Annual Report on High Pressure GasRelated Accidents(2014 version)

The High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan (KHK)1.

Introduction

This Annual Report analyzes and evaluates accidents relating to the High Pressure Gas Safety Act
that occurred from January to December 2014, with an aim of contributing toward future high pressure
gas safety measures.
Note that among high pressure gas-related accidents; this Annual Report excludes those involving
general consumers, which pertains to the Act on the Securing of Safety and the Optimization ofTransaction of Liquefied Petroleum Gas.

2.

Accidents relating to the High Pressure Gas Safety Act

The number of accidents relating to the High Pressure Gas Safety Act per year remained around 100
until 1999. Subsequently, it has increased since 2000 and has remained at a high level in recent years.
However, fewer accidents occurred in 2014 than in the previous year.
One of the causes of the increase in number of accidents in recent years is the increase in number oftheft and loss of containers (hereinafter, “theft and loss accidents”). However, it is difficult to discuss
theft and loss accidents by statistically treating them along with explosion, leakage, and other ordinary
disasters (hereinafter, “disaster accidents”), because of characteristic differences. Thus, this Annual
Report summarizes and analyzes the high pressure gas-related accidents by separating the theft andloss accidents from the disaster accidents.
Also, the accident countermeasures manuals were revised in 2011, resulting in significant changes inthe definitions of accidents and items of accident causes. Thus, the analysis and evaluation on accident
causes and others below were conducted separately for the years up to 2010 and those after 2011.
2.1

Changes in number of accidents and analysis/evaluation(1) Changes in number of accidents by year
Figure 1 shows the number of the High Pressure Gas related accidents that occurred in the latest two
decades (1995 to 2014).
In the last five years, the number of accidents occurring in 2010 was 965, and thereafter 1084 in 2011,
957 in 2012, 835 in 2013, and 746 in 2014. The number of accidents in 2014 was the lowest of theseyears.
Here, the increase in the number of accidents in 2011 was mainly due to the report of 94 accidents
that caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Also to note is that the number of theft and loss accidents was 384 in 2014 and this number was fewer
than that of 443 in 2013.
1200

Number of accidents

1000
800
600
400
200
Year

0'95

'96

'97

'98

'99'00113
Total
Disaster accidents 106
7Theft and loss

98
91
791
89
296
90
694
79
15

121 190 283 386 492 505 556 736 847 855 965 1084 957 835 746
99 122 139 148 158 166 195 288 350 327 406 490 428 392 362
22 68 144 238 334 339 361 448 497 528 559 594 529 443 384

Figure 1'01

'02

'03

'04

'05

'06

'07

'08

'09

'10

'11

'12

'13

'14

Changes in number of the High Pressure Gas related accidents

Copyright © The High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan

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(2) Numbers of accidents by category
From this section onwards, the focal point of discussion is placed on disaster accidents.
Figure 2 shows the results of statistic treatment of the disaster accidents that occurred in the last twodecades (1995 to 2014), according to accident categories. A notable feature is that the number ofaccidents has been on the increase since 2000 even though it had been around 100 accidents everyyear until 1999.
The breakdown of the 362 disaster accidents that occurred in 2014 shows, in decreasing order, 253
disaster accidents occurring at production works (70%), 72 during consumption (20%), 30 duringtransportation (8%), and 7 others (2%).
As can be seen, the majority of disaster accidents had taken place at production works, and the ratiosof accidents in 2014 were fairly similar compared to those during the last five years. Thus, it is clear thataccident occurrences at production works have remained at a high level.
500

Number of accidents

450400
350
300
250
200
150
10050
Year

0Total
Production works
Transportation
Consumption
Others

'95
10646
16
42
2'96
91
271246
6Figure 2'97
89
25
1340
11'98
90
35
1135
9'99
79
29
14
29
7'00
99
33
1942
5'01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 '12 '13 '14
122 139 148 158 166 195 288 350 327 406 490 428 392 362
32 48 60 66 67 100 150 214 251 287 397 303 288 253
25 28 25 31 21 29 29 27 19 33 26 29 40 3049 50 56 41 62 54 95 93 49 81 62 83 52 72
16 13720 16 12 14 1685513 127

