GAS FILLING STATIONS AS A SOURCE OF TECHNOGENIC HAZARDS
Purpose. Gas filling stations are considered a source of technogenic risks as they apply a flammable substance, liquefied petrol gas, as an engine fuel. The article aims to assess accidental risks of GFSs. Methods. Accident event involving damage to gas filling station equipment has been simulated. For this purpose, we have used TOXI+Risk to assess the size of damage areas from different hazardous phenomena as well as to calculate risks parameters. Results and discussion. The analysis has shown that GFSs are hazardous sources because of potential hydrocarbons leakage followed by released gas transformation and development of affecting factors for people and material objects. The distance from the area where dangerous levels of affecting factors develop exceeds the distance specified by the regulatory acts. Conclusion. The operation of defective equipment, electrical ground, lightning immunity equipment, breach of a preventive maintenance schedule, fire prevention rules, lack of qualifications, and use of non-copperplated tools can cause accidents. Furthermore, breach of specified distances when constructing gas filling stations increases risks for third persons.