of assistance.
References
Cornell University. (1999). Personal Emergency Preparedness.
Cross, The American Red. (2008). Terrorism—Preparing for the Unexpected.
Designing an efficient risk management strategy is crucial to the existence of any project or entrepreneurship, as well as the safety of its members. Although foreseeing every possible threat that may jeopardize the security of the project and its members are barely possible, it is still necessary to design the framework that will help address emergencies. Otherwise, the consequences of an unexpected shock may be dire, as the infamous case of Challenger and its unexpected explosion has shown. As the notorious example shows, the stage involving detailed and scrupulous tests of the project design, as well as the assessments of any possible flaws with their further elimination from the product, are to be completed fully so that the crucial threats to the wellbeing of the participants involved could be maintained and that the project losses could be driven to their minimum.
While the importance of the negative outside effects is not to be underrated when designing an appropriate risk management framework, the case study points clearly to the necessity to identify the internal issues before launching the project. According to the details provided in the Challenger case study, the strong headwind was the trigger for the disaster to happen, but it was not the core reason for the problem to occur in the first place. Indeed, as the narrator explains, the problems in the design of the shuttle were the key to understanding why the tragedy took place (Bal, 2011). In other words, the case is a graphic representation of the drastic effects that the inconsistent leadership approach, in general, and the lack of supervision coupled with a poor quality management framework must have affected not only the end product but also the lives of people that were involved in its development.
When defining the stage of risk management at which the loopholes in the project safety emerged, one must admit that there might be variations in determining the determinants affecting the failure of Challenger. However, it would be safe to say that the problems started to show at the third stage of the risk management process (risks evaluation). Going into further detail, one should mention that the people involved in designing the shuttle failed to design the attachment rings so that they could withstand a rapid change in temperature (e.g., a drop thereof as in the case in point): “As superhard gases escape, small pieces of aluminum slag from the rocket fuel build up and block the hole” (Bal, 2011, 5:46-6.05). In other words, even though hitting the headwind was an equivalent of facing Hurricane Katrina, as the narrator explains, it was not the storm that made Challenger collapse. Instead, the lack of supervision at the building stage combined with the poor analysis of the risks that the pilots may face after the launch played a sad yet inevitable part in the destruction of the shuttle (NASA, 2015).
It could be argued that the encounter with the headwind would have affected the shuttle in a most deplorable manner either way. Nevertheless, if Challenger had been built impeccably, and a coherent risk management approach that would have provided the pilots with a plan to address emergencies had been designed, the tragedy could have been avoided. Therefore, the case shows that the creation of a viable risk management framework starts from isolating the factors that may affect the project in any possible way, including financial, economic, political, legal, sociocultural, and environmental ones (Sadgrove, 2015).
Furthermore, the development of an efficient quality management approach is essential to prevent accidents and handle problems that must be brought up as a crucial stage in the risk management process. Although the quality-management-related activities are typically viewed as a separate issue, they, are linked directly to the process of addressing and mitigating risks. Indeed, in retrospect, the Challenger tragedy could have been avoided if the quality standards had been followed when designing the shuttle and if the supervision process had been arranged appropriately.
A tragic event that will be remembered forever in the history of the United States, the explosion of Challenger also provides bitter yet important lessons to learn as far as the risk management issues are concerned. Failing to identify the threats that Challenger and its pilots were about to face, the engineers turned the process of launching the shuttle into a time bomb. Even though the environmental issues could be viewed as the factor that had triggered the failure, the root causes of the explosion were in the design of Challenger. Furthermore, considering the possible environmental factors, such as headwind, may have prevented the incident from occurring. Therefore, the case in point serves as a graphic representation of risk mismanagement and informs about the need to follow every single stage of the risk management procedure carefully to safeguard not only the project but also the people that participate in it. It serves as a warning against rushed decisions and poorly planned risk management.
References
Bal, E. V. (2011). Challenger – A case study in risk management. Web.
System safety and security are critical for every organization because they allow professionals to predict and identify possible threats and issues that can have negative influences on organizational performance, human health, and the environment. Functional safety in this framework focuses on those hazards that are caused by technology, such as equipment, its specific part, or application. A failure to ensure safety often leads to critical disasters. Buncefield Oil Depot is an organization from the UK that dealt with such kind of problems in 2005. On December 11, one of its oil storages exploded unexpectedly, which made the whole safety group unpleasantly surprised and worried.
