Institution of Chemical Engineers(IChemE) Hazards XXII- Process safety and environmental protection

May 2010

North West England - 11-14 April 2011

Call for papers

Making the case for sustained investment in process safety can be difficult in the current economic climate. Nevertheless, history reminds us that the financial and human costs of a major incident will far outweigh any savings that might be made when finances are tight.

As we enter a new decade, cost control is not the only challenge preoccupying the process sector. In the developed word, political pressure for tougher action on carbon emissions is driving a demand for ever greater operational efficiency and lower energy consumption. At the same time, the shift to alternative feed stocks and new, more sustainable processes prompts a need for fresh thinking among safety professionals.

Rapid growth in the developing world presents a different set of challenges. Expanding markets, lower labour costs and a less tightly regulated operating environment represents both a challenge and an opportunity for multinational companies. But the lack of training and knowledge, which can be a characteristic of new labour markets, can render organisations vulnerable. Cultural issues are also a major factor in an era where human factors are a key consideration in the management of process safety.
 
The impact of new and complex supply chains, a burgeoning SME sector, escalating energy demand and the increasing importance of biochemical engineering to the process industries poses additional headaches.
 
It is clear that the need to demonstrate 'duty of care' and the best possible arrangements for knowledge sharing in the sphere of safety and environmental protection is more important than ever.
 
Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) 'Hazards' symposium continues to provide an important forum to debate these issues. First staged in 1960, and now set to convene for the twenty second time, Hazards offers the ideal stage for international experts and process safety practitioners to present and discuss the latest developments in safety and environmental management.
 
Pressure on space at Hazards XXI prompted IChemE to evaluate alternative venues in North West England.  A new conference location, which will offer an improved delegate experience including a bigger exhibition, poster area and networking facilities for a larger number of visitors will be confirmed shortly.
 
Contributions suitable for oral presentation or in poster format are invited under the following broad topic headings: 
• New developments and the latest research findings (including 'work in progress') in process safety and environmental protection
• Best practice in process safety leadership and safety and environmental management systems
• Inherently safer design
• Engineering for resilience and sustainable process operation
• Improvements in safety performance measurement and reporting, corporate safety knowledge retention, and the development and management of a learning culture
• Effective risk and consequence assessment for major hazards and project design evaluation
• Securing plant integrity and the safer management of aging assets
• Managing reactive chemical hazards
• Human factors in process safety including considerations of contract labour, staff competency and retention and the challenges of globalised operations
• Aspects of hygiene such as COSHH, biocontainment and genotoxic intermediates (hard piped systems and building facilities)
• Safety and environmental management within SMEs
• Public awareness and perception of safety
• Regulatory compliance in practice

In addition, accident case studies and investigation reports from recent process safety incidents will be welcomed for inclusion in the programme.
 
The technical committee particularly welcomes papers that examine the application of established best practice in process safety in new and emerging technologies, including: new nuclear build and decommissioning, Hydrogen and LNG installations, biofuels manufacture, carbon dioxide transportation and storage, renewables, nanotechnology and nano-materials, biological agents, micro reactors and new control systems.

Papers addressing the particular challenges associated with the safer management of extended supply chains and multinational operations will also be favourably received.

Abstracts of no more than 500 words can be submitted on-line to the Hazards XXII, Technical Programme Manager, Mike Adams by 23 June.
 
For further information, please visit the conference website. 

Or contact:
 
Rosemary Cragg
Conference and Events Manager
IChemE
Davis Building
Railway Terrace
Rugby
CV21 3HQ
 
Tel: +44 (0) 1788 578214
Fax: +44 (0) 1788 560833
Email: Rosemary Cragg

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