WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has released a new safety video that examines the concept of inherent safety and its application across industry. The video, “Inherently Safer: The Future of Risk Reduction,” stems from the August 28, 2008, explosion that killed two workers and injured eight others at the Bayer CropScience chemical plant in Institute, WV. As a result of ongoing concern regarding the safety of the facility, Congress directed the CSB to commission the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to study the feasibility of reducing or eliminating the inventory of methyl isocynanate (MIC) stored at the Bayer plant.
The NAS study explored how the concept of “inherent safety” could be applied at the Bayer facility. The NAS panel noted that the goal of inherently safer design is not only to prevent an accident, but to reduce the consequences of an accident should one occur. The 11-minute video features interviews with NAS panel members and staff as well as commentary from the CSB Chair and investigators.