Styrene Gas Leak Incident Analysis in Vishakapatnam: Event Tree Analysis, Root Cause Analysis and Threat Zone Determination Using ALOHA Software’’
M. Vijay *
Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar – 608002, Tamil Nadu, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The Visakhapatnam gas leak incident happened on May 7, 2020, at LG Polymers chemical plant in RR Venkatapuram, Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh, India, resulted in fatalities and several injuries. This study is about a comprehensive analysis of the incident and also focuses on the causes of the gas leak, the nature of the chemical industry, the subsequent response and its impact on Environment and Human Health. A detailed study about styrene gas leaks, the chemicals involved, and also about styrene-related accidents, safety data, and relevant laws and acts governing chemical storage. The work identifies various factors contributing to the gas leakage, including tank design, temperature control, recirculation systems, inhibitor addition protocols, and the risk of polymerization and runaway reactions. Methodologies like ALOHA for threat zone determination, Event Tree Analysis (ETA) for consequence determination, and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) were employed to identify the causes and consequences of the incident. The main factors contributing to the accident were identified as the company's failure to adhere to proper styrene storage standards and severe defects in the construction of the storage tank. This catastrophe serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of adhering to safety regulations in the chemical sector, as well as highlighting the importance on the reliability of process industries. The results from these analyses aimed to enhance safety measures within the chemical industry to prevent similar calamities in the future.
Keywords: Polymerization, ALOHA, event tree analysis, root cause analysis