MGSC14H3 Lecture Notes - Methyl Isocyanate, Sodium Hydroxide, Bronchus
24 Aug 2012
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Document Summary
2000 people died, 200,000 injured in leak of methyl isocyanate gas from a union. Chemical = 500 times more toxic than cyanide. Methyl isocyanate stored in a tank started boiling violently. Cooling unit that should"ve switched on automatically had been disabled for at least a year. Manager + senior operator disregarded the readings on gauges in the control room because they often malfunctioned. Workers kept working even though their eyes were burning because there were often minor leaks in the plant + many of the workers = illiterate + unaware the chemical = deadly. Emergency valves on storage tank exploded + toxic gas = drifting toward shantytowns. Not enough water pressure in company fire trucks to spray escaping gas + neutralize the chemical. Vent scrubber meant to neutralize gas with caustic soda = shut down for maintenance. Flare tower to burn off gas not work. Blinded, burns + lesions in nasal + bronchial passages.
