A survey of media coverage reporting explosions, fires, and serious incidents in the U.S. chemical and process industries reveals 85 fatalities and more than 600 serious injuries in 2014, according to the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), prompting the organization to bring its Human Factors in Health & Safety training course to North America for the first time in November.
IChemE, in partnership with the UK-based Keil Centre, a practice of chartered psychologists and registered ergonomists, currently offers a one-year Human Factors program that comprises four intensive two-day events supported by course work. The two organizations will collaborate with the Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center at Texas A&M University to deliver an abbreviated one-day program in three North American locations.
“A lack of effective management of human factors was a contributory factor to many major accidents including Bhopal, Chernobyl and Piper Alpha. These high profile incidents were widely reported, but sadly they are just the tip of the iceberg,” says Andy Furlong, IChemE director of policy. “IChemE is working around the world to significantly reduce the risk of future incidents and our human factors training, which has been running in Europe since 2008, is a key part of our work.”
The new course is part of the Institution’s extensive process safety offer. IChemE just launched a new membership grade – Associate Member (Process Safety) – to give process safety specialists the recognition needed to provide continuous improvement in the discipline. The courses will be offered in Texas on November 11, in California on November 13 and in Pennsylvania on November 16.
For more information, visit: www.icheme.org
