An accident is a specific, unexpected, unusual and unintended external action which occurs in a particular time and place, with

no apparent and
deliberate cause but with marked effects. It implies a generally negative outcome which may have been avoided or prevented had circumstances
leading up to the accident been recognized, and acted upon, prior to its occurrence.

Experts in the field of injury prevention avoid use of the term 'accident' to describe events that cause injury in an attempt to highlight the
predictable and preventable nature of most injuries. Such incidents are viewed from the perspective of epidemiology - predictable and
preventable. Preferred words are more descriptive of the event itself, rather than of its unintended nature (e.g., collision, drowning, fall, etc.)

Accidents of particularly common types (auto, fire, etc.) are investigated to identify how to avoid them in the future. This is sometimes called
root cause analysis, but does not generally apply to accidents that cannot be deterministically predicted. A root cause of an uncommon and purely
random accident may never be identified, and thus future similar accidents remain "accidental."

Types Of Accidents- Are In Plenty

Accidents are unplanned and sudden events that cause damage to person or property. Accidents can be classified into the following types: -

• Auto accidents
• Boat and water accidents
• Train, tram and plane accidents
• Slips, trips and fall
• Wrongful death/ clinical negligence
• Work accidents/ factory accidents
• Defective and dangerous products
• Dog bite/ snake bite / horse/ animal accidents
• Food poisoning
• Assaults , hijacking
• Sports injury

Auto accidents - are the most common type of accidents. Nearly 1.2 million people die because of auto accidents each year. Nearly 50
million people all over the world are injured because of auto accidents annually. Auto accidents include car crashes, rollover of vehicles, bicycle,
motorbike accidents, accidents in buses, vans, lorries and accidents to pedestrians because of vehicles.

Classification

Motor vehicle collisions can be classified by mechanism. Common mechanisms include head-on collisions, run-off-road collisions, rear-end
collisions, side collision, and rollove

Vehicle accident stats show that at a minimum of four people involved in automobile accidents die every hour. These accidents can be due to the
fault of the driver, the other driver, or due to a defective vehicle. What is important to take into account is how many fatalities occur every day,
excluding the people involved in automobile accidents and sustaining serious personal injuries.

The leading causes for automobile accidents are reckless and negligent driving and also alcohol. Teens, according to the data, cause the majority
of automobile accidents. Lack of experience coupled with irresponsible behavior as well as a lack of respect for the safety precautions are the
primary causes for such a large number of teenage automobile accidents.

One more reason is the inattentiveness of the driver. Many individuals talk while driving, which may well end up being fatal since it distracts the
driver from the road. Despite the fact that hands-free cell phones are the latest trend, the driver will be unable to focus on the road while on the
phone. The most effective option is always to park and then take the call, or not take the call whatsoever while driving. These regulations have
recently been implemented in several states.

Inattentiveness may also be caused as a result of alcohol, drugs, or the driver being distracted by music inside the car. This may prove to be risky
to other drivers on the road and may result in either distracting them with reckless driving or causing side or rear end accidents due to
inattentiveness. Such carelessness may even cause pileups on highways and must be averted at every cost.
Automobile accidents may be extremely traumatic, often affecting the individual throughout their life. Besides the physical injuries that may
result because of the accident, psychological stress may also be a result. Several precautions can eliminate the prospect of accidents on the roads
and provide a safety net. It’s recommended to follow the safety road rules and never drive while on the phone or while on drugs or alcohol.

Boat and water accidents- include accidents that occur when embarking, disembarking or travelling in boats, yatches, ships and
gondolas during regular work or on a holiday in the sea shore.

Train, tram, plane accidents- are rare events and many people are killed in these accidents. The loss due to these accidents is very
high. Trams and trains can derail causing heavy damage to life and property. Air crashes and engine failures in plane cause serious consequences.

Slip trip and fall accident -can occur in various places like the pavement, shopping malls, public and private places due to uneven
flooring, potholes, poor lighting, uneven stairs, polished and wet surfaces, spillage and squashed products on the floor, obstructions and
unprotected work. It can also occur during holidays and vacation spots in hilly areas.

Wrongful death/ clinical negligence -The negligence or incompetence or misconduct of any doctor, lab assistant, nurse,
specialist or any other hospital staff which has aggravated the injury or created a new injury to the patient amounts to accident.

Defective and dangerous products -Work accidents/ factory accidents -Work accidents can occur when there are unsuitable,
hazardous, malfunctioning, faulty machinery or equipment. When manual lifting and handling of objects are there chances of accidents are
high. Work accidents can occur due to unsuitable protective clothing and gear and insufficient training or non training. Injury can also be caused
by careless co- workers and poor lighting. The employers should provide safe place of working, safe system of working and safe methods of
working.

Use of faulty products that have caused injury or are hazardous to life compensation can be claimed. The manufacturer or the importer in case the
product is produced outside the country is liable to pay the damages.