Changes in number of disaster accidents by accident categoryCopyright © The High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan

2

(3) Analysis and evaluation based on accident causes
Mentioned above, the definitions of accidents and items of accident causes were changed in 2011.
Then Table 1 and Figure 3 shows the results of the disaster accidents statistics by causes which
occurred during the three years between 2011 and 2014.
Looking at the 362 disaster accidents in 2014, 161 (44%) were caused by inadequate facility
maintenance and management, 82 (23%) were caused by inadequate facility design and fabrication
defects, and 33 (9%) were caused by human factors, together accounting for 76% of the total.
It is important to take countermeasures against inadequate facility design and fabrication defects, andinadequate facility maintenance and management, as well as human error prevention measures suchas education and training.
Table 1 Analysis and evaluation based on accident causes in disaster accidents (2011 to 2013)
Humanfactors

Inadequate seal management

Total

Faulty operation and judgment

Inappropriate actions

Total

Natural disaster

Traffic accident

OthersTheft8266

1712292116 161

013518276336164602375

77

28

18233319 19801511650454

318

28049 392

2012

35

111056

65

65

828

31

11 208

0

13

11469

1382

1114

43068 428

2011

22

17

1150

67

66

838

28

19 226

08

1945

44986

763

0 156 490

Total 14855

60 263 275 176

46 118 113

65 793049857 191

27 218 106

55 1800 341 1672

Organizationaldefects

Human factors

300
250

Inadequate facility
design and fabrication
defects

Inadequate facility maintenance andmanagement

Grand total

Inadequate transfer
management

1614

Total

Inadequate inspection

1338

Inadequate organizational
operation
Inadequate operational
standards
Inadequate information
conveyence

Inadequate inspection
management532013

Total

Inadequate corrosion control

2014

Year

Inadequate container
management

Total

OthersInadequate construction
management

Organizational
defects

Fabrication defects

Inadequate facility maintenanceand management

Inadequate design

Inadequate facility
design andfabrication defects

68 362Others200
150
10050Ot
hers

Inadequate

InadequateFa
debrsigicncoatins
on
tru
de
ct
fe
io
ct
Innsad
meq
an
ua
ag
In
em
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eq
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ua
rro
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te
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nt
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em
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ad
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ua
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eyer
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andjudIngm
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prop
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Naturald
isastTreraffi cac
ciden
t

0

Figure 3

Analysis and evaluation based on accident causes in disaster accidents (2011 to 2013)

Copyright © The High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan

3

2.2

Analysis based on phenomenal categories, human damages, and accident classifications(1) Analysis based on phenomenal categories
Figure 4 shows the statistical results of the disaster accidents that occurred during the last twodecades (1995 to 2014), classified by phenomenon categories.
The number of disaster accidents in 2014 was 362, and looking at accident phenomena,spout/leakage accounted for 323 accidents (89%), fire for 22 accidents (6%), burst/rupture for 12
accidents (3%) and explosion for 4 accidents (1%), in that order. The majority of these accidents werespout/leakage.
During the last five years, spout/leakage accounted for 1,762 accidents (85%), burst/rupture for 130
accidents (6%), fire for 113 accidents (5%), and explosion for 34 accidents (2%), in that order.

