What a Tragedy and Unforgivable Complacency shown by the Authorities in Beirut, is the world listening and correcting things in their own backyards??

I am writing this article just as a primary & initial reaction, the details of damage and investigation results will come in days to come. However incident like this happens then all over the world authorities need to check their back yards for any complacency, lethargy, non compliance and immediately correct them to avoid such a mishap and loss of innocent lives and property, not to forget the environmental pollution which is a long term effect and slow suffering inflicted on the masses.

7 years ago, a Panama registered cargo vessel was stranded at Beirut port - due to mechanical problems. The ships owners deserted the ship & left it's crew high & dry after some months. After months, the ship's crew were allowed to leave ship & go home.

However, with the ship stranded at Beirut port for non-payment of dues - *it's cargo of 2700 TONS of deadly Ammonium Nitrate ( used in Fertilizers & Explosives) * was offloaded into some warehouses inside the port.

The legal battle between the Port & ship owners continued for years...while the cargo of Ammonium Nitrate rotted in the warehouses on land and then THIS happened....... ??????????????????

2700 Tonnes of deadly explosive cargo went BOOM in a warehouse & flattened a large part of Beirut city

How could the authorities never bothered to audit those storage places, having dangerous goods? Beyond comprehension. First of all, such a huge quantity and then 7 long years, no monitoring & control, just because it was under litigation, does it mean no body was responsible. It's just not acceptable by any standards.

In India, we have PESO rules & regulations, which are self explanatory. Just giving the relevant document from the website which explains everything.

https://peso.gov.in/PDF/Ammonium_Nitrate_Rules_2012_English_Version.pdf

I have audited storage places with these guide lines, actually majority of people are unaware of dangerous goods handling. It requires special training and competent personnel. The definitions of which are also given in the document.

Even in Beirut, certainly, there will be rules & regulations, but they must have been completely overlooked & neglected .

It is called "Risk Normalization", when people start thinking, this is the way of life and risk however big becomes normal.

To remove risk normalization we require huge efforts, which are sadly not forthcoming. We see such situations in life almost in every field. To address such situations, one requires phenomenal safety leadership.

This is a behaviour issue. It's a common issue, that many of us know the rules & regulations very well, but every human being gets in that complacency and comfort zone that nothing bad is going to happen to him/her. If at all it happens, it will happen to somebody else. Even if a theft has to happen then, it will happen in neighbor's house and not in his/her own house. This is a strange phenomenon, which we have to fight all the time. That's why awareness campaign & walk the talk leadership is mandatory in public life,

Many more facts and details, would emerge in days to come and we would be in a better position to analyse and take a few more corrective actions at our end. When such a tragic incident happens, it's a collective responsibility, to take note and safe guard respective back yard by every country !!