94
7 Let’s Start with Some Serious “Do Nots”!
0
5,00,000
10,00,000 15,00,000 20,00,000 25,00,000 30,00,000 35,00,000
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Volume in Cubic Meters
Live Lost
Fig. 7.3 Volume in m 3 versus live lost in tailings accident from 1962 to 2014
As an example of “clouded misinformation” on hazards and risks, let’s look at
an intuitive assumption heard at conferences around the world, which states that the
bigger the dam the bigger the consequences. It happens that statement is often proven
wrong because of the multitude of parameters involved and the multidimensional
aspect of failure. For example, as we can see in Fig. 7.3 the tailings volume doesn’t
correlate at all with the number of casualties (Caldwell et al. 2015); in other words,
failure magnitude cannot be used to gut-estimate consequences, without proper and
detailed analysis.
All communications, research, design and operating controls must be clearly
focused on the likelihood and complete consequences of failure and the risk management strategies that are being or should be used to protect its employees, the public
and the environment. The word “safety” will not be used in this book other than
when referring to the safety of employees, the public or the environment at large.
7.6 Do Not Consider Consequences of Failures
as One-Dimensional
No accident has one-dimensional consequences of failure which can be described
with “one magic” number.
As already stated, the consequences of a dam failure are a function of multiple
dimension such as environmental, harm to people, business interruption, legal, etc.
7 Let’s Start with Some Serious “Do Nots”!
0
5,00,000
10,00,000 15,00,000 20,00,000 25,00,000 30,00,000 35,00,000
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Volume in Cubic Meters
Live Lost
Fig. 7.3 Volume in m 3 versus live lost in tailings accident from 1962 to 2014
As an example of “clouded misinformation” on hazards and risks, let’s look at
an intuitive assumption heard at conferences around the world, which states that the
bigger the dam the bigger the consequences. It happens that statement is often proven
wrong because of the multitude of parameters involved and the multidimensional
aspect of failure. For example, as we can see in Fig. 7.3 the tailings volume doesn’t
correlate at all with the number of casualties (Caldwell et al. 2015); in other words,
failure magnitude cannot be used to gut-estimate consequences, without proper and
detailed analysis.
All communications, research, design and operating controls must be clearly
focused on the likelihood and complete consequences of failure and the risk management strategies that are being or should be used to protect its employees, the public
and the environment. The word “safety” will not be used in this book other than
when referring to the safety of employees, the public or the environment at large.
7.6 Do Not Consider Consequences of Failures
as One-Dimensional
No accident has one-dimensional consequences of failure which can be described
with “one magic” number.
As already stated, the consequences of a dam failure are a function of multiple
dimension such as environmental, harm to people, business interruption, legal, etc.