Dog bites, snake bites, attack by sharks, whales, crocodiles and other animals are accidents which require immediate medical attention. These are
painful and its consequences are long lasting.

Food poisoning -is one of the accidents where the effects are unknown immediately and the pains occur the next day or in the next few
days.

Assaults and hijacking -are criminal accidents. Criminal accidents should be reported to police immediately to claim compensation. Aircraft
hijacking (also known as skyjacking and sky controlling) is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the
pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves. In at least
one case, a plane was hijacked by the official pilot.[1][2]Unlike the typical hijackings of land vehicles or ships, skyjacking is not usually committed
for robbery or theft. Most aircraft hijackers intend to use the passengers as hostages, either for monetary ransom or for some political or
administrative concession by authorities. Motives vary from demanding the release of certain inmates (notably IC-814) to highlighting the
grievances of a particular community (notably AF 8969). Hijackers also have used aircraft as a weapon to target particular locations (notably
during the September 11, 2001 attacks).Hijackings for hostages commonly produce an armed standoff during a period of negotiation between
hijackers and authorities, followed by some form of settlement. Settlements do not always meet the hijackers' original demands. If the hijackers'
demands are deemed too great and the perpetrators show no inclination to surrender, authorities sometimes employ armed special forces to
attempt a rescue of the hostages (notably Operation Entebbe).
Sports Injuries -In case of sports injuries that have been caused by thoughtless or negligent challenge compensation can be claimed from
the challengers club, sponsor or team or board.

Chemical Accidents- The terms “chemical accident” or “chemical incident” refer to an event resulting in the release of a substance or
substances hazardous to human health and/or the environment in the short or long term. Such events include fires, explosions, leakages or
releases of toxic or hazardous materials that can cause people illness, injury, disability or death.While chemical accidents may occur whenever
toxic materials are stored, transported or used, the most severe accidents are industrial accidents, involving major chemical manufacturing and
storage facilities. The most significant chemical accidents in recorded history was the 1984 Bhopal disaster in India, in which more than 3,000
people were killed after a highly toxic vapour, (methyl isocyanate), was released at a Union Carbide pesticides factory.Efforts to prevent
accidents range from improved safety systems to fundamental changes in chemical use and manufacture, referred to as primary prevention or
inherent safety.In the United States, concern about chemical accidents after the Bhopal disaster led to the passage of the 1986 Emergency
Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. The EPCRA requires local emergency planning efforts throughout the country, including
emergency notifications. The law also requires companies to make publicly available information about their storage of toxic chemicals. Based
on such information, citizens can identify the vulnerable zones in which severe toxic releases could cause harm or death.In 1990, the Chemical
Safety and Hazard Investigation Board was established by Congress, though the CSB did not become operational until 1998. The Board's mission
is to determine the root causes of chemical accidents and issue safety recommendations to prevent future Safety Performance Indicators. It also
organizes workshops on a number of issues related to preparing for, preventing, and responding to chemical accidents. [1]In the European Union,
incidents such as the Flixborough disaster and the Seveso disaster led to legislation such as the Seveso Directive and Seveso planning and provide
for safety reports to local authorities. Many countries have organisations that can assist with substance risk assessment and emergency planning
that is required by a wide variety of legislation, such as the National Chemical Emergency Centre in the UK, Brandweerinformatiecentrum voor
gevaarlijke stoffen/Fire service information centre for dangerous goods in Belgium.

Bhopal disaster
The Bhopal disaster (also referred to as the Bhopal gas tragedy) is the world's worst industrial catastrophe. It occurred on the night of
December 2–3, 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. A leak of methyl isocyanate
gas and other chemicals from the plant resulted in the exposure of hundreds of thousands of people. Estimates vary on the death toll. The official
immediate death toll was 2,259 and the government of Madhya Pradesh has confirmed a total of 3,787 deaths related to the gas release. [1] Other
government agencies estimate 15,000 deaths.[2] Others estimate that 3,000 died within weeks and that another 8,000 have since died from gas-
related diseases.[3][4] A government affidavit in 2006 stated the leak caused 558,125 injuries including 38,478 temporary partial and approximately
3,900 severely and permanently disabling injuries.[5]

UCIL was the Indian subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC). Indian Government controlled banks and the Indian public held 49.1
percent ownership share. In 1994, the Supreme Court of India allowed UCC to sell its 50.9 percent share. The Bhopal plant was sold to McLeod
Russel (India) Ltd. UCC was purchased by Dow Chemical Company in 2001.

Civil and criminal cases are pending in the United States District Court, Manhattan and the District Court of Bhopal, India, involving UCC, UCIL
employees, and Warren Anderson, UCC CEO at the time of the disaster.[6][7] In June 2010, seven ex-employees, including the former UCIL
chairman, were convicted in Bhopal of causing death by negligence and sentenced to two years imprisonment and a fine of about $2,000 each, the
maximum punishment allowed by law. An eighth former employee was also convicted but died before judgment was passed.

