Re: Criticality accident

[RuthWeiner@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 3/18/02 10:06:50 AM Mountain Standard Time, lavelyp@uclink4.berkeley.edu writes:



> What number of accidental criticalities and deaths would be needed to qualify as "many"?


During two of the years I lived in the Northwest, there were four fatal accidents (a total of seven deaths) in chemical facilities handling SO2, and I understand that is approximately the continuing rate of such fatal accidents.  I think  2 fatal accidents a year qualifies as "many."  The rate of process criticality accidents during the years 1955 to 1965, when most of them occurred, qualifies as "many" but the accidents rate dropped dramatically.  I have not looked up any accident statistics for other industries..  


There are about 10 fatal skiing accidents a year in the U. S., and that qualifies as "many."  


The process criticality accident total is worldwide.  



Ruth Weiner, Ph. D.

ruthweiner@aol.com