Noting that stricter safety and inspection protocols have resulted in a reduction of potentially catastrophic events within the chemical manufacturing industry, Michelle Pritchard, process safety technology manager, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company noted that an unintended consequence of this reduction has been that “people don’t necessarily understand the potential consequences of releases.”
Discussing risk assessment with industry safety leaders at the 30th Annual 2017 Environmental, Health, and Safety Seminar held recently in Galveston, Texas, Pritchard said that a key principle to facilities achieving zero incidences and zero injuries safety records is to maintain zero loss of containment.
“No loss of containment is acceptable,” she emphasized. “When you think about the impact of inflammables and hydrocarbons, it takes far less of those materials to have severe consequences, so this principle is even more applicable.”
Pritchard’s presentation also touched upon the differences in approach between toxic inhalation hazard assessments versus compliance audits.
Read this article in its entirety in the September issue of BIC Magazine.
