Accidents can have serious and devastating effects, so a rigorous approach to process safety and loss prevention is crucial. Process Safety and Major Hazards Management has always been at the core of chemical engineering. Although industry is evolving and new technologies are emerging, the fundamental principles of managing risk, and learning and improving, endure.

Why is process safety and major hazards management important?

Chemical engineers must manage risk and achieve safety in every aspect of their work, in every sector. Core to chemical engineering are process safety and major hazards management, although there are many other different types of risk and uncertainty, such as environmental risks, (especially weather events driven by climate change), personal risks, transition risks, etc.

IChemE is committed to working with government, regulators and other stakeholders to build a common understanding of risk, and to collaborate and share experience with leaders and other professional bodies. These relationships aim to develop a culture that delivers real improvements in safety, health and environmental performance.

In 2014, IChemE set up the IChemE Safety Centre (ISC), a not-for-profit multi-company industry consortium, focused on improving process safety by sharing best practice, pooling experience and insight, and developing useful resources. The ISC’s growth across a wide variety of industries has enabled it to agree the important issues and priorities, speak with one voice, provide thought leadership, and ensure that every member can access the information they need to play their part in improving process safety outcomes.

SDG alignment

As this is a fundamental area, delivery of which supports the other priority topics, it is not aligned with a specific SDG.