The disaster at the oil depot was tracked back to December 10, 2005. It was reported that “at around 07:00 pm, tank 912 of the Buncefield oil depot started receiving unleaded motor fuel from the Coryton refinery” (Taveau, 2012, p. 55). Still, the issue became critical only with time, as the filling of the tank continued, which resulted in the overflow that happened on the morning of the next day. As the fuel was leaking away, it filled the oil storage facility, creating a fuel-air mixture. Soon, the vapor cloud reached a height of 3m and covered not only the oil depot but also the area around it, so that more than 100,000 sq. m. were affected (Gant & Atkinson, 2011). At about 6:00 a.m., the first big explosion happened and triggered further fires. As a result, more than 20 storage tanks were damaged that day. Even the car parks located in that area were affected. The plume of smoke spread to the South and could be easily seen from a distance. Emergency services and the strategic group gathered that day as soon as they got to know about the accident. The next day, firefighters successfully coped with the peak of the fire but it was already impossible to avoid a critical loss of secondary containment. On December 15, the fire stopped, and an on-site investigation began on December 16 even though some parts remained dangerous to approach for months. All actions finished only in February (Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board, 2006).
The investigation conducted under the lead of the Investigation Board revealed that the disaster was caused by problems with the automated tank gauging system (ATG) and the independent high-level switch (IHLS). As it turned out, they were not able to operate effectively, which caused extreme increases in the fuel level and a loss of primary containment.
The IHLS was adopted by Buncefield Oil Deport in the middle of 2004. This tool was provided by TAV Engineering Ltd., an organization that both designed and manufactured it. It designed the switch so that it required routine tests that assessed its effectiveness. However, the installation was maintained by people who were not aware of the way the IHLS worked, which made oil depot full of the false belief that its operations were secure. After the test, the tool was not operating, and no one paid attention to this fact. Thus, if TAV had all systems in place and Buncefield was able to use the IHLS in practice appropriately, explosions could have been avoided. Focusing on the design of this tool, professionals indicated that it was possible to cope with the design faults on the initial stages even before manufacturing. In addition to that, issues could have been minimalized if clear guidance was provided. It cannot be denied that TAV was well aware of the fact that the tool it provided would have been used in the high-hazard environment. Thus, it should have implemented additional assessments to ensure safety. In this way, TAV should have maintained extra research to gather the information about Buncefield and peculiarities of its operations so that the switch it provided met customer’s needs.
The defects in design and poor availability of critical information that were among the triggers of the discussed disaster could have been addressed later as well. Motherwell Control Systems 2003 Ltd was able to check the information provided by TAV and emphasize the necessity to give sufficient clarity considering the design and use of the switch. Motherwell had well-educated and experienced professionals who were able to identify discussed drawbacks however they failed to pay enough attention to the system for checking and understanding (COMAH, 2010). Thus, its failure dealt with the specification of the requirements of switches, the absence of critical data obtained from the manufacturer, and poor understanding of the vulnerabilities of the tool. It also relied on TAV to much instead of focusing on personal significance and duties.
Problems with the ATG system were reported to be another critical issue that led to explosions. The problems with servo-gauge were observed since the end of August 2005. It had stuck 14 times before the accident, which should have already been thoroughly investigated by the professionals (Mannan & O’Connor, 2009). However, supervisors focused mainly on the symptoms. Even though they were interested like the problem as well, it was never identified decently. In this way, it can be claimed that there were managerial and organizational issues that led to the failure of the ATG system and caused explosions. In addition to that, it is critical to mention that unlike with the IHLS, Motherwell identified no necessity of regular tests for the ATG. Its personnel was not interested in the reasons for frequent issues and did not try to analyze the reliability of the system.
In addition to that, the ATG system had a poor monitoring screen. It allowed displaying the data that related only to one tank while there were many more of them in Buncefield. In this way, the possibility of overlooking a problem increased greatly because professionals were not able to use several computers to control tank filling decently. In the framework of the discussed disaster, it would have been rather beneficial if the staff was able to close the valves. However, the emergency shutdown was not managed, and there was no possibility to close several pipelines. The ATG system was claimed to have built-in security that could have been modified to meet the parameters of the organization that used it. In general, it was not proved that it could have triggered the incident. However, the control room staff had an opportunity to implement changes in the alarm settings, which could have prevented the personnel from noticing the issue. Similarly, they also had a chance to alter settings, focusing on the tank level and filing data so that the problem could have been identified if the sticking gauge happened.
