Industrial accidents are severe mishaps that result in injuries to people and damage to property or the environment. For example, an explosion or fire at a pyrotechnics manufacturing facility is an industrial accident, as is the accidental release of toxic chemicals to the environment when a storage tank fails. Types of industrial accidents vary from one place to the next, but most are a result of unsafe conditions and unsafe acts.
Unsafe Conditions
Unsafe conditions are uncontrolled hazardous situations that can and oftentimes do lead to industrial accidents. For example, storage of large amounts of flammable chemicals in containers not bonded or grounded is an unsafe condition. When not addressed, a single spark can create havoc by igniting the chemicals and starting a huge fire.
Unsafe Acts
People can commit unsafe actions when they choose to ignore safe work practices and procedures. If a worker improperly prepares and ships a tanker full of a hazardous chemical, he is committing an unsafe act that may result in harm to humans and the environment if the tanker should leak while en route.