Sigma-HSE Newsletter - May 2024

On-Demand Technical Webinar - Thermal Stability/Screening & Adiabatic Calorimetry

During new process and product development, a primary chemical processing concern is the safe and efficient processing of materials and chemicals at large scale. To counter these process safety concerns, thermal stability and adiabatic calorimetry testing methods act as valuable screening steps in the development of new chemical processes.

The preliminary data collected at the screening stage will guide research and development teams in their process development journey, especially during the product identification and the identification of synthetic route stages.

From this webinar you will gain an understanding of:

• How and why chemical reactions and material reactivity are critical elements of safe processing, and how exothermic reactions pose the biggest risk.
• How thermal screening data and adiabatic techniques can be used to inform and ensure proper plant design (reactor cooling capacity, relief sizing, etc.) for scale-up stages.

Speaker: Dr Oliver Armstrong – Chemist

Where: Online, just register for free HERE .

On-Demand Technical Webinar: Management of Change (MoC) - Avoiding the Accumulation of Risk

Site, operational and personnel changes occur every day across industry. Justifiable changes such as process efficiency, engineering enhancements, alterations to Standard Operating Procedures and changes to staff will all contribute to the accumulation of small changes that may result in increased risk of fire and explosion in the workplace. How is this to be mitigated?

Management of Change stands as a cornerstone in process safety management in all industries. Despite its significance, it remains as one of the most challenging aspects to implement and control. This is because seemingly minor alterations slip under the radar of formal MoC processes. These inconspicuous adjustments accumulate over time, subtly transforming the plant.

This webinar will provide an understanding of:

• How to identify potential hazards that change can produce.
• How to consider functionality in a MoC system
• Consequences of change for both plant and people (organisational).

Speaker: Dr Andy Fowler (Technical & Operations Director) & Ismael Jaffery (Process Safety Specialist)

Where: Online, just register for free HERE .

On-Demand Technical Webinar: Understanding Electrical Classification

Electrical classification plays a key role in ensuring safety and efficiency within industrial facilities handling flammable materials and hazardous environments.

In this session, we will explore the fundamental principles of electrical classification, including identifying hazardous areas, classification codes and standards, types of ignitable substances, and methods for mitigating risks.

Key points to cover in the webinar:

• Introduction to electrical classification in the process industry
• Hazardous areas and their identification
• Classification codes and standards (e.g., NEC, IECEx)
• Types of ignitable substances (gases, vapours, dusts)
• Methods for mitigating electrical hazards (e.g., explosion-proof equipment, intrinsically safe systems)
• Regulatory compliance and best practices for maintaining safety standards
• Q&A session to address participant questions and concerns

Speaker: Dr Emmanuel Addai – Senior Process Safety Consultant

Where: Online, just register for free HERE.

Resources Library Learning from our Process Safety Experts

To access our repository of technical articles and on-demand webinars, providing a wealth of insight into mitigating fire and explosion risk, check out our website resources page.

• On-Demand: Quantitative Risk Assessments (QRA) Managing Chemical Process Risk
• On-Demand: Identifying Appropriate Fire and Explosion Hazard Data for your Unit Operations
• On-Demand: How to Construct a Proactive and Reactive Process Safety Management Strategy
• Chemical Reaction Hazards (CRH): How to Choose the Right Screening Tool
• The Importance of Traceable Fire & Explosion Data for Dust, Gas & Vapour