Definition:
A Major Accident involves serious danger to human life, health, the environment, or property and may require reporting to regulatory authorities. ISO 17776 provides a specific definition for ‘major accident’ in the context of process industries.
This is one of the key differenctiators between process safety and occupational safety. A major accident is not someone getting a major laceration. That is a terrible event for him/her and their family, but that is occupational safety and would not be a major accident in process safety terms.
A major explosion would be a major accident. So could a substantial release of a pollutant to the envirnoment. In practice, the precise definition can vary slightly depending on jurisdiction and context, but always involves the potential for significant, far reaching harm.
Key Points:
- Covered under OSHA PSM and EPA RMP rules.
- Triggers incident investigation and regulatory reporting.
Example:
A BLEVE causing multiple injuries would likely be classified as a major accident.
Cited Source:
- 40 CFR 68 (EPA RMP).
- ISO 17776