The Phillips disaster occurred on October 23, 1989. It was an explosion that took place in Pasadena,
Question:
The Phillips disaster occurred on October 23, 1989. It was an explosion that took place in Pasadena, Texas, in which the Phillips Petroleum Company plant was compromised and ended up affecting many of its employees. It was stated that the explosion injured 314 and killed 23 (The Global Home of Chemical Engineers, 2020). It was caused when regular maintenance was performed on a polyethylene reactor, and highly flammable ethylene had escaped, creating a gas cloud and resulting in 6 total subsequent explosions that reached an 8-mile radius (Doyle, 2019).
What community resources should be provided to the victims for follow-up needs?
When ethylene gas is inhaled, can cause weakness, burns, headaches, confusion, fatigue, and unconsciousness and can have lasting effects from months to years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Community resources such as shelter, access to healthcare services, food, water, burial funds, home repair assistance, and emotional and psychological support should be provided to victims following a disaster such as this one.
How well do you think the United States is prepared for a disaster like the one you selected?
Far better prepared due to regulations enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In this event, there was not enough space between various buildings for shut-off valves to be assessed, and therefore, the site violated building codes and created a disaster. OSHA concluded that there were, "181 willful and 12 serious violations" (The Global Home of Chemical Engineers, 2020). Any business needs to follow safe work practices to ensure safety for all involved. We can be better prepared by working to prevent incidents such as this one and by following protocols and regulations from the start.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Ethylene oxide. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ethyleneoxide/default.htmlLinks to an external site.
Doyle, J. (2019). "The Phillips Explosion - Pasadena, TX: 1989." The Pop History Dig. https://pophistorydig.com/topics/phillips-petroleum-explosion-1989/Links to an external site.
The Global Home of Chemical Engineers. (2020). Looking back: Phillips 66 explosion Pasadena, TX - aiche. AIChE. https://www.aiche.org/sites/default/files/community/206296/aiche-community-site-files/2979816/phillips66explosion30yearslatercompatibilitymode.pdfLinks to an external site.
International Marketing And Export Management
ISBN: 9781292016924
8th Edition
Authors: Gerald Albaum , Alexander Josiassen , Edwin Duerr