Based on the discussed information, it can also be claimed that a range of improvements apart from those connected with systems and their shortcomings need to be addressed. For example, Buncefield should ensure that its personnel is ready to perform its duties effectively and efficiently outside of normal operations. They require training to get to know how to record and review issues as well. The company should also pay more attention to the pressure of work because it affects people’s actions and their ability to operate properly (Taveau, 2012). Management should ensure that personnel’s workloads are reasonable and all people are in similar conditions. Realizing that Buncefield was a high-hazard setting, the organization should have ensured that no issues among the parties occur. For instance, it could have benefited from formal arrangements (Mishra, Wehrstedta, & Krebsb, 2013).
Professionals were extremely worried about the consequences of the disaster because it affected the environment. A range of monitoring processes was maintained to assess contamination levels and consider who they can be reduced. Fortunately, there was no crucial impact made on the quality of air. However, the surface layer of land and groundwater was polluted to some degree. It was not extreme, but the necessity to cooperate with the environment agency and develop a model to continue assessments and enhance the situation was not denied.
Thus, it can be concluded that the discussed disaster happened mainly because of the problems with system design and operation. In addition to that, emergency response was not maintained decently, which prevented Buncefield from the at least partial reduction of negative consequences caused by explosions. Even if the design of the ATG system and IHLS were not improved in the initial stages, the oil depot could have limited damages to the tank that was overflown from the very beginning. Buncefield should analyze this disaster and fill those safety gaps that affected its operations, developing a range of the best practices.
References
Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board. (2006). Buncefield major incident investigation. Web.
COMAH. (2010). Buncefield: Why did it happen? Web.
Gant, S., & Atkinson, G. (2011). Dispersion of the vapour cloud in the Buncefield incident. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 89(6), 391-403.
Mannan, S., & O’Connor, M. (2009). A technical analysis of the Buncefield explosion and fire. Web.
Mishra, K., Wehrstedta, K., & Krebsb, H. (2013). Lessons learned from recent fuel storage fires. Fuel Processing Technology, 107, 166-172.
Taveau, J. (2012). The Buncefield explosion: Were the resulting overpressures really unforeseeable? Process Safety Progress, 31(1), 55-71.
The world witnesses several natural disasters that clam millions and millions of human lives every year. Natural disasters such as volcanic eruption, earthquake, lightning, floods, hurricanes and tornadoes are the result of a natural hazard which generally moves from potential in to an active phase. This may result in serious damages and affects human activities. If there is no proper planning and preparedness, it may lead to serious vulnerability that can be financial, structural, and human losses. Natural disasters need proper planning to overcome. Apart from the natural disasters, there are numerous events that may possibly be classified as a technology disaster. Hardware breakdown, Virus attacks, or it can be situations such as forgetting passwords can create great problems in a company’s operations. This paper discusses in brief the methods to protect a company’s knowledge base in any event of natural disasters.
Main body
One of the easiest ways to overcome and protect the company’s knowledge base is by maintaining operations manual that presents an exhaustive explanation of the organization workflow and important processes. It can also include precautions or even response steps to certain failures. It can be also a database including the planned steps to keep technology assets throughout a disaster period. It can also help in case the company has to be shifted to another location, this knowledge base and database can be of great help. However, in case of sudden natural disasters such as severe flood, hurricane, or ice storm or even in cases such as volcanic eruptions or earthquakes, it might be possible that the stored data may get completely destroyed. Even if the data is stored as a soft copy, it might not be easy for the data retrieval due to power outages for a prolonged period of time.
Today organizations have various branches inside and outside the countries. The technological expansion has helped most companies to go beyond the boundaries of their immediate location that may be affected by the disaster. The information that is stored in other places will help to continue the business even if their area is affected by a disaster. There are several companies that work from remote locations over a single network and this way the company’s knowledge base can be stored in different places even if the primary location is not available due to some reasons.
The manpower that is lost during a disaster is one of the major lose. The intelligent work forces are also an important source of knowledge and need to be protected. There are several technological options such as supplemental power and high accessibility that can preserve service during a disaster. Hence it can be said that documenting significant system or organizational information lessens the brunt to the organization even if there is loss of employees or the major staff. In any cases if there is a sudden disaster and there is loss of any data, it becomes highly difficult for the managers to get back the knowledge of the business and also if there is an abrupt loss of an employees. Even with advanced notice of a separation, there is generally not sufficient time to transfer knowledge and train a new employee (KNS, 1999).
