This Safety Report contains the findings of extensive research in terms of the lessons that can be learned from accidents which have occurred in industrial radiography, both in developed and developing countries. The review was carried out by a team of regulatory authorities, manufacturers and safety advisers. The objectives were to draw lessons from the initiating events of the accidents, the contributing factors and the consequences, and to identify several measures that, if implemented, would improve safety performance in industrial radiography.

It is by avoiding accidents that the process industries will improve their public image. Lessons from Disaster focuses upon the apparent inability of organizations to learn, and retain in long-term, the lessons drawn from accidents. Incidents of a similar type continue to occur within companies repeatedly. Trevor Kletz illustrates this with detailed cases, which form a gold mine of experience and advice for every engineer. He offers, with his customary vision and imagination, his own advice on how to improve the corporate memory.

The purpose of this publication is to present the results of a review of accidents in industrial radiography which have either been reported to regulatory authorities or to professional associations, or been published in scientific journals. Use of ionizing radiation in medicine, industry and research for technical development continues to increase throughout the world. Although this industry has a good safety record, there is a potential for accidents with serious consequences to human health because of the high dose rates produced by these sources. Five fatal accidents occurred between 1975 and 1994. Such accidents have prompted the present review, carried out by a team of manufacturers, regulatory authorities and operating organizations. Having closely looked at the circumstances of each accident, the apparent deficiencies in design, safety and regulatory systems, and personnel performance, the team made a number of recommendations. The findings of extensive research pertaining to the lessons that can be learned from irradiation accidents are presented.

This multidisciplinary book presents a critical assessment of our knowledge of chemical threats to environmental security, with special reference to prevention of chemical releases, rapid detection, risk assessment and effective management of emergency situations and long-term consequences of chemical releases. The technologies evaluated concern mainly prevention and management of both intentional and accident releases of chemicals into the environment. The book features contributors from a range of relevant scientific fields.