NEW YORK CITY – The Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of India’s Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) to cooperate in advancing the practice of process safety in the petroleum sector in India and around the world.
The signing ceremony took place on March 14, during a CCPS workshop on “Recognizing Hazardous Incident Warning Signs in the Process Industries” that was held in Goa, India. Participants of the workshop included delegates from OISD and CCPS member companies based in India.
The MOU broadens the sharing of lessons learned from process safety incidents, as well as information on the latest developments in the practice of process safety. This communication may lead to joint meetings and conferences, peer review of each other’s publications, and other activities. Leaders of both organizations say such cooperation is critical to incorporating process safety into companies’ management systems to prevent the recurrence of existing and former problems.
“CCPS’s goal is to prevent process safety accidents anywhere in the world and in any industry,” said CCPS Technical Director Louisa Nara, who signed the MOU on behalf of CCPS. “To this end, we seek out organizations with the experience and influence that can help broaden our knowledge and strengthen the global commitment to process safety.” Nara added that, with India in the forefront of development for industries that most benefit from chemical process safety and with the years of experience OISD brings to the Indian petroleum sector, OISD is an ideal partner.
Hirak Dutta, Executive Director of OISD, signed the MOU, saying, “Hazardous industries like ours must ensure that the lessons learned from major accidents are incorporated into management systems. We value our cooperation with CCPS in promoting benchmarks, high diligence, and a holistic approach to health, safety and the environment, and asset integrity management to avert major accidents.”
In announcing the MOU, Scott Berger, CCPS Executive Director, pointed out that CCPS has been working in India since late 2004. “Most of our organizational interactions have been in the Indian chemical sector,” he explained. “We are pleased to establish this formal relationship with OISD, and moreover to welcome OISD as a member organization of CCPS.”
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About CCPS
The Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) is a global corporate membership organization operated by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). Formed in 1985 as the engineering profession’s response to tragic 1984 accidents in Bhopal, India, and Mexico City, Mexico, CCPS marshals the combined knowledge and experience of its more than 155 corporate members to produce industry leading guidelines, training, and international conferences. For more information about CCPS, visit http://www.ccpsonline.org.
About AIChE
The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) is the leading global professional organization, with more than 45,000 members in more than 90 countries. AIChE focuses engineers on addressing key technical challenges such as process safety, energy, water, development and production of medicines, and sustainability. For more information about AIChE, visit http://www.aiche.org.
About OISD
The Oil Industries Safety Directorate is a technical organization under the Government of India’s Ministry of Oil and Gas. OISD formulates standards and guidelines for safe design and operation of petroleum assets in India, audits compliance to standards, and investigates incidents. OISD members include oil companies owned by the Government of India, independent Indian oil companies, and other companies that support this sector. For more information about OISD, visit http://oisd.nic.in.