Today even with the technological hype, it is difficult to protect the knowledge base. There are several companies that put their most precious computer databases several meters below ground in trenches. These can protect the information from various natural and man-made disasters such as nuclear explosion, terrorist attack, chemical or biological warfare etc. knowledge base of prime companies such as the media, economics, telecommunications and biotechnology have preserved their servers in completely sealed or air tight environments. The protections can include pressurized air locks, refined electronic detection systems, special metal doors, safety human resources and barbed wire. In fact these companies need a very high level of protection that includes off-site storage, superfluous power, and fire protection etc. researchers in this field have suggested that it is always good to keep the important data in tow or more diverse places that are at a minimum of 75 kilometers away. Besides, the servers need to be protected from any dangers and implementation of virus protection and fire wall is essential.
It is very essential to have a well-planned, proven data-protection approach that will make sure business continuity even if incidences such as 9/11 or natural disasters occur. There are several organizations that have come out with such ideas. For instance, in Germany, Tenovis Databurg has fabricated a 2,200-square-meter electronic castle in Frankfurt particularly intended to make sure company connection for some of the chief German banks and financial institutions was not lost in case of a terrorist attack or natural disaster. Similarly, in the United States, a corporation called Underground Secure Data Center Operations constructed a storage facility that is 85 feet buried underground in a deserted gypsum mine in Michigan (McGrath, 2002).
In conclusion, it can be said that the most important wealth in the world is knowledge. It empowers public policy, educates citizens, enhances person talents, amplifies team output, and drives innovation (ASAE & The Center, 2008). Today most of the organization recognizes the fact that knowledge is the key asset that needs to be preserved in a most safe manner from any kind of catastrophic events. It is essential that the knowledge especially the operational knowledge is passed on and on to the new generation employees from the old employees. Besides, any natural disasters leave the organizations at great trouble when these events produce employee churn that drains the knowledge asset.
References
ASAE & The Center, (2008) Knowledge Continuity: The New Competitive Advantage, Web.
The need for an incident command system (ICS) came into the limelight after the wildfires that rocked south California in late 1970. The fire caused sixteen deaths, 600000 acres of vegetation and more than 700 structures were completely burned. According to Heide, Incident Command System is the organizational structure comprising personnel, procedures, policies, and equipment that are integrated to be able to manage the response operations of any form of emergencies and disasters, irrespective of the magnitude. The incident command system was designed to improve interagency communication and hence offer a platform of joint planning (Irwin 23). Its development was to address the disorganization in planning and operational witnessed at inter agencies level, inadequacy in intelligence, mismanagement of resources, and limitation in the prediction of fire occurrences. This essay will discuss the incident command system, reasons for its establishment, and its various levels of command and devise an appropriate risk assessment and action plan that would have been implemented at Buncefield. The essay will also explore the role of effective liaison with the media in a disaster situation.
According to the National Response Team (NRT), ICS is usually governed by five key functionalities. These functional areas are operations, command, planning, logistics, and financial management. The NRT notes that intelligence must be integrated into the organization depending on the kind of complexity of the disaster or emergency. In the United Kingdom, the incident command system is widely used by the disaster response units in responding to fire tragedies. During the Buncefield fire tragedy, the ICS was widely utilized by the police and the fire brigades drawn up from all over the UK. According to the HPA press, the fire was caused by a succession of explosions in fuel storage tanks in the Hertfordshire oil storage terminal. The facility had a capacity of 275 million liters of oil products which were owned by Total UK limited (BBC). The fire that ensued lasted for several days before it was eventually put off by a contingent of fire brigades and the metropolitan police with the ICS being commanded from the Hertfordshire constabulary (National Environment Research Council par.4).
The command structure employed during the operation was the gold –silver- bronze command structure which is commonly used by the UK emergency services. The London metropolitan services developed a manual on the management of disasters where the titles represent the roles but not the ranks. The gold has the overall command of the response including resources. The silver is the one who devises the tactics to be deployed in the operations of the team while the bronze roles are to control and ensure the resources at hand are distributed equitably to achieve maximum results. This hierarchical framework is similar to the strategic- tactical- operational procedure used in other countries (Heide 147).
Factors that support the formation of an incident command system
Several key factors make it vital for an effective incident command to be devised in the UK to enhance the response and management of large-scale disasters. The factors should enhance proper coordination with a well-arranged chain of command. Proper coordination will ensure that the goals of the operations are met by allowing the flow of communication to the relevant commands and the subsequent distribution to all stakeholders involved in the response (Heide). The design of the whole ICS unit should be standardized to allow its flexibility and proper working. The need for a comprehensive chain of command of supervision to ensure monitoring of the responsibilities at all levels and also aid in the priority setting of the operations.
