Welcoming Remarks
AIChE Spring Meeting and Global Congress on Process Safety
2017
2017 Spring Meeting and 13th Global Congress on Process Safety
The 29th Ethylene Producers' Conference
Ethylene Plant Technology Fundamentals
Tuesday, March 28, 2017 - 2:00pm to 2:05pm
Air Products has experienced several significant Process Safety events in our history that have helped define the Process Safety culture that exists at the company today. This presentation describes these events and their root causes, as well as the changes that they launched in the company’s approach to Process Safety. The first incident was an explosion at a Nitrous Oxide plant in 1976 that resulted in four on-site fatalities. In the aftermath of this event the need for a formal Hazard Review Process was identified. The second event occurred in 1978 at an air separation plant in which a cryogenic Liquid Oxygen storage tank was ruptured and 800 tons of Liquid Oxygen was released. The Liquid Oxygen vaporized and drifted off-site, resulting in five off-site fatalities. This incident highlighted the necessity of Risk Quantification. While these milestone events served as the impetus for Air Products Process Safety journey, that journey continues to current day, and the presentation will close with a brief update on future direction.