Industry experts to address Asian safety conference

Safety experts from the US and Asia are confirmed as keynote speakers for IChemE’s Hazards Asia Pacific conference, which opens in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 21—23 April.

The conference, which is being staged in partnership with the Chemical Industry Council of Malaysia (CICM) for the third time, is expected to attract over 300 delegates from across SE Asia, with PETRONAS as the main event partner.

Datuk Sazali Hamzah, president and ceo of PETRONAS Chemical Group Berhad, will open the event.

The programme features an outstanding line up of keynote speakers including Fluor’s director for health, safety, environment and sustainability, Nancy Kralik. Nancy will share her views on systematic approaches to the identification and implementation of more sustainable process safety practices at Fluor sites worldwide.

She’ll be joined by Keji Kuma, deputy general manager of the environment, safety and quality department of Japan’s Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation; the director general of Malaysia’s department of occupational safety and health, Mohtar Bin Musri; PETRONAS vice president with lead responsibility for health and safety, Datuk Kamarudin Zakaria, and IChemE’s president, Geoff Maitland.

The conference will raise awareness of the process safety challenges in the Asia Pacific region. It offers an indispensable forum for knowledge exchange. It will also provide a powerful opportunity for those with an interest in process safety in SE Asia to network with international thought leaders.

IChemE's Malaysian board chair, Paul Ellis, said: “The Asia Pacific region has emerged as global hub for energy and chemicals production. Human lives and corporate reputations depend on process safety excellence and the conference will bring people together to share best practice and the lessons from past success and failure.'

IChemE's director of policy, Andy Furlong, added: “Where there's pressure on budgets, it's tempting for investment in process safety to be cut. However, history reminds us that quick-fix solutions can lead to catastrophic consequences. The gas explosion that ripped through the Bintulu gas plant in Sarawak 20 years ago resulted in losses with an estimated current value of $490 million dollars.

“So I say to business leaders in the high hazard industries; if you think process safety is expensive; try having an accident. Sending delegates to the Hazards Symposium in Kuala Lumpur is a visible signal of your commitment to improving process safety standards in South East Asia.'

The event also feature more than 45 peer reviewed presentations as well an exhibition of process safety products and services that will run alongside the conference.

The latest Hazards Asia Pacific 2015 programme is now available to download on the conference website.