Statistical analysis of domino chemical accidents

A set of chemical accidents is retrieved from the literature and classified with regard to the substance involved and whether domino effects are prese nt. This set of accidents and each of the classes defined are statistically analyzed with respect to its severity and comparison is made between domin o and non-domino accidents. The analysis reveals that each accident categor y shows characteristic patterns in terms of fatalities caused and domino ef fects likelihood. Moreover, chemical accidents severity frequencies are des cribed by using a two-parameter, revised form of the Pareto probability den sity function. The range within which the values of the parameters lie is i nvestigated using Bayesian inference. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri ghts reserved.