The scale of the threat in Poland from major industrial accidents resulting from the functioning of the chem. industry in the years 2014-2023 was examd. on official statistical data. No. of industrial accidents in Poland decreased from 154 in 2001 to 29 in 2022. In 2023, a small increase in the accident no. (36) was obsd. The no. of serious accidents meeting the criteria of the Minister of the Environment regarding the obligation to report them to the Chief Inspector of Environmental Protection decreased in the years 2014-2023 and annually varied in the range 4-10 a year. The most accidents were recorded in road and pipeline transport. The most common causes of accidents still included human error and damage to installation components. The gas emissions or leakage of hazardous substances into the soil, sewage system or surface waters occurred most often as a result of emergency situations. The distribution of accidents in the country was not uniform and increased with the increasing no. of chem. plants in the voivodships.
