Process Safety with Trish & Traci

Welcome to the In Case You Missed It edition of Process Safety with Trish and Traci -- the podcast that aims to share insights from past incidents to help avoid future events. I’m Traci Purdum, EIC of Chemical Processing. Please subscribe to this free podcast on your favorite platform to continue learning with Trish & me in this series.

This In Case You Missed It episode brings the written word to life. Today, Trish Kerin, the director of IChemE Safety Centre, and Stay Safe columnist for Chemical Processing, will read her column “Knowledge Is Power – Or Is It?”

Written By: Trish Kerin

Read By: Trish Kerin 

Read Article HERE 

On the 35th anniversary of the deadly event we examine how routine maintenance can go horribly wrong.

Welcome to the In Case You Missed It edition of Process Safety with Trish and Traci -- the podcast that aims to share insights from past incidents to help avoid future events. I’m Traci Purdum, EIC of Chemical Processing.

This In Case You Missed It episode brings the written word to life. Today, I will be reading a column by our editor at large Sean Ottewell “Safety Lessons from the Great Molasses Flood of 1919” -- Discover the catastrophic events of the Great Molasses Flood, where engineering failures led to a deadly wave of syrup in Boston’s North End.

Written By: Seán Ottewell, editor-at-large

Read By: Traci Purdum, editor-in-chief 

Read Article HERE https://www.chemicalprocessing.com/voices/ottewell/article/55055791/safety-lessons-from-the-great-molasses-flood-of-1919

In this episode of Process Safety with Trish and Traci we interview Fiona Erskine, an engineer and crime novelist who has a passion for process safety. Fiona discusses balancing her engineering career with writing and how she uses her novels to educate readers about process safety and engineering concepts. Her Dr. Jaq Silver series combines thrilling plots with accurate technical details, making complex topics accessible to non-experts.

Our tendency to underestimate the likelihood of rare occurrences can lead us to dismiss the possibility of process safety incidents.

This In Case You Missed It episode brings the written word to life. Today, Trish Kerin, the director of IChemE Safety Centre and Stay Safe columnist for Chemical Processing, will read her column “It’s Not Impossible That It’s Possible”

Written By: Trish Kerin

Read By: Trish Kerin 

The standard's industry-agnostic approach, its potential to influence global PSM practices and its role in setting benchmarks for organizations not covered by traditional legislation will impact safety practices worldwide.

In this episode, Trish & Traci discuss the Canadian Process Safety Management (PSM) standard CSA Z767, the world's first national PSM standard. Adrian Pierorazio and Parnian Jadidian — part of the team that crafted the standard — explain its development, starting as a guideline and evolving into a national standard to provide a unified framework for PSM across various industries in Canada. The standard was updated in 2024 to incorporate industry feedback and expand key sections.

The plant floor at the West Pharmaceuticals facility in Kingston, N.C., was kept spotless to meet hygiene requirements. However, combustible polyethylene dust accumulated in the suspended ceiling. This led to a dust explosion on January 29, 2003, that killed six workers, injured 38, and destroyed the plant. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) couldn’t identify the ignition source.

As I noted in a previous column, the CSB blames dust explosions for numerous fatalities at many plants. Let’s get into how to identify the risks of dust fires and explosions.

Written By: Dirk Willard

Read By: Traci Purdum 

Read Article HERE 

Control system failures, alarm floods, maintenance issues and emergency response factored into this non-deadly incident.

In this guest podcast episode from our sister publication Processing, Senior Editor Nate Todd interviews Chris Cloney of Dust Safety Science. In this episode, we discover that awareness of dust hazards varies globally, often spiking after major incidents but waning over time. The company tracks dust-related incidents annually, noting significant events like the 2023 grain silo explosion in Brazil. Common hazards involve grain, wood and metal dusts, with equipment like dust collectors and silos frequently implicated. Emerging industries like 3D printing and robotics present new challenges. Dust Safety Science emphasizes ongoing education and risk assessment to prevent future incidents.