A Survey on Accidents in the Road Transportation of Hazardous Materials in São Paulo, Brazil, from 1983 to 2015

Abstract

A survey on 4,638 accidents in the road transportation of hazardous products in São Paulo, Brazil, between 1983 and 2015 registered by Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo (CETESB; average of 140.5 accidents per year) was conducted. This study aimed to present the evolution and the recent scenario of accidents involving transportation of hazardous products in a locality in the southern hemisphere. The research method adopted was documentation through data collection in the CETESB database and data analysis through descriptive statistics and f-N curves for societal risk. We concluded that: (i) there is a higher concentration of accidents from 10:00 am to 10:59 am; (ii) there is a coincidence between areas of greater urbanization and industrial vocation with areas with the greater concentration of accidents (Unidades de Gerenciamento de Recursos Hídricos (UGRHI) of Alto Tietê, with 26.5% accidents); (iii) tipping over is the main cause of accidents (33.78%); (iv) flammable liquids are the product most frequently involved in accidents (40.25%); (v) soil is the most impacted element (86% of accidents with impact to some medium); and (vi) the expected value is 36 accident victims per year. Our study highlights the need for continuous improvements in the information system and integration between agents to reduce the number of accidents of this type.