Ammonia-risk distribution by logistic subsystems and type of consequence

• Published in: Burns 2020-03, Vol.46 (2), p.360-369
• Main Authors: Siniša, Sremac, Nikola, Ziramov, Ilija, Tanackov, Željko, Stević, Bojana, Ristić
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidents; Accidents, Occupational; Ammonia; Ammonia - toxicity; Burns, Chemical - etiology; Burns, Chemical - mortality; Chemical Hazard Release; Chemical Industry; Cold Injury - chemically induced; Cold Injury - mortality; Dangerous goods; Explosions; Fatality; Fires; Hazardous Substances; Hospital Mortality; Hospitalization; Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Inhalation Exposure; Logistics; Mortality; Organization and Administration; Respiratory Tract Diseases - chemically induced; Respiratory Tract Diseases - mortality; Transportation
• ISSN: 0305-4179; 1879-1409
• DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2019.07.032

•Probabilistic distributions of unhospitalized, hospitalized survived, hospitalized deceased and killed workers in ammonia accidents have been established.•The most risky logistics subsystem has been established — reloading with 0.51 fatality per accident.•The most invasive effect of ammonia accident has been established, significantly Respiratory–Toxic. Detailed quantitative analysis of results, influence of position within logistic systems and consequence of dangerous goods ammonia has been done based on a sample of 1165 workers or third persons involved in 295 accidents. Results of accidents for those involved have been classified as unhospitalized, hospitalized survived, hospitalized deceased and killed. From the logistic point of view accidents with ammonia are located in production, storage, reloading, transport and use subsystems. ammonia’s consequences are systematized in the following manner: Respiratory–Toxic (RT), Cold Injury (CI), Fire and Burns (FB), and mechanical consequences after explosions (EX). Distribution laws for unhospitalized, hospitalized, deceased and killed have been determined. The highest average number of persons involved in an accident has been determined in the production subsystem. Cold Injury by ammonia in 47.5% of accidents includes 65.23% of persons involved in accident, but the most invasive consequence of ammonia is RT. Significantly critical fatal outcomes of accidents has been found for Respiratory–Toxic consequence of ammonia in the reloading subsystem, with extremely high average value of 0.4193 killed per accident. Based on obtained results of research certain procedures are proposed to reduce the risk of serious consequences of ammonia’s dangerous influence.