DM UNIT 4
DM UNIT 4
Research Centre
Year/Semester: IV/VIII
Subject: Disaster Management (8TT6-60.2)
Unit-IV Man Made Disaster
Prepared by: Anima Sharma
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Content (to be covered) IN Unit – IV
◻ Man-Made Disasters
◻ Types of Man Made disaster
◻ Industrial Hazards
◻ Industrial Hazard Vulnerabilities
◻ What Are the Main Causes of Industrial Accidents?
◻ How to reduce risks
◻ Prevention of Industrial Accidents
◻ Fire Hazards
◻ Preparation of state and district disaster management plan
(Beyond Curriculum)
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Man-Made Disasters:
Man-made disasters are the result of carelessness or human errors during
technological and industrial use. The disasters are in the form of accidents, which
occur all of a sudden and take a huge toll on life and property. Mostly such disasters
cause injuries, diseases and casualties where they occur.
Local disasters:
These are small-scale disasters such as train accidents, plane crashes and shipwrecks.
Industrial Hazards
Industrial hazards consist of four principle hazards. This is because industries employ
many different processes involving a wide range of different raw materials,
intermediates, waste products and final products. The hazards encountered are fire,
explosion, toxic release and environmental damage.
◻ Fire: This is the most frequent of the hazards however the consequences are
generally less. The effect of fire on people usually takes the form of skin burns
and is usually dependant on the exposure time and the intensity of the heat. Fire
can also produce toxic fumes like Acrolein, Carbon monoxide and Cyanides.
Physical structures can be damaged either by the intensity of the heat or
combustion. It may also have an effect on essential services like power and
instrumentation which can cause an escalation of the incident
◻ Explosion: Explosions are usually heard from far away as a ‘bang’. This is the
result of a shock wave. This overpressure can kill people but usually the indirect
effects of collapsing buildings, flying glass and debris causes far more loss of life
and severe injuries. There are different types of explosions which include gas
explosions and dust explosions. Gas explosions occur when a flammable gas
mixes with air and is exposed to an ignition source. Dust explosions occur when
flammable solids, especially metals, in the form of fine powders are intensively
mixed with air and ignited.
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and air. Their release into public sewage systems, rivers, canals and other water
courses, either directly or through contaminated water used in fire fighting can
result in serious threat to public. The number of casualties depends on the
weather conditions, population density in the path of the cloud and the
effectiveness of the emergency arrangements.
Communities like California and Couva are located too close to the Point Lisas
industrial estate. If there is an explosion or chemical release, there communities will be
severely affected potentially with many deaths and structural damage
Industries in Point Lisas Industrial estate are located in such a way that it is easy for
one failure to cause a domino effect e.g. there is a methanol plant situated
approximately 150m for a power generation plant. This power plant can produce a
very easy source of ignition for any possible leak that may occur from the methanol
plant.
· Lack of knowledge
Many persons in the country and primarily persons close to the industrial estate are
unaware of the actual dangers they face on a daily basis. Although it has been said may
times, persons continue to ignore this because a disaster of catastrophic scale has not
occurred before at the estate and companies boast of the low probability of such an
incident. From a domestic point of view, person using everyday product like
degreasers, disinfectants, bleach, lubricants (WD40, PR40), paints, thinners, acids
(concrete cleaner) must be careful as most of these products affect the skin.
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· Lack of mitigation measures
From findings it has been proven that the mitigation measures put in place on the
estate with respect to the ammonia plants are insufficient (Persad 2003). There exists
no specialized medical facility to deal with industrial cases. Even though there is the
Couva Medical facility nearby, this is occupied by persons from that area. Fishing
villages.
It was found that the emergency response system at Point Lisas was inadequate to
handle industrial emergencies as there were a lack of specialized medical personnel as
well as triage equipment and facilities. (Persad, Deenesh 1996)
· Transportation risks
There are a number of factors that can lead to industrial accidents, including
everything from improper lifting techniques to mishandling hazardous materials.
Below are some common causes of accidents in the workplace.
