The EPSC 2020 highlights are:
Webinars
To continue interaction, the following virtual meetings were organized:
- EPSC started its Sponsored Webinar series where solution providers have been invited to present relevant topics: Baker Risk - Occupied Building Risk Assessments, Tuev Sued - Risk Based Inspection, RHDHV - REACH & Seveso and BAM - Experimental testing to understand consequences. With between 75-125 participants per webinar this proves to be a good way of reaching a for the topic relevant audience in EPSC member companies.
- The spring and fall TSC virtual meetings were attended by a record number of participants. The minutes and good presentations are available for all members.
- Digitalization Working Group organized webinar sessions on the following topics: Digital Permit to work, Digital training tools, Internet of things, Advanced use of HAZOP & MOC database, Machine Learning & Digital Twins. All presentations are available at the EPSC website.
- Human Performance Working Group presented its final results in an open webinar; the recordings are available at the website.
- Process Safety Fundamentals Working Group completed their results in a nice booklet format.
EPSC Learning sheets
Learning from relevant aspects at incidents that involve hazardous chemicals remains essential to keep awareness and create in-depth understanding around the relevant aspects on how to avoid them. The Learning Sheets are now available in 14 languages and have a mailing list with over 1400 process safety specialists around the world.
Conferences
The Big Data & Digital Conference was organized with CCPS, for the 5th time; this edition as a virtual event with a record number of participants.
Working Groups Progression
Active Working Groups created advanced understanding in good discussions and some useful documents:
- Process Safety Fundamentals & Human Performance WG finalized their results.
- PHA Efficiency: Hazops studies can be a time consuming costly process. Best practices to enhance both quality and efficiency of PHA studies are being developed in this working group with about 25 members.
- Leadership in Process Safety: Leadership and Culture are essential element for process safety as confirmed again after the TCR (2005) incident investigation. While general documents are available, the inspired team is defining practical best practices to help companies to develop strong process safety leadership.
- Process Safety in Pharma and Consumer Industries produced a brochure on Best Practices & Pitfalls in Electrostatics, and is working under inspired leadership of GSK to produce a best practice guide on key process safety aspects of typical pharma unit operations.
- The Digitalization Working Group defined their key topics and had 7 well visited webinars (topics mentioned before).
- RAST and CHEF Users Group shared cases on the tools that allow fast analysis of consequences of chemical releases. The underlying engineering Fundamentals were explained in a 10-session webinar with world-class trainers, and made freely available by EPSC to all employees of EPSC members. Over 120 persons from EPSC member companies attended this course.
EPSC Benchmark study
EPSC executed this year again the benchmark study on process safety incidents. Incident rates and root causes of the participating companies were made available anonymously in an easy overview. It is one of the largest benchmark studies (in terms of total working hours covered) available and with each additional year becoming more relevant as a trend benchmark for process safety performance.
EPSC Website
The www.EPSC.be website was further upgraded to show all events, technical documents and presentations in an easy way.
Circular Economy and Energy Transition and their process safety implications will become a new focus topic for 2021. EPSC seeks cooperation with other organizations that are involved in developing insights in the potential safety implications of new technologies in these fields, for example to continue to work together with FABIG.