Accidental and Technological Hazards

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Technological and accidental hazards can be occur without warning and can be both hazardous material incidents and failures at nuclear power plant. In some cases, victims that have been exposed to harmful chemicals or radiation show little to no symptoms until several years later. There are an increasing number of new substances and chemicals being manufactured which has increased the likelihood of a hazardous material spill or release. This also increases the risk to the environment and to the health and safety of a community. Hazardous materials come in many forms and include: explosives, flammable and combustible substances, poisons and radioactive materials. These dangerous substances are usually released during a transportation accident or through accidents or chemical spills in plants and factories. Since hazardous materials are shipped or transported through a variety of ways including l, waterways, and major highways and the release of these chemicals could cause serious harm. They can enter our water ways from oil rig spills or enter the environment from a train derailment or a container truck accident. The affects of a hazardous materials incident can include serious injury or death, serious health effects and property damage and environmental damage including bodies of water. Hazardous materials are in almost every community placing everyone at some level of contact with various chemicals almost daily as they exist throughout the community and in our households. Chemicals are used for a variety of purposes such as in the water purification process, by farmers to produce a higher crop yield and are used in households and almost every business. Not all chemicals are hazardous but most pose some level of risk to people... ... middle of paper ... ... should be used to reduce the risk of injury to people and the environment. Gasoline should be stored in an approved container and lids should be secured on paint cans and stored in an appropriate storage container. All containers with chemicals should be properly labeled and identified in case of emergency. All chemicals should be disposed of properly and taken to the appropriate recycle or disposal facility. Works Cited http://www.ready.gov/hazardous-materials-incidents http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1549-20490-6362/technohazards.pdf http://www.ready.gov/nuclear-power-plants http://www.readyforsyth.org/wp-content/uploads/Appendix-B.pdf http://www.cityofws.org/departments/emergency-management/citizen-committee-information/lepc-citizen-corps http://www.examiner.com/article/is-america-ready-for-a-nuclear-crisis-on-an-unparalleled-scale

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