Statistical analysis of the severity of occupational accidents in the mining sector.

Introduction: The aim of this paper is to understand the causes of occupational accidents in Spain's mining sector in order to propose action plans and improve future accident rates.

Method: This research analyzed a pool of data on 15,032 accidents occurring in the mining sector and reported to authorities between 2013 and 2018. Accidents are divided into three levels of severity: light, serious, and fatal.

The self-sustaining decomposition of ammonium nitrate fertiliser: Case study, Escombreras valley, Spain.

Fertilisers containing ammonium nitrate have caused several accidents over the years, including toxic clouds, fires and explosions. For this reason, this work examines the accident that occurred in Escombreras valley (Cartagena, Spain) related to the decomposition of NPK 15-15-15 fertiliser, composed basically of monoammonium phosphate, ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride. The fertiliser was stored in a silo and its decomposition produced a toxic cloud formed of nitrogen oxides.