A series of gas explosion, the most serious public safety's accident in the history of Taiwanese petrochemical industry, occurred in Kaohsiung city from midnight 31st July to 1st August, causing 30 deaths, 300 casualties, and damages to 500 private houses. This accident highlights the government's mismanagement of safety in petrochemical industry, and it also reveals rooms for discussion and improvement regarding to risk governance model, industrial and energy structure, urban planning, laws and regulations.Given that the university bears the responsibility for maintaining social justice and helping the public to make decision by providing detailed information with integrity on major public issues, Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC) and Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) invite Prof. Chang-Chuan Chan (Vice Dean of Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University), Prof. Kuei-Tien Chou (Chief Director of Risk Society and Policy Research Centre, National Taiwan University), Prof. Hui-Tsung Hsu (Department of Health Risk Management , China Medical University), Prof. Wen-Ling Hong (Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, National Kaohsiung Marine University), Prof. Yu-Feng Wong (Center for Society, Technology, and Medicine, National Cheng Kung University) and Prof. Hung-Jeng Tsai (Department of Sociology, National Sun Yat-sun University) to join the discussion.
Petrochemical industry is highly polluting and water-consuming, transferring external cost to society, therefore, it is worthy of public attention regarding to the future of this society. Secondly, our country should introduce the precautionary principle, reviewing and managing those high risk items which are likely to cause problems, and strengthening corporations' social responsibilities, which take on certain social responsibilities while pursuing profit. Concerning such accidents, possible recommendations include: review and amend laws and regulations as soon as possible, establish a dedicated institution, designate specific areas for centralized management, introduce the viewpoint of sustainability and social trust, a thorough review of laws and regulations on disaster prevention and relief, emergency evacuation mechanisms, and emergency shelters, publish the information of pipelines, diversified deliberations, and public participation. After the break out of such accident, many actions should be carried out in order to make real change.