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Mechanical Causes of Industrial Accidents
Mechanical causes of industrial accidents are factors that refer to machine or equipment
failure or breakdown. Generally, with proper maintenance and safety processes in
place, these types of accidents are preventable. Common mechanical causes of accidents
include:
Accidents caused by human factors refer to incidents in which the accident is directly
attributed to the worker involved in the accident. Common human factors that cause
industrial accidents include:
◻ Poor Housekeeping: An unkempt work space can lead to slips, trips, and falls.
◻ Fatigue: When a body is tired, injury is more likely to occur.
◻ Overexertion: Overexertion injuries are the most common type of
workplace injury.
◻ Stress: Workers who are stressed are often more distracted and of greater risk
of injury.
◻ Dehydration: It is important to consume enough water to ensure you
body functions properly.
◻ Improper Lifting: Lower back strains and shoulder injuries are common
among workers who use improper lifting techniques.
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Chemical Risk Assessment: Chemicals are assessed based on
compatibility, flammability, toxicity, explosion hazards and storage.
Process Safety Management: HAZOP studies, reliability assessment of
process equipment, incorporating safety trips and interlocks, scrubbing system,
etc. should be done before effecting major process changes. Management should
try to develop a culture of safety in industrial organizations
Safety Audits: Periodical assessment of safety procedures and practices,
performance of safety systems and gadgets along with follow up measures should
be carried out.
Emergency Planning: A comprehensive risk analysis indicating the impact
of
consequences and specific written down and practiced emergency procedures
along with suitable facilities should be done. This can be done by communities as
well as national or regional corporation authorities
Training: Proper training of employees and protective services should be done.
Special times and escorts for dangerous vehicles
Public Cooperation on the road: the public should cooperate with the police
and any tankers and heavy duty vehicles to avoid accidents and allow for the shortest
possible on road time for dangerous vehicles.
Public awareness: Everyone should be aware of potential disasters and
informed
of protective and safety measures. MSDS sheets should be readily available to the
public. Cautions must be placed to standout on dangerous household and car care
products.
Proper storage of hazardous Materials: All chemicals and hazardous
materials
should be kept at proper storage temperature and in locked cupboards away from
children and animals. Also, if reactive substances are stored, it should be stored is a
watertight container.
2. Proper selection:
Any wrong selection of workers will create problems later on. Sometime employees
are accident prone, they may not be properly suitable for the particular jobs. So the
selection of employees should be on the basis of properly devised tests so that their
suitability for jobs is determined.
Safety conscious:
The employees should be made conscious of various safety measures to be followed.
There should be proper working slogans and advises to the worker for making them
conscious.
4. Enforcement of discipline:
Disciplinary action should be taken against those who flout safety measures. There
may be negative punishments like warnings, lay off, terminations of workers.
5. Incentives:
Workers should be given various incentives for maintaining safety. There may also be
safety contrasts among workers. Those who follow safety instructions properly should
be given monetary and nonmonetary incentives.
6. Safety committees:
Safety measures are in the interest of both employers. There should be committees
consisting of representatives of workers and employees for devising and enforcing
safety programmes.
8. Safety training:
The workers should be given training regarding safety measures. They should know
the hazards of the machines, the areas of accident proneness and the good working
possible
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precautions in case of some accident.
When it comes to industrial accidents, incidents are almost always preventable when
proper safety measures and employee training is in place. Tips for avoiding industrial
accidents include:
Developing an employee safety plan with feedback from all level employees
Requiring monthly employee training and promote safety awareness with
an internal safety committee
Focusing on skill development and education of all employees
Ensuring supervisors are monitoring and reporting on the progress of all safety
measures
Providing avenue for employees to share safety concerns and ideas for
improving safety
Establishing a planned maintenance schedule for all machines – daily,
weekly, monthly based on manufacturer suggestion
Quickly repairing and addressing all defective or broken machine parts
Testing all equipment before use
Creating a regular inspection schedule and put mechanisms in place to ensure it
is adhered to
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Prevention, control and mitigation:
Man-made disasters can be minimized to a large extent by adopting
the following measures:
1. Proper training of personnel working in the hazardous industries.
4. Making the people aware about the first-aid methods in case of accidents.
5. Applying wet cloth over the mouth and nose in case of gas leakages minimizes the
health hazards.
