Fire/Explosion Protection

Major accidents with multiple fatalities continue to occur worldwide in the process industries, causing distress to those involved and massive costs to companies. Almost daily, facilities in the process industries face a number of specific major accident hazard scenarios depending upon the nature of the substances they handle and their processing activities. Implementing best practices for fire and explosion protection is paramount.

Articles

How They Made It Work: aeSolutions’ FGS 1300 Fire and Gas Alarm Controller

How They Made It Work: aeSolutions’ FGS 1300 Fire and Gas Alarm Controller

"How They Made it Work" is a column that features some of the latest technological advancements in the chemical process industry. Here, Chemical Processing asks experts from various...
6 Process Safety Pearls of Wisdom

Podcast: 6 Process Safety Pearls of Wisdom

We’ve extracted a few gems from the 2024 season of Process Safety with Trish & Traci. Listen in as we discuss recurring accidents, emergency systems and organizational learning...
Butterflies of Bhopal podcast -- lessons written in blood

Podcast: Butterflies of Bhopal -- Lessons Written in Blood

Chemical engineer Ramin Abhari’s graphic novels communicate the lessons learned from major process safety incidents.
Mexico City LPG Explosion 1984

What Have We Learned from the Pemex LPG Explosion in Mexico City?

On the 40th anniversary, it’s paramount to keep the memory of these incidents alive to avoid making the same deadly mistakes.

News

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flames

Chemical Plant Fire in Pennsylvania Injures 13

Feb. 11, 2025
OSHA to investigate fire and explosion at Parker Lord's Saegertown plant.
Emergency Response Plan

Pemex’s Deadly Incident Points To Poor Alert Systems

Nov. 20, 2024
Recent analysis questions whether more can be done to alert first responders and the community in case of emergency.
Chemical Safety Board

CSB Is Like a Dog with a Bone Investigating Safety Cases

Oct. 25, 2024
Chemical Safety Board clears backlog, tackles eight new hazardous incident investigations.
Bio-Based Nanocrystals Combat Oil Pipeline Scaling While Stabilizing Emulsions

Bio-Based Nanocrystals Combat Oil Pipeline Scaling While Stabilizing Emulsions

Oct. 18, 2024
Researchers say these anti-scaling particles are environmentally safe and cost-effective.
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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.

Podcast: Hazardous Lies: Former Safety Investigator Pens Fictional Thriller

May 14, 2024
Stephen J. Wallace’s novel is set in an ethylene production facility where an explosion kills workers. Plant management, emboldened by powerful political allies, scramble to hide...
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Lessons Learned from Formosa Plastics Explosion

Podcast: Lessons Learned From the Deadly Formosa Explosion

April 30, 2024
The incident at Formosa Plastics in 2004 highlighted critical lessons in process safety. Human factors, communication gaps and inadequate equipment played significant roles in...
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10 Rules to Succeed at Process Safety Management

Podcast: How To Succeed at Process Safety Management — 10 Rules

April 16, 2024
Based on his many years in the chemical industry and his years at the CSB, John Bresland developed a “top 10” list of rules for process safety success.