The Institution of Chemical Engineers’ annual conference takes place at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham from 10-12 May and is set to raise questions about the future of process safety.
The Hazards conference series, presented by IChemE, brings the process safety community together to share best practice, latest developments and lessons learned; emphasising the message that risk will never be eliminated, but it can be better managed and reduced.
First staged in 1960, Hazards is now widely recognised as one of Europe’s leading process safety events.
There are no new accidents, just lessons to be learnt from the ones we have already had
Speaking at Hazards 26, guest speaker Mr Justice Haddon-Cave
The brand is growing internationally too, with sister conferences now held regularly in Australasia and Asia.
Attendees
Aimed at anyone who is active in process safety and risk management, this industry event will offer approximately 100 technical presentations, as well as a trade exhibition, all designed to help delegates make their working environments safer.
Speaking at Hazards 26, guest speaker Mr Justice Haddon-Cave, commented: “There are no new accidents, just lessons to be learnt from the ones we have already had.”
Hazards 27 will present latest developments, best practice guidance and lessons learned in process safety, offering technical insight into how to reduce and manage risk effectively.
Conference programme
The conference offers a packed programme of presentations, sharing the knowledge and experience of almost 100 leading experts from around the globe, with contributions from industry, academia and regulatory bodies.
Presentations will cover all the functional areas that are key to managing and reducing risk effectively: engineering and design, systems and procedures, knowledge and competence, human factors, assurance, culture, and environmental protection.
All of which are specifically designed to appeal to process safety professionals working at all levels and in all industry sectors.
In addition, there are optional preconference workshops exploring retrospective HAZOP studies, emergency planning, human factors, inherent safety, and risk graphs in more depth, and a debate on the future of process safety.
Keynote speakers
Invited keynote speakers will share their own experiences of process safety management. BASF’s North West Europe process safety adviser, Chris Beale, will discuss how the company measures process safety performance at different levels, covering both plant-specific details and wider organisational factors.
“When it comes to process safety, we’ve got to have better conversations, better analysis, and better decisions,” said Ken Rivers, chair of the COMAH Strategic Forum, speaking at last year’s conference.
Examples will be taken from a variety of industry sectors, ranging from both Seveso III chemical sites with high hazard potential to low hazard sites.
Unilever’s Europe process safety operations manager, Malcolm Sarstedt, will discuss the importance and practical application of good process safety management in the fast-moving consumer goods sector.
Sarstedt will address the perception that process safety management systems are the preserve of the high hazard chemical industries and examine why the topic is so important to a much wider spectrum of industry.
Shell’s vice president of HSSE for downstream operations, Sally Martin, will discuss the ‘life-saving rules’ of the process safety world, known within Shell as the ‘process safety fundamentals’.
When it comes to process safety, we’ve got to have better conversations, better analysis, and better decisions
Ken Rivers, chair of the COMAH Strategic Forum
Jasper Clark, Marsh Energy’s London engineering hub leader, will discuss how insurance risk engineering can form part of an overall risk management strategy.
Fast lane
The conference will also welcome former Grand Prix senior manager and Formula One analyst, Mark Gallagher, who will deliver a lecture created to honour the memory of process safety pioneer Trevor Kletz.
Gallagher will draw parallels between risk management in the very different worlds of motorsport and the process industries, offering insights into the evolution of risk management and safety culture within F1, and will discuss how the lessons learned can be transferred to the chemical and process industries.
Trade exhibition
An exhibition will run alongside the conference, showcasing products and services to help reduce the risk of hazardous events. Exhibitors confirmed so far include ABB Consulting, BakerRisk, CGE Risk Management, Cogent Skills, DNV GL, Fike, Micropack Engineering and Risktec Solutions.
The list of exhibitors is growing, with the latest line-up available on the conference website. Stands and sponsorship packages are still available, with options available to suit all budgets.
Networking opportunities
There will be plenty of opportunities to network with top experts and industry peers throughout the event, including a free welcome drinks reception in the exhibition area, and an informal social event.
On 11 May, there is a chance to network at the ‘festival of food’ which celebrates world cuisine, including Birmingham’s world famous Balti Triangle (which was recently listed in the Rough Guide’s 25 things to do in Britain before you die).
This will be a relaxed and informal evening; a chance to catch up with other conference participants while enjoying a wide range of international street food.
Conveniently held at the conference venue, the evening will include a drinks reception.
- Online registration is now open, and includes a special offer to bring along young colleagues for half price. To register interest visit www.icheme.org/hazards27
