Trish Kerin, Stay Safe columnist

Director, IChemE Safety Centre

Trish Kerin is an award-winning international expert and keynote speaker in process safety and the inaugural director of the IChemE Safety Centre. Trish leverages her years of engineering and varied leadership experience to help organizations improve their process safety outcomes. 

She has represented industry to many government bodies and has sat on the board of the Australian National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority. She is a Chartered Engineer, registered Professional Process Safety Engineer, Fellow of IChemE and Engineers Australia. Trish also holds a diploma in OHS, a master of leadership and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Her recent book "The Platypus Philosophy" helps operators identify weak signals. 

Her expertise has been recognized with the John A Brodie Medal (2015), the Trevor Kletz Merit Award (2018), Women in Safety Network’s Inaugural Leader of the Year (2022) and has been named a Superstar of STEM for 2023-2024 by Science and Technology Australia.

What Is the Best Way to Manage Transient Operations to Achieve Process Safety? 6 Steps to Follow

Transient operations occur when transitioning between operating states and are often the most hazardous periods in a chemical facility.

Process Safety: Knowledge Is Power – Or Is It?

What’s more powerful than knowledge? The world's leading safety centers are banding together to answer just that.

Process Safety: It’s Not Impossible That It’s Possible

Our tendency to underestimate the likelihood of rare occurrences can lead us to dismiss the possibility of process safety incidents.

Process Safety — Manage The Only Constant: Change

Understanding the two kinds of change, deliberate and creeping, will aid you in keeping your facility a safe place to work.

Process Safety: Embrace Challenges, Recognize Limits, Manage Risks

It's crucial to operate within our professional boundaries and effectively mitigate risks when operating beyond them.

The Difference Between Experiences and Learning in Process Safety

Daily experiences vary, but key events hold lessons. Reflection is vital for learning and shaping success.

Reflecting On Tragedy Can Improve Process Safety

Historical events and emotional connections can foster learning and help keep chemical facilities safe.

Process Safety: Don’t Let Risk Management Falter

A deep understanding of risks empowers us to make informed decisions

Prevent Process Safety Incidents by Identifying Weak Signals

Listen in as Trish Kerin employs the platypus to help us uncover weak signals -- those unexpected or unexplainable alarms, lead indicators that may be easily dismissed as false...

Process Safety: Prepare For The Worst

Ensure your employees are trained to respond to an emergency so their response is second nature.

Podcast: The Importance of Ethics In Engineering

June 27, 2023
Inspired by a recent study about DuPont and 3M's knowledge of the toxicity of PFAS chemicals, this podcast discusses transparency and emphasizes the need for professionals to ...

Podcast: Don’t Dismiss Process Safety Weak Signals — Find Your Platypus

April 7, 2023
Cognitive biases lead to process-safety events. By getting our brains used to looking for the unusual, we can better manage safety in our facilities.

Podcast: Examining Ohio Train Derailment; Five-Year Anniversary of Exxon Mobil Earthquake Incident

Trish and Traci discuss the response to the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment noting that environmental factors will be an issue. Also, this episode unpacks how Exxon Mobil...

Podcast: Tactics To Help First Responders During Process Safety Incidents

Feb. 6, 2023
Insight into rescue challenges and solutions at chemical facilities.

Process Safety: What Are Your Shell Middens?

Storytelling provides a great way to communicate vital process-safety information.

Take The Right Steps With Hazard Assessments

Focusing on changes often can provide faster evaluations and better results

Bolster Your Lead Process Safety Metrics

A comprehensive review has identified a number of widely applicable indicators