(28b) The Intersection of Safety and Intellectual Property (IP)

Safety is perhaps the most critical goal in the chemical industry. It is only becoming more vital as production increases and manufacturing facilities grow larger.

Companies spend a large amount of time and money attempting to make every aspect of their company safer. But this work is not only a cost—all of this time and money can also result in valuable intellectual property that companies should protect. This can be a difficult balance because companies often want to share safety improvements with others, which can sometimes destroy a company’s IP rights

For example, certain safety regulations require disclosure of information that may considered a trade secret (e.g., details of certain process conditions or the composition of fracking fluids). Public disclosure destroys a trade secret, yet a company cannot refuse to follow a regulation simply to protect its IP.

How can companies protect their trade secrets while also complying with the necessary standards and regulations?

The speakers today, who are both chemical engineers and lawyers, will discuss how companies can protect their IP, including trade secrets, while also complying with the necessary standards and regulations.