500

Number of accidents

450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0'95
106
Total
16Explosion
38
Fire
Spout/leakage 38
Burst/rupture 14
0
OthersYear

Figure 4

'96
91
14
36
32
8
1'97
89
12
31
36
10
0'98
90
13
27
36
11
3'99
79
6
33
33
6
1'00
99
14
30
42
10
3'01
122
20
37
39
22
4'02 '03
139 148
18
17
34
45
68
66
15
13
4
7'04
158
13
34
82
12
17'05 '06
166 1951614
41
44
88 11599
12
13'07 '08
288 35015244454211 248131757'09327
1233247
2114'10 '11406 490
1364027313 404
1945
218'12428
72035938
4'13 '14392 362
44422363 323
161251

Change in number of disaster accidents by phenomenon category

Copyright © The High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan

4

(2) Analysis based on human damages
Figure 5 shows the statistical results of the disaster accidents that occurred during the last twodecades (1995 to 2014), classified by human damages.
The number of accidents resulting in injury or death was 28 in 2014, accounting for 8% of the 362
disaster accidents. The number of persons suffering injury or death was 70, making the number ofcasualties per physical injury accident 2.5.
The results of the same calculation for the 2,078 disaster accidents, 181 physical injury accidents, and356 casualties in the last five years indicate a ratio of physical injury accident of 9% and a number ofcasualties per physical injury accident of 1.97.
The number of physical injury accidents was 28 in 2014, which was fewer than the 36 that occurred in2013. On the other hand, the number of casualties increased to 70 in 2014, from 46 in 2013.
The greatest number of casualties per accident in 2014 was 17 persons, who were injured by theaccident of a refrigerant gas (Fluorocarbon 22) leakage from the ceiling space in the ground floor of theplant.

Number of Casualties or Physical Injury Accidents

200

Year

150

100

50

0

Number of casualties
Number of physical injury accidents

Figure 5'95

'96

'97

'98

'99

'00

'01

'02

'03

'04

'05

'06

'07

'08

'09

'10

'11

'12

'13

'14

59
30

64
38

60
30

57
29

42
23

71
47

75
45

66
47

15350542960429551855396561093680417133894346367028

Change in number of physical injury accidents and casualties in disaster accidents

Copyright © The High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan5

(3) Analysis based on accident classifications
Figure 6 shows the statistical results of disaster accidents that occurred during the last two decades(1995 to 2014), classified by accident classifications.
No Class A accident occurred in 2014.
Fewer than 10 Class B accidents took place each year until 2005, which increased to 25 in 2006.
More than 50 Class B accidents occurred after in 2008, but reduced to 40 in 2014.
The 40 Class B accidents in 2014 consist of 4 cases of Class B1 accidents , and 36 cases of B2accident.
500
450
400

Number of accidents

350
300
250
200
150
100
50
Year 0'95
106
Total
Class A 1
Class B 4
Class C 101

'96
91
0883

Figure 6'97
89
0584

'98
90
0882

'99
79
0
376

'00
99
0
594

'01
122
0
6116'021390
8
131'0314818
139'04158
07151'05
166
04
162'06
1950
18
177'07
288
0
13275

'08
350
054
296'09327
255
270'10406
059
347'114903
69418'12428
156
371

'13
392
043349'14362040
322

Changes in number of disaster accidents by accident classification
Table 1Definition of classification by degree of loss
Contents of loss

Class A(1) Deaths

5 or more(2) Deaths plus serious injuries

10 or more

(3) Casualties (death plus injury)

30 or more

(4) Direct property damage

500 million yen or more

(5) Any accident affecting the public, or which could have developed into a large scale disasterClass B Class B1 (1) Deaths1 to 4(2) Serious injuries

2 to 9(3) Casualties (injury)

6 to 29(4) Direct property damage

100 to 500 million yen(5) Any accident affecting the public, or which could have developed into a large scale disasterClass B2Class C

Accidents repeatedly occurring at the same works during one year
( excluding Class A and Class B1 accidents )Other than Classes A and B

Copyright © The High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan

6

＜Contact for inquiries related to this document＞

The High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan (KHK)
Information Services & Research Department
International Affairs Office
4-3-13 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8447
TEL: +81-3-3436-2201 FAX: +81-3-3438-4163
Web: http://www.khk.or.jp/english/index.html
MAIL: oversea@khk.or.jp

Copyright © The High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan

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