7. Providing the people with proper medical care, in some cases throughout their life.
It leaked from the factory and formed the deadly cloud over Bhopal. People living in
slums in the vicinity of the factory were the most affected and more than 5000 people
were killed, half of them due to direct exposure and other half due to after affects. MIC
is a colourless gas which causes severe irritation, violent coughing, swelling of the
lungs, bleeding and death due to direct inhalation. It also caused loss of eye-sight in
more than 1000 people. More than 50,000 people were affected with respiratory, eye,
gastric, neurological and gynaecological problems
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the largest power plants in the Ukrainian Republic of erstwhile USSR, on April 26,
1986. It is the worst nuclear disaster recorded in a nuclear power plant. This nuclear
power plant had four reactors of 1000 megawatt each for electricity generation. A
sudden power surge resulted in two explosions, which destroyed the reactor core and
blasted a large hole in the roof of the reactor building.
The Radioactive debris moved up through that hole to heights of 1 km. Approximately
100 to 150 million curies of radiation (radioactive isotopes of iodine and caesium)
escaped into the atmosphere. To reduce emissions, the rescue team bombarded the
reactor with 5,000 metric tonnes of shielding material consisting of lead, boron, sand
and clay. Soviet officials placed the toll of human lives to 31.
Fire Hazards
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Beyond Curriculum
Preparation of state and district disaster management plan
India has integrated administrative machinery for disaster management at the National,
State, District and Sub-District levels. The Federal Government supplements the State
relief efforts by initiating supportive action. An elaborate procedural mechanism and
the allocation of resources to facilitate emergency management operations is outlined in
relief manuals and codes backed by the Contingency Action Plan. The Contingency
Action Plan (CAP) facilitates the relief operations, procedures and focal roles of Central
Ministers and Departments. The Crisis Management Group headed by the Cabinet
Secretary and consisting of nodal ministries (particularly the Ministry of Home Affairs
and Agriculture) oversee the response coordination, carry out an assessment, and make
recommendations for assistance. The role of community and NGOs is not clear.
State Governments have the responsibility for undertaking rescue and relief measures
in the event of a natural calamity through the State Relief Commissioner, Relief and
Rehabilitation Department or the Department of Revenue.
District Coordination and Review Committee headed by the Collector involves the
participation of related agencies, departments and NGOs.
At the district level, the DM Act 2005 provides for the constitution of District
Disaster Management Authorities under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate/
Collector while the elected representative of the local authority would be the co-
chairperson. In those districts where Zilla Parishads exist, the Chairman would be the ex-
officio cochairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority. The District
Authority shall act as the planning, coordinating and implementing body for disaster
management in the district and take all measures for the purposes of disaster
management in the district in accordance with the guidelines laid down by National
and State Authorities.
The planning process has been carried down to the sub-divisional, block and village
levels. Each village in multi-hazard prone district will have a Disaster Management
Plan. The Disaster Management Committee which draws up the plans consists of
elected representatives at the village level, local authorities; Government functionaries
including doctors/paramedics of primary health centres located in the village, primary
school teachers etc. The plan encompasses prevention, mitigation and preparedness
measures. The Disaster Management Teams at the village level will consist of members
of youth organisations like Nehru Yuvak Kendra and other non- governmental
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organisations as well as able bodied volunteers from the village. The teams are
provided basic training in evacuation, evacuation, search and rescue, first aid trauma
counseling etc. The Disaster Management Committee will review the disaster
management plan at least once in a year. It would also generate awareness among the
people in the village about dos’ and don’ts for specific hazards depending on the
vulnerability of the village. A large number of village level Disaster Management
Committees and Disaster Management Teams have already been constituted.
Describe unique features of district under consideration with statements
on hazards and their impacts on life and property. Give / elaborate appropriate
information in the following subsections:
i. To identify the areas vulnerable to major types of the hazards in the district.
ii. To adopt proactive measures at district level by all the govt. departments to
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preventdisaster and mitigate its effects.
iii. To define and assign the different tasks and responsibilities to stakeholders
during the pre-disaster and post-disaster phases of the disaster.
iv. To enhance disaster resilience of the people in the district by way of capacity
building.
v. Reduce the loss of public and private property, especially critical facilities
and infrastructure, through proper planning.
vi. Manage future development to mitigate the effect of natural hazards in the
district.
vii. To set up an Emergency Operations Centre at the District level to function
effectively in search, rescue, response.
