Historical analysis of major accidents in the American chemical industry

Abstract This document presents a historical analysis of major industrial accidents in the chemical sector across the Americas, highlighting their causes, consequences, impact, and frequency. The analysis covers the Pan‐American region (North, Central, and South America) and reports results at the continental level. The regulations imposed by various organizations responsible for controlling and improving safety within the industry, such as the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), CEPA (Canadian Environmental Protection Act), and SAICM (Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management) are mentioned. The objective is to prevent as many accidents as possible in the chemical industry, as most of them are avoidable if effective strategies are implemented and adequate information and training are provided to all employees. This document will discuss and illustrate these points. Over 1300 industrial accidents were identified in the Americas between 1900 and 2025. North America accounted for the highest proportion of incidents among the three regions analyzed, representing 49.3% of all cases. South America followed with 26.7%, and Central America came in last, at 24.0%. Human error was the most frequent cause of these accidents, associated with 348 incidents. Accidents resulting from external events followed, totalling 276 cases. Instrumental or mechanical failure accounted for 191 recorded occurrences.