Communication efficiency and working in synergy with public officials and other agencies are also a prerequisite for the management of catastrophic disasters. The liaison officer will link the response units with the findings of investigating bodies particularly in this era of increased terrorism acts. This will be in tandem with the recommendation made by the task force mandated to look into ways of mitigating the effects of a disaster of the Buncefield nature.
Another reason for the establishment is to create a body that will conduct training and awareness campaigns among various groups. This body will set minimum guidelines on the coordination, response culture and develop a common language that will make dissemination effective. The specialization of several cadres of response units will be well utilized through contacting of the units which are needed depending on the type of the emergency.
Levels of commands in a unified command
The unified command is a structure that brings on board several incidental commanders in one team. The incident commanders retain the duties in their areas of jurisdiction or organizations. The main aim of the integration is to achieve consensus in the implementation decisions. The unified command is mostly applicable when a response encompasses multiple functionalities, different levels of government, cross boundaries, or a constellation of these factors. The unified command involves various officers who have different roles and responsibilities. They include the incident commander, command staff, information officer, liaison officer, safety officer and general staff. The incident commander (IC) is the topmost authority in this hierarchy and is in charge of synthesizing objectives, managing and directing the response operations. He/ she oversees and assigns duties to the other officers. In a disaster scenario, he/she must ensure the safety of the rescue workers, onlookers and the victims. The IC must manage the resources at his disposal efficiently and always make cost-effective in all the undertakings. Other roles include ensuring that the action plans are implemented accordingly after he/she approves them. Determination of strategies and observation of provision of safety measures are other crucial roles the IC must ensure are adhered to.
The command staffs are responsible for operational activities such as public relations, health, and safety and report to the incident commander. The information officer disseminates information to the public through the use of media houses, other agencies or organizations. The liaison officer’s role is to create a link among the various response groups thereby allowing activities to run smoothly. The safety officer advises the IC on the suitable measures to be put in place to safeguard personnel safety. This is after he/she reviews the incidental plans and analyses of the hazardous situations on the site. The general staff is another level of command that is key for a successful incidental action plan. In this category are operations, planning, logistics, and the administration staff. Their responsibilities usually lie with the IC, although sometimes the duties are distributed to departmental heads (National response team 12-14). The planning staff is in charge of managing all information on the progress of the incidental operations while the operations staff oversees the technical functionalities of the response. These include all the activities directed at managing the situation and alleviating human suffering. The logistics staff’s main role is to ensure that equipment, facilities, and any materials needed during the response are available when needed. The financial aspects and the cost analysis of the response are carried out by the finance and administrative officer (Federal emergency management agency par. 5).
Risk assessment plan
The effects of the Buncefield fire could have greatly been reduced if an appropriate risk assessment had taken place before the incident. A risk assessment is useful since it addresses the corrective measures that need to be in place from risks in the workplace. A risk control plan has several elements and procedures which help the assessor to deduce the best mitigation measures for each risk. The plan should have taken into account the hazard to be controlled for each activity and its associated risks. In the case of the Buncefield fire, the assessors should have listed the risks associated with the oil facility. The assessor should have developed a mechanism to control the hazard and identify the person who will be in charge of controlling the hazard if it occurred. Another consideration was to identify the persons or specific groups who would be put at risk by the hazard. The degree of the risk should also have been determined and the mode the harm would affect each individual should as well be documented. The risk posed should be rated as low, medium, or high depending on the likelihood of occurrence and the seriousness of the harm. The mode of harm would be different depending on the location of the workers and the persons at risk. Other factors like the vulnerability of children, pregnant mothers, and persons suffering from respiratory disorders should have been determined. Such information would have helped the response team to take immediate action. The critical limits of the risks should be identified through well-set-up monitoring procedures and equipment. This is significant because the officers on duty will know when to raise an alarm for evacuation purposes and allow full response to begin (Fire Rages after Blasts at Oil Depot 5).
