Japan’s Recent Earthquakes and Tsunami Has Highlighted Weaknesses in the

Safe Design of Buildings, Nuclear Facilities and Oil Refineries; Reports

Hazardology

The ongoing tragedy affecting Japan should bring to attention the risks associated with structural
and process design in high hazard locations. Urgent in-depth independent reviews are required to
ensure the safety of existing facilities. Designers and operators around the world need to provide
more detailed assurance to investors, governments and the general public, that buildings and
complex operational facilities are safe.

Vancouver, Canada, March 17, 2011 --(PR.com)-- The events in Japan have demonstrated that structures
and facilities are potentially not as safe as originally perceived for the companies that commission them,
and to members of the public. The 40-year-old nuclear power plant that has been leaking radiation,
implemented an evacuation order of 20km, impacting 185,000 residents.

Specialist safety consultant and hazardology.com spokesperson, Anna Buchanan explains:-

“The nuclear facility was designed with numerous protection and failsafe shutdown systems, as well as
backup systems for emergency conditions. This was a standard design philosophy for all high hazard
facilities, and this concept still exists today. However, the intensity of the earthquake and tsunami has
caused an abnormal operational condition that no one had previously predicted or modeled, and therefore
would not think to protect against.

“Due to technological advances in engineering design over recent decades, there has been an over
confidence in the definition of worst-case scenarios for design. It is apparent that modern day confidence
in design creates a reduced factor of safety. This could potentially reduce the overall quality and
consequent robustness of design when exposed to the reality of extreme conditions.

“The oil refinery east of Tokyo experienced a dramatic fire shortly after the earthquake at its Liquefied
Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage area, that holds 25 LPG spherical tanks. One of the LPG spheres caught
fire, resulting in a massive BLEVE - a Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion. The fire at the facility
was successfully contained, nullifying a domino effect, and thus preventing a further major catastrophe.

“Japanese residents believed that their houses were designed to withstand an earthquake and tsunami,
only to discover disintegrated remains of their property. Moreover, the concrete seawalls designed to
protect against tsunamis were overwhelmed, a similar catastrophe akin to the New Orleans levees
breaching. The cost of worst-case design is rarely planned. The expected 'unexpected' was completely
unexpected(!).

“What we can all learn from this devastation is to never underestimate the abnormal and major event
scenarios when designing buildings, structures and operational facilities. Industry and governments
should take this sobering opportunity to review original designs of industrial facilities to demonstrate that
they can be operated and maintained safely for the immediate and long-term future. The original basis of

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safety of all facilities should be confirmed and emergency response processes, procedures and systems
should be in place and independently checked and tested for worst case scenario events. Making society
safer requires investment and is a delicate balance of risk versus political and fiscal intent (PAFI©).”

Hazardology (hazardology.com) is an independent high hazard health and safety international

consultancy. Anna Buchanan is a professional chartered engineer, registered safety professional and
certified auditor with over 15 years of global experience in industrial health, safety and environment. She
is a thought leader who assists entrepreneurial entities, financial institutions and process safety
institutions, specializing on best practice, due diligence and safety reviews.

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Contact Information:
Hazardology
Anna Buchanan
1-202-657-4357
info@hazardology.com
www.hazardology.com

Online Version of Press Release:

You can read the online version of this press release at: http://www.pr.com/press-release/306328

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