Ten things we learned at Hazards 26
10th June 2016
IChemE's flagship process safety symposium, known far and wide simply as 'Hazards', goes from strength to strength. From its modest beginnings in Manchester, England in the 1960's the event has grown into an international brand attracting delegates to conferences in Europe, Australasia and South East Asia.
Last month we welcomed over 300 delegates to the Edinburgh International Conference Centre for Hazards 26, a three-day event that featured some notable keynote speakers, who offered some powerful insights on a wide range of process safety topics.
Those who were fortunate to have a ticket for the biggest process safety event in Europe this year, went back to their day jobs armed with valuable lessons in how to improve process safety performance. But for those of you who couldn't attend, here's a flavour of the key messages that were delivered by the keynote speakers and some of the big names who were present in Edinburgh.
- We forget the past at our peril
2. It's good to talk, but we've got to get a lot better at it
3. Leadership is vital
4. We must stand up and be counted
5. All opinions and views count; seek knowledge everywhere
6. Sharing is crucial if we want great safety performance
7. There's a downside to technology
8. Human factors are important
9. Good chemical engineering makes for good process safety
10. Sometimes a lawyer really nails it!
IChemE exists because chemical engineering matters. Professional chemical engineers in IChemE membership are committed to the highest standards of ethical practice and to the design and operation of safe and sustainable chemical processes.
Hazards is just one aspect of IChemE's process safety work. Our Safety Centre is at the forefront of an international effort to improve process safety performance. Our publications, including the Loss Prevention Bulletin are a valuable channel for sharing knowledge.
Chemical engineering improves the quality of life everywhere. But as we look back across history to Feysin and Flixborough, to Piper Alpha and Chernobyl and to Deepwater Horizon and Seveso, its clear that it has brought death and destruction too.
IChemE believes that we all deserve a better, safer world. People have a fundamental human right not to be hurt, no matter where they are. That's why our work in process safety goes on.
Keep your eyes peeled on the blog, as we'll be shortly sharing some free process safety resources with you all.
And if you are interested in attending Hazards 27 next year please email hazards27@icheme.org with your name, email address and contact telephone number. You will be the first to hear about the upcoming conference, including early-bird discounts and deals.
Please feel free to share these fantastic quotes on social media, and with your colleagues. And don't forget to share your own 'words of wisdom' below.