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The unforeseen side‐effects of improving the environment
Author(s) -
Kletz Trevor A.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
process safety progress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.378
H-Index - 40
eISSN - 1547-5913
pISSN - 1066-8527
DOI - 10.1002/prs.680120305
Subject(s) - flammable liquid , hazardous waste , balance (ability) , environmental science , risk analysis (engineering) , engineering , forensic engineering , gas compressor , waste management , business , mechanical engineering , medicine , physical medicine and rehabilitation
Changes made to improve the environment have sometimes produced unforeseen and hazardous side‐effects. Thus enclosing compressor houses to reduce noise has made explosion more likely, the replacement of CFCs in aerosols has led to a number of fires in plants and warehouses and the confinement of flammable vapors in vent collection systems has caused a number of explosions. These and some other similar changes are described. Before changing designs or methods of operation we should try to foresee their effects and we should balance the risks to people against the risks to environment.