ASSE Conference to focus on Process Safety

Neglect of process safety has been a major cause of catastrophic accidents in petrochemicals, refineries, and other high hazard installations. This is the theme of Baker Panel report released recently by US Chemical Safety Board. The report was the subject of a specialty work shop organized by the American Society of Safety Engineers, Kuwait Chapter. Mr. Ujwal Ritwik, international expert on health, safety and environment, conducted a busy workshop attended by over 80 specialists and professionals from the field representing several companies and countries.

In the aftermath of the fire and explosion that took place in BP's Texas City refinery on the 23rd of March 2005, US Chemical Safety board asked BP to conduct an independent enquiry into the process safety culture of their refineries in US. As a large and responsible company BP responded with setting up a committee of super experts to carry out an honest assessment of functioning of process safety at the five refineries that BP owns in USA. The panel was headed by ex-Secretary of State Mr. James Baker, a person quite familiar to Kuwait; he was a key player war for liberation of Kuwait in 1991.

For the first time in Kuwait, and in the Gulf, a high profile work shop on the topic was conducted at a public forum. Mr. Ritwik explained Baker Panel report has extremely important message for all high hazard installations around the world, including Kuwait. Highly publicized incidents such as those at Bhopal, Flixborough, Piper Alfa, and Exxon Valdez during the past decades have increased the awareness among public and law makers around the world. Countries have come out with new laws and industry has enhanced their process safety standards. However, the passing of time without a process accident is not necessarily an indication that all is well and may contribute to a dangerous and growing sense of complacency. When people lose an appreciation of how their safety systems were intended to work, safety systems and controls can deteriorate, lessons can be forgotten, and hazards and deviations from safe operating procedures can be accepted.

During the workshop there was a unanimous agreement all connected to hydrocarbon industry can benefit immensely from this work. Though the Panel necessarily is directed to BP the Panel's recommendations contained in the report can benefit a broader audience including companies in refining, chemicals, oil and gas and energy generation sectors.

Mr. Ritwik, who is renowned for his work and seminars on various issues pertaining to environment, occupational health and safety, is considered a process safety management 'guru' in the region. His views on accident precursors, published in international journals, have changed the way certain issues are dealt in the industry. He is the President of the organizing committee of the Fourth International Professional Development Conference on Health, Safety and Environment being organized by ASSE from 15 to 17 April 2007.

Ritwik took the opportunity to explain the audience about the conference. An event of great prestige for Kuwait, as for the first time in the region such specialty event is being held with a wide variety of value loaded features. He said "We thank forward looking companies like Kuwait National Petroleum Co., Saudi Arabian Chevron, Du Pont, and Equate, to name a few who have come out in full support of the conference. Even public bodies like EPA, Kuwait Fire Brigade, and Ministry of Energy are participating in high value deliberations". He hoped companies and agencies will derive full benefit of the event.

The work shop was held on the 15th March 2007 at Radisson SAS Hotel, Kuwait.