Dispelling Chemical Industry Myths

ISBN-13: 9781560324386 / Angielski / Twarda / 1996 / 200 str.

Trevor A. Kletz;Kletz; A. Kletz Trevor

Opis

This work discusses nearly 100 myths which are widely accepted in the chemical engineering industry and which have led to accidents and wrong decisions. It challenges accepted beliefs and practices, with the aim of promoting safer and more

Spis treści

Part 1: myths about technology; pressure vessels must be fitted with relief valves (or bursting discs); if a vessel is exposed to fire, it should be emptied as quickly as possible; accidents are due to human failing, so we should eliminate the human element when we can; if a flammable material has a high flashpoint, it is safe and will not explode; blast walls provide the ultimate protection against explosions; we can remove hazards; the public believe we are making the world a better place; fire is worse than smoke; accidents are due to a coincidence of unlikely events; computers introduce new problems; the most valuable writings on safety are codes and standards. Part 2: myths about management; engineers should respond to market needs; many questions can be answered by substituting numbers in well-established equations; policies lead to action; treating employees, customers and suppliers well is good business in the long run; stress is a major cause of ill-health today. Part 3: myths about toxicology and the environment; we should look for the effects of substances that have not yet been studied; the causes of cancer are environmental; scientists should be held responsible for the results of their actions; we should recycle whenever possible; entropy is increasing all the time; myths in other walks of life; afterthoughts.

O autorze

Kletz\, Trevor A.