Precautions to be taken during and after the Chemical (Industrial) Accidents

• Do not panic, evacuate calmly and quickly perpendicular to wind direction through the designated escape route
• Keep a wet handkerchief or piece of cloth/ sari on face during evacuation
• Keep the sick, elderly, weak, handicapped and other people who are unable to evacuate inside house and close all the doors and windows tightly.
• Do not consume the uncovered food/ water etc open to the air, drink only from bottle
• Change into fresh clothing after reaching safe place/ shelter, and wish hands properly
• Inform Fire & Emergency Services, Police and medical services from safe location by calling 101, 100 and 108 respectively.
• Listen to PA (Public Addressal) System of the plant/ factory, local radio/ TV channels for advice from district administration/fire/health/police and other concerned authorities
• Provide correct and accurate information to government official.
• Inform others on occurrence of event at public gathering places (like school, shopping centre, theatre etc.).
• Don’t pay attention to the rumours and don’t spread rumours.

General Precautions During Normal Time

• Do not smoke, lit fire or spark in the identified hazardous area
• Sensitize the community living near the industrial units and they should be more vigilant about the nature of industrial units and associated risks.
• Keep the contact numbers of nearest hazardous industry, fire station, police station, control room, health services and district control room, for emergency use.
• Avoid housing near the industries producing or processing the hazardous chemicals, if possible.
• Participate in all the capacity building programmes organized by the government/ voluntary organizations / industrial units.
• Take part in preparing disaster management plan for the community and identify safe shelter along with safe and easy access routes.
• Prepare a family disaster management plan and explain it to all the family members.
• Make the family/ neighbours aware of the basic characteristics of various poisonous/ hazardous chemicals and the first aid required to treat them.
• Adequate number of personal protective equipments needs to be made available, to deal with emergency situation.
• Prepare an emergency kit of items and essentials in the house, including medicines, documents and valuables.