Recognising na-tech events in Brazil: moving forward

Abstract

Loss of containment of industrial facilities and equipment triggered by natural hazards (called na-tech events) has been widely discussed in both the technical and scientific literature at least since the 1980s. Floods and landslides are amongst the most important immediate causes of na-tech events and may increase the risk to people and environment that is posed by facilities that handle hazardous materials. A na-tech event that occurred along the coastline of Sao Paulo state, Brazil, in February 2013, due to a precipitation event with a 1.5-h maximum rainfall of 209 mm, was the impetus for this study. We have investigated the availability of good data in some Brazilian accident databases aiming to support discussion about the increasing frequency and extent of na-tech events and the significance of the risk posed to humans by hazardous industrial facilities located in areas prone to occurrence of these events. The study has demonstrated that Brazil needs information sufficiently organised and accessible to enable evaluations of this risk, especially in coastal regions where there are predisposing factors for the occurrence of na-tech events. We propose both to include these events in the existing Brazilian accident databases and to optimise the databases by unifying or partially sharing the data. The ongoing initiative of the Brazilian National Civil Defence to improve its database can be expanded by recording na-tech events. Complementary research to identify potential sources of quality information on occurrences of na-tech events in the country is proposed in order to strengthen this initiative. Consequently, frequency analysis could be developed based on past incident data and the additional risk posed to humans by na-tech scenarios estimated and incorporated in a traditional quantitative risk assessment. Risk management in areas prone to na-tech events is expected to be improved.