The measures or restrictions the storage facility had put in place could have been reinforced with more advanced mitigation procedures. The inadequacy of control measures is mostly traced when a review of the existing safety and health measures are undertaken in a factory or an industry. At this juncture, the assessor should have come up with the results of the risk assessment and rate the corrective actions against the degree of risk posed. This, in turn, would have helped in the development of an action plan where corrective actions are allocated timelines and assigned to a specific individual for accountability purposes. This is usually cross-checked when another assessment is conducted on the same premises. (Eriksson 69-95)
Structure of an action plan
Effective action plans are a requirement for industries and any processes that may have negative consequences to public health and the environment in general. An ideal incidental action plan should address the risks and control measures to be undertaken to normalize the situation. An action plan must have the aim, objectives, planning, implementation, evaluation, and debriefing aspect in its structure as elaborated below (National Response Team 20).
Aim: To mitigate the consequences of a fire outbreak and oil spills in the Buncefield oil storage facility
Objectives:
To comply with the laid down regulations by the health and safety executive
To carry out a response operation based according to laid down regulations.
To establish firefighting equipment and underground water storage tanks, oil sucking equipment, and lagoons in the premises.
To control the fire within the least time possible and limit it to the facility premises
To avail information to the various agencies by posting updates on the print media, public notice boards, and on the company’s website.
Planning: Adequate resources in terms of logistics, personnel, and finance are set aside for emergency operations. The various stakeholders in the unified command will arrive at the scene of the incident. The first to arrive will take charge and assign duties depending on the priorities of the moment. The arrival of the other units will result in the specialization of activities.
Implementation: The formation of a unified command run from a location near the Buncefield depot. The unified command would bring together the metropolitan department, Buncefield facility management, the fire brigade, the British Red Cross society, and other public agencies. The incidental commander in the national emergency response team will be the overall supervisor and will oversee the operations of the command. Under him will be the liaison officer, information officer, command staff, safety officer, and general staff. Each officer will be in charge of activities of his/her docket and will report to the immediate supervisor to enhance communication and coordination.
Evaluation: A regular and comprehensive monitoring and evaluation will be conducted throughout operations. This will be in tandem with the regulations spelled in the report presented by the task force appointed to look into the aftermath of Buncefield.
Debriefing: The response mission will be called off after the fire has been contained and no signs of resurgence. The unified will carry an audit of the whole operation and the information disseminated to all relevant stakeholders (Irwin 10).
Public agencies that ought to have been involved in Buncefield
The public agencies that would have been involved include the environmental agency, department of commerce, department of defense, and the British Geological Survey. The environmental agency should have been involved in the assessment of the level of groundwater pollution resulting from the oil spillage. Contamination of other surface waters could also have occurred owing to the massive quantities of oil in the storage facility. The Department of Defense has some of the most sophisticated firefighting equipment in the United Kingdom. Their involvement would have reduced considerably the time spent in extinguishing the fire. The geology department should have carried an evaluation of the impact of the emissions on the atmosphere in aspects of pollution and effects on weather and advice the public on the appropriate mitigation measures. The department of commerce should have been consulted considering the significant economic losses emanating from the damages caused by the explosion (British Geological Survey 8).
Role of effective liaison with the media and other public agencies
The role of constructive reporting by the media cannot be overlooked particularly in the era of the digital revolution. On this basis, the disaster response units should ensure accurate, reliable, and regular information on the operations of the disaster is communicated to relevant stakeholders. Bhavan notes that communication relayed through mass media about imminent disasters is pivotal in awakening the community into action. Bhavan asserts the media is the only communication tool that can play the greatest role in forewarning and enlightening the masses on ways of mitigating themselves from the effects of disasters. Relief agencies and government authorities rely on information from the media to plan evacuation procedures and distribution of basic commodities. Accurate information relied upon through the news media is known to lower possible psychological effects that result from the passage of incorrect information. Media coverage has also enhanced the conveyance of information from disaster-prone areas which in turn is used for response preparation. The independence enjoyed by the media industry, qualified journalists and the massive investment has enabled objectivity to prevail in the reporting of global events (par 4).
The Buncefield response team lacked a well-established framework to enable proper liaison between it and other agencies. This occasioned an upsurge of theories of the possible cause of the explosion. Some media houses reported that the explosion was an act of terrorism thus causing panic within the United Kingdom. There also lacked proper coordination of the rescue operations owing to a lack of concerted liaison efforts among the stakeholders. This also impacted the duration spent by the rescue mission to put off the fire. Information on the disaster should have been relayed from one command to ensure uniformity in the reporting. News agencies should have been warned about speculation and inaccurate reporting until the investigation bodies unearthed the cause. This would have reduced panicking particularly in areas where evacuation was supposed to take place (Lessons from the Buncefield Fire 2)
Conclusion
Although no fatalities occurred in the Buncefield fire tragedy, it still remains one of the worst disasters of recent times. The lessons learnt helped the UK government to set the minimum standards for possible intervention in times of disasters emphasizing largely on emergency preparedness and timely response. There is every reason for all stakeholders to have adequate resources needed during emergencies so that loss of lives and destruction of properties can be reduced.
