Analysis of accidents involving petroleum tankers and their consequences in India. Issue 1 (13th April 2020) - Gangadhari, Rajan Kumar
Abstract: Transport of petroleum products by road is recording a high rate of fatality in India. According to the report of the Oil Industry Safety Directorate, the rate of transport accidents is decreasing from the last 2 years. Petroleum companies in India recorded 1635 transport accidents in the previous 5 years. The authorities' reports do not have a record of the real damage caused by these accidents. To assess the root causes behind the accidents and identify the actual damage caused by these accidents, detailed analysis of accidents using primary and secondary data is done. The analysis of accidents data revealed that Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited records the highest number of transportation accidents in India. States of Karnataka and Maharashtra record the highest number of transportation accidents. Fuel releases, spillage, fire, and explosions are the major types of accidents that are occurring. Driver negligence, road conditions, and equipment failure are the main reasons behind these accidents. Interviews with field experts were conducted to analyze the factors underlying driver's carelessness. The analysis of accident reports and inputs from experts is summarized to make suggestions to prevent accidents in the industry. This study is the first study to cover the analysis of petroleum transporting vehicle accidents and their consequences in India.