TABLE OF CONTENTS Since the 1960s, developments in the process industries have resulted in large quantities of noxious and flammable substances being stored and transmitted in locations that could, in the event of failure, affect the public. Society has become increasingly aware of these hazards as a result of major incidents which involve both process plant and public transport such as:
| Aberfan (UK) | 1966 | 144 deaths due to collapse of a coalmine waste tip |
| Flixborough (UK) | 1974 | 28 deaths due to an explosion resulting from the stress failure of a temporary reactor by-pass, leading to an escape of cyclohexane |
| Beek (Netherlands) | 1975 | 14 deaths due to propylene |
| Seveso (Italy) | 1976 | Unknown number of casualties due to a release of dioxin |
| San Carlos Holiday Camp (Spain) | 1978 | c. 150 deaths due to a propylene tanker accident |
| Three Mile Island (USA) | 1979 | 0 immediate deaths. Incident due to a complex sequence of operator and physical events following a leaking valve allowing water into the instrument air. This led to eventual loss of cooling and reactor core damage |
| Bhopal (India) | 1984 | 2000+ deaths following a release of methyl isocyanate due to some safety-related systems being out of service due to inadequate maintenance |
| Mexico City | 1984 | 500+ deaths due to an LPG explosion at a refinery |
| Chernobyl (USSR) | 1986 | 31 immediate deaths and unknown number of casualties following the meltdown of a nuclear reactor due to intrinsic reactor design and operating sequences |
| Herald of Free | 1987 | 184 deaths due to capsize... |
