The establishment of gas accident risk tolerability criteria based on F–N curve in China

Abstract

The serious situation of China coal mine safety has caused great concern in China. Gas accidents have been the subject of statistical analysis studies in some of the literature, and little research has focused on societal risk and tolerability criteria. This paper reports the results of a preliminary study of societal risk and tolerability criteria of gas accidents in China. This analysis is based on a study of 10 years of gas accidents statistical data from 2004 to 2013. After applying hierarchical cluster analysis, eight sets of data are available. Subsequently, regression analysis is used to establish F–N curves for gas accidents; these F–N curves are then revised to reflect the practical situation in China. Moreover, gas accidents’ risk tolerability criteria are decided according to the ALARP principle. This study reveals that tolerability criteria in developed countries are stricter than those in China. The findings of the paper give an in-depth look at the severity of gas accidents and may contribute to the improvement of the safety conditions of China’s coal industry.