Adding value not cost: Hazards Australasia announces process safety program

The full program for Hazards Australasia 2016 has been announced. Featuring over 60 high-level talks and presentations, the event takes place 23–24 November at the iconic MCG in Melbourne, Australia.

Organised by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), Hazards Australasia 2016 will focus on the crucial topic of adding value within process safety — without adding cost. Over 150 delegates are expected to participate in a program that will feature leading speakers from industry, academia and regulatory bodies.

The conference will cover important aspects of process safety including culture, engineering and design, knowledge and competence, systems and procedures, and human factors; with contributions from leading process safety companies ABB, Gexcon, HIMA Australia, MMI Engineering, Qenos, Refining New Zealand, WorleyParsons and many more.

Hazards Australasia 2016 will welcome a fantastic line-up of keynote speakers include former IChemE president and former chair of the UK Health and Safety Executive Dame Judith Hackitt, who will discuss the importance of creating a safety culture in her talk: Thinking outside the box.

“I am delighted to be presenting a keynote at Hazards Australasia,” said Hackett. “This year’s theme is especially exciting for me as it reinforces the idea that safety is as much about culture, processes and people as it is about resources and training. It provides an important reminder that safety is of the utmost importance in our industry.

“We are all responsible for our own safety and for the safety of those around us — regardless of role, seniority or job title.”

Diane Smith-Gander, chair of Safe Work Australia and Broadspectrum Limited and president of Chief Executive Women, will also be a keynote speaker, focusing on workplace health and safety to support sustainable practices. She is joined by the chair of the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA), Keith Spence, and WorkSafe New Zealand’s general manager, Wayne Vernon.

IChemE Safety Centre Director Trish Kerin will host a networking session as part of the event and share the ISC’s guidance at the exhibition.

She said: “It’s great to support the third Hazards Australasia conference and focus on a really important issue that is so relevant to the process industries. We can’t hide away from the fact that in the last few years the price of commodities such as oil and iron ore has fallen, and the pressure placed on companies to cut cost has been significant. This conference will help to change our thinking when it comes to process safety. Good process safety adds value, not cost to your business.”

Those interested in attending Hazards Australasia 2016 should visit www.icheme.org/hazardsaus2016. The full conference program is available here. The event is supported by conference partner HIMA Australia and sponsored by ABB, DNV GL and Storemasta.