The leakage

In November 1984, most of the safety systems were not functioning. Many valves and lines were in poor condition. Tank 610 contained 42 tons
of MIC, much more than safety rules allowed.[4] During the nights of 2–3 December, a large amount of water entered tank 610. A runaway
reaction started, which was accelerated by contaminants, high temperatures and other factors. The reaction generated a major increase in the
temperature inside the tank to over 200 °C (400 °F). This forced the emergency venting of pressure from the MIC holding tank, releasing a large
volume of toxic gases. The reaction was sped up by the presence of iron from corroding non-stainless steel pipelines. [4] It is known that workers
cleaned pipelines with water. They were not told by the supervisor to add a slip-blind water isolation plate. Because of this, and the bad
maintenance, the workers consider it possible for water to have accidentally entered the MIC tank. [4][12] UCC maintains that a "disgruntled
worker" deliberately connected a hose to a pressure gauge.

Tenerife airport disaster

Accident summary

Date March 27, 1977

Runway incursion, pilot error, ATC error and technical

Los Rodeos Airport

Total fatalities 583

Total survivors 61

First aircraft

Type Boeing 747–121

Name Clipper Victor

Operator Pan American World Airways

Tail number N736PA

Flight origin Los Angeles International Airport

John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City,

Destination Gran Canaria Airport,

Passengers 380

Crew 16

Fatalities 335 (326 passengers, 9 crew members)

Survivors 61
 Second aircraft

Type Boeing 747-206B

Name Rijn ("Rhine")

Operator KLM

Tail number PH-BUF

Flight origin Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Destination Gran Canaria Airport

Passengers 234

Crew 14

Fatalities 248 (all)

Survivors 0 (none)

The Tenerife airport disaster in 1977 was a collision involving two Boeing 747 passenger aircraft on the runway of Los Rodeos Airport (now
known as Tenerife North Airport) on the Spanish island of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands. With 583 fatalities, the crash remains the deadliest
accident in aviation history. All 248 aboard the fully-fuelled KLM Flight 4805 were killed. There were also 335 fatalities and 61 survivors from
Pan Am Flight 1736, which was struck along its spine by the KLM's landing gear, under-belly and four engines. Rescue crews were unaware for
over 20 minutes that the Pan Am aircraft was also involved in the accident, because of the heavy fog and the separation of the crippled aircraft
following the collision.

The collision took place on March 27, 1977, at 17:06:56 local time. The aircraft were operating as Pan Am Flight 1736 (the Clipper Victor) under
the command of Captain Victor Grubbs, and KLM Flight 4805 (the Rijn) under the command of Captain Jacob Veldhuyzen van Zanten. Taking
off in heavy fog on the airport's only runway, the KLM flight crashed into the top of the Pan Am aircraft backtaxiing in the opposite direction.
The Pan Am had followed the backtaxiing of the KLM aircraft, under the direction of air traffic control, and the KLM's flight crew had been
aware of Pan Am backtaxiing behind them on the same runway. Despite lack of visual confirmation due to the fog the KLM captain thought that
Pan Am had cleared the runway and so attempted to take off without further clearance to do so. Several other key factors contributed to the
accident.

Flight history

For both planes, Tenerife was an unscheduled stop. Their destination was Gran Canaria International Airport (also known as Las Palmas Airport),
serving Las Palmas on the nearby island of Gran Canaria. Both are in the Canary Islands, an autonomous community of Spain located in the
Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Morocco.

Pan Am Flight 1736 had taken off from Los Angeles International Airport with an intermediate stop at New York's John F. Kennedy International
Airport. The aircraft was a Boeing 747–121, registration N736PA. Of the 380 passengers, 14 had boarded in New York, where the crew was also
changed. The new crew consisted of Captain Victor Grubbs, First Officer Robert Bragg, and Flight Engineer George Warns; there were 14 other
crew members. The same aircraft had operated the inaugural 747 commercial flight on January 22, 1970. [1]

KLM Flight 4805, a charter flight for Holland International Travel Group from the Netherlands,[1] had taken off four hours before from
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Its captain was Jacob Veldhuyzen van Zanten and the first officer was Klaas Meurs. The aircraft was a Boeing 747-
206B, registration PH-BUF. The KLM jet had 235 passengers and 14 crew members, including 48 children and three infants. Most of the KLM
passengers were Dutch; four Germans, two Austrians, and two Americans were also on the plane. After the aircraft landed at Tenerife, a Dutch
tour guide named Robina van Lanschot, who lived on the island in Puerto de la Cruz and wanted to see her boyfriend that night, chose not to re-
board the 747, leaving 234 passengers on board.[2][3]