Works Cited
Bhavan, Vijay. Disaster communication and early warning systems. Disaster Management congress of India. 2009.
British Geological Survey. “Hemel Hempstead Area”. 2005. Web.
Erickson, Paul. Emergency response planning for corporate and municipal Managers. San Diego. Harcourt and Brace Company. 1999.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. National Incident Management System: Incident Command System. Washington. 2008. Web.
“Fire Rages after Blasts at Oil Depot”. Sky News. 2005. Web.
Heidi, Erik. Disaster Response: Principles of Preparation and Coordination. Mosby. St. Louis. 1989.
“Lessons from the Buncefield Fire”. HPA Press Office. 2006. Web.
Irwin, R. Principles of Disasters and Emergencies. St Louis. Mosby. 1990.
“Massive blaze rages at fuel depot“. BBC News. 2005. Web.
National Response Team. ICS/UC Technical Assistance Document. 1990. Web.
Natural Environment Research Council. Oil depot explosion update. 2006. Web.
Unfortunately, people often face numerous challenges and dangers that come from the increased complexity of the modern world. The common usage of new technologies, flammable materials, new vehicles and means of transport result in the appearance of numerous security concerns. Despite the increased level of attention given to this very aspect of human functioning, there are still accidents and cases of mass disaster characterized by numerous victims.
For this reason, it is vital to investigate reasons that predetermined the failure and guarantee the creation of the efficient solution needed to avoid the same incidents in the future. Under these conditions, the exploration of the crime scene of a mass disaster becomes the major concern for the local authority in the community where the disaster has occurred (Byrd, n.d.). It has to guarantee the involvement of all specialists to obtain all data needed for the precise and comprehensive evaluation of every aspect of an incident.
Besides, the following crime scene of a mass disaster could be used as the main case for the analysis. The airplane Boeing 767 crashed in the heavily forested area. There are no clear and understandable reasons for the given accident. The plane did not respond to any signals and soon after was found in the area. It is expected that all passengers and members of air-crew are dead because of the high aptitude and absence of any opportunity to survive. The aerial vehicle is broken into a number of small and large pieces, and the fuselage is torn apart, The area is interspersed with corpses, luggage, etc. Additionally, the plane crashed at the beginning of the route and petrol tanks were almost full. That is why there are numerous flame bases, and there is the great threat of the wood fire.
Considering the above-mentioned crime scene of a mass disaster, one could hardly state reasons and conditions that predetermined the collapse. Therefore, there is the need for the creation of a multi-segment team comprised of specialists who will be able to elucidate the situation and collect data needed for the final conclusion. The major concerns related to the accident should be taken into account.
Yet, local authorities and uniformed officers do not possess special skills needed to process this very crime scene. For this reason, a wide range of specialists is needed. Considering this disasters peculiarities, the following professionals should be suggested. First, fire marshals are needed to fight the fire and suppress flame propagation. Additionally, bomb squad technicians should also be used while investigating the wreckage and stating the reasons for the disaster.
The character of the accident conditions the great destruction of bodies, especially if they were not found immediately (The role of crime-scene personnel when responding to scenes of mass disaster, n.d.). That is why identification of corpses and creation of the needed medical reports becomes an important task which should be accomplished by the team of forensic scientists. There is also the need for the representatives of the local government and police to cordon the area and prevent occasional people from entering the crime scene. Police officers should also patrol the area.
Besides, all members of the above-mentioned team have their own unique duties and tasks that are needed to collect the crucial data and make the credible conclusion. Bomb squad technicians are needed because of the existing threat of a terrorist attack. The fact is that any aircraft crash attracts great public attention and could be used by extremist organizations to proclaim their aims. The bomb squad should state whether there was any explosive bomb or not. In case there is the high probability of the controlled blast, this squad should also determine the type of the materials used. It is crucial to avoid the accidents of this kind in the future and increase the level of security.
Fire marshals also play a significant role. Identifying the flame bases and the way fire traveled they help to restore the course of events and understand how the plane crashed. Additionally, the character of the area conditions the great possibility of wood fire which means that there is the necessity to guarantee the usage of all modern technologies to avoid the spread of the fire.