viii. To develop the standardized mechanism to respond to disaster situation to
manage the disaster efficiently
ix. To set up an early warning system so as to prepare the community to deal
with the disaster and responsive communication system based upon fail-
proof proven technology.
x. To prepare a response plan based upon the guidelines issued in the State
Disaster Management Plan so as to provide prompt relief, rescue and search
support in the disaster affected areas.
xi. To adopt disaster resilient construction mechanism in the district by way of
using Information, Education and Communication for making the
community aware of the need of disaster resilient future development.
xii. To make the use of media in disaster management.
xiii. Rehabilitation plan of the affected people and reconstruction measures to be
taken by different govt. departments at district level and local authority.
The District Disaster Management Plan (DDMP) is the guide for achieving the
objective i.e. mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. This Plan needs to
be prepared to respond to disasters with sense of urgency in a planned way to
minimize human, property and environmental loss.
Scope of the Plan: The scope of this plan, the entities (e.g., departments, agencies,
PRIs, ULBs, private sector, NGOs, citizens) and geographic areas to which the plan
applies need to be stated explicitly with identified role and responsibilities. The
purpose statement need not be complex but should include enough information to
establish the direction for the plan. The scope should include all disaster phases
(Prevention, Preparedness, Mitigation, Response and Recovery), hazards addressed,
area / district etc.
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Authority and Reference: Mention - references that form the legal basis for
actions outlined in this Plan is in accordance with Sections 31 and 32 of the DM Act
2005. Include and cite the legal and administrative basis for evolution of the Plan and
implementing DDMP including: i. Laws & Statutes ii. Executive Orders / Rules iii.
Regulations iv. Formal agreement (MoU) – with utility service agencies, telecom
service providers, manufacturers of different emergency resources etc.
Planning Team: There is no fixed format / composition for planning team, but
integrating Emergency Service Function agencies into planning team would be useful.
i. To facilitate and coordinate with local Government bodies to ensure that pre
and post disaster management activities in the district are carried out.
ii. To assist community training, awareness programmes and the installation
of emergency facilities with the support of local administration, non-
governmental organizations and the private sector.
iii. To function as a leader of the team and take appropriate actions to smoothen
the response and relief activities to minimize the adverse impact of disaster.
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iv. To recommend the Commissioner of Relief (CoR) and State Government for
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declaration of disaster.
Local Authorities have the following duties:
Private Sector:
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ii. The district EOC will be staffed and operated as the situation dictates. When
activated, operations will be supported by senior officers from line departments
and central government agencies; private sector and volunteer organizations
may be used to provide information, data and resources to cope with the
situation.
iv. The DDMA may recommend for action under Sec 30 of DM Act.
v. Facilities that have been identified as vital to operation of the district
government functions have been identified.
vi. The DM or his designee will coordinate and control resources of the District.
vii. Emergency public information will be disseminated by all available media
outlets through the designated media and information officer.
viii. Prior planning and training of personnel are prerequisites to effective emergency
operations and must be considered as integral parts of disaster preparations.
ix. Coordination with surrounding districts is essential, when an event occurs, that
impacts beyond district boundaries. Procedure should be established and
exercised for inter district collaboration.
x. Departments, agencies and organizations assigned either primary or supporting
responsibilities in this document must develop implementation documents in
order to support this plan.
xi. When local resources prove to be inadequate during emergency operations,
request for assistance will be made to the State or higher levels of government
and other agencies in accordance with set rules and procedures.
xii. District authority will use normal channel for requesting assistance and/or
resources, i.e., through the District Emergency Operations Center (DEOC) to the
State EOC. If state resources have been exhausted, the state will arrange to
provide the needed resources through central assistance.
xiii. The District EOC will coordinate with the State EOC, Agencies of the Govt. of
India like IMD / CWC to maintain upto-date information concerning potential
flooding, cyclones etc. As appropriate, such information will be provided to the
citizens of the affected areas in the district.
xiv. Upon receipt of potential problems in these areas, DEOC / designated officials
will appropriately issue alert and notify action to be taken by the residents.
xv. Disaster occurrence could result in disruption of government functions and,
therefore, all levels of local government and their departments should develop
and maintain procedures to ensure continuity of Government action.
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