Finally, forensic sciences should collect DNA samples, fingerprints, parts of bodies, etc. (Mass Disasters, n.d.). These materials are needed to help identify bodies and understand the main aspects of the given crash.
Altogether, the investigation of the crime scene of a mass disaster is a complex and long-term process which success depends on the efficiency of the team that works in the area. Any disaster of this sort presupposes the existence of a number of factors that should be considered when restoring the events that predetermined the crash. The modern science provides an opportunity to create the digital model that will show specialists the main peculiarities of the accident. Using the above-mentioned case as the background for our project, we obtain the idea how accidents of this sort could be investigated.
Over the last few decades, the public has become increasingly aware of the dangers industrialization pose to society.
Despite the numerous benefits that have been accrued from industrial progress and technological advancement, growing concern regarding the safety of products and by-products manufactured by various industries has led to swelling debates among various social and political sectors.
Ultimately, the engineering sector has been forced to showcase high levels of social responsibility and legal liability in all its endeavors. However, accidents still occur due to structural and planning inadequacies.
This paper shall provide an in depth discussion regarding the engineering disaster that led to the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
Overview of the case study
On March 24th 1989, an oil tanker named Exxon Valdez rammed into a reef and spilled over eleven million gallons of crude oil into the sea at Prince William Sound.
While no human lives were lost during the incident, the effects of the disaster on marine life was devastating. It became the largest and most publicized man-made environmental disaster in America.
Investigation into the incident indicated that communication and structural factors led to the occurrence of this gruesome event.
Causes of Exxon Valdez oil spill
According to documented literature, the Exxon Valdez had been designed to carry two million barrels of oil daily. Caution was not exercised in regulating the operations and inspecting the systems of the tanker, due to its success rate.
In regard to this incident, there are speculations that the captain was drunk and was not at his post during the incident. As such, the third mate steered the ship using the autopilot mechanism.
However, the report submitted by the NTSB indicated that the incident was as a result of equipment malfunction (the sonar was not working). Further reports indicate that the captain decided to take an unapproved shortcut in order to avoid icebergs.
In addition, cheap construction of the ship’s hull contributed to the reduction of the safety margin. The ship had a single hull system, which was cheaper than the recommended double hull system. This means that there was no extra protection in case the hull was punctured.
Analysis of the problem
From the information presented above, it is evident that the ship was taking an unsanctioned shortcut through shallow waters without a captain, or a sonar system.
This human error combined with the engineering flaws (poor maintenance, below standard hull system and faulty equipments) led to the occurrence of this disastrous event. For example, implementation of proper engineering procedures would have helped the crew in detecting the errors that led to the disaster.
Similarly, the risk aversion and containment procedures were lacking. The ship had 19 crew members onboard. There is no way they could have adequately maintain the whole ship or implement containment procedures on time.
Solution to the problem
Safety issues should not be ignored in any endeavor. As such, it is the duty of all engineers to ensure that their work does not lead to the loss of property or lives. One way of ensuring safety is by developing a safety and regulatory board.
This board would be tasked with the duties of setting safety standards for all vessels, and supervising them to ensure that all ships are maintained as per the expected standards.
In this case, such a board would have ensured that the sonar was working, and the ship was well equipped and structured to carry the stipulated volume of crude oil.
Secondly, laws should be enacted to govern the structural, human and equipment requirements needed to run oil tankers and other sea vessels. For example, there should be laws that set the weight limit of various oil tankers, as well as the structural requirements for tankers (double hulled).
In addition, all oil tankers should have two escort response vehicles (ERV) to ensure that support is there whenever it is needed. If such laws were there before the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the occurrence would have been averted or maintained at a safe level.
For example, ERVs would have offered valuable support before the rescue services and containment units reached the scene. However, due to lack of such services, the oil spill was out of control by the time the recovery teams arrived at the scene.
Conclusion
The environment plays a pivotal role in facilitating the survival of various life forms. As such, measures should be implemented to safeguard it against natural and man-made disasters. In this essay, the causes and effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill have been discussed.
Viable solutions that could have been used to avoid or contain the incident have also been provided. Evidently, there were structural and human errors that led to the oil spill. These errors could have been averted if the engineers did their jobs efficiently.
Therefore, companies that manufacture and maintain such vessels should improve their safety standards and work ethics in order to avoid a repeat of such a disastrous incident. In so doing, the environment will be safe from such events.
