Podcasts

Trish Kerin, director of IChemE Safety Centre, and Chemical Processing’s Traci Purdum discuss current process safety issues offering insight into mitigation options and next steps.

Lessons Learned from Boeing's 737 MAX Crisis

In this podcast, Trish and Traci discuss the aviation industry's Boeing 737 MAX crisis and how it revealed critical management failures, emphasising the important of rigourous management of change, prioritising safety over profitability and identifying weak signals.

Listen to the podcast >>

Master Inherently Safer Design Principles

Eliminate, substitute or minimize hazards to save lives and the environment.  Trish and Traci discuss mastering inherently safer design principles.

Listen to the podcast >>

Accident Anniversaries: Honoring Lives and Learning Lessons

From the LNG explosion in Algeria and the Boston molasses spill to Flixborough and the Valdez oil spill, Trish and Traci discuss the ongoing relevance of these incidents and the importance of continuous learning in process safety.

Listen to the podcast >>

Avoid Common Pitfalls of Risk Perception Via Statistics, Storytelling

In this podcast, Trish and Traci are joined by Dr Melissa Humphreys who is a statistician to discuss the challenges of intuitively understanding uncertainty and likelihoods in risk assessments. It also stresses the need for storytelling and stakeholder engagement.

Listen to the podcast >>

Lessons Learned From The Deadly Explosion In Pasadena, Texas

The legacy of Mary Kay O'Connor, who was killed in this incident, has aided in promoting process safety and saving lives.

Listen to the podcast >>

Mastering Risk Management in High-Hazard Industries

There is no such thing as zero risk, but we can take more effective approaches to minimize the potential for those risks to be realized.  Trish and Traci are joined by Mark Jarman, who has worked in the risk field for over 35 years.  They discuss how risk itself has changed over time and has this impacted risk assessment methodologies.

Listen to the podcast >>

Game-based Learning Revolutionizes Process Safety Education in the Chemical Industry

Trish and Traci are joined by Dr Cheryl Bodnar, one of the brilliant minds behind "Contents Under Pressure", an immersive game designed to teach process safety.  Discover the story behind the game and its impact on education and industry.

Listen to the podcast >>

Piper Alpha Disaster - 22 Terrifying Minutes, Countless Lessons Learned

The tragedy exposed various deficiencies in safety management and emergency response.

Listen to the podcast >>

The Importance of Ethics in Engineering

Inspired by a recent study about DuPont and 3M's knowledge of the toxicity of PFAS chemicals, Trish and Traci discuss transparency and emphasize the need for professionals to exercise their ethical judgment and stand up for what is right

Listen to the podcast >>

Lessons Learned from the 2013 Williams Olefins Explosion

Trish and Traci discuss the cause of the explosion which was traced back to a heat exchanger at the plant.  Written procedures, checklists, redundancy and assessing risks for transient and unusual operations can help avoid catastrophe.

Listen to the podcast >>

Lessons Learned from 1988 Shell Plant Explosion

In this episode, Trish and Traci discuss ways to stay ahead of corrosion concerns and how to better protect workers in case of unthinkable catastrophe.

Listen to the podcast>>

Don't Dismiss Process Safety Weak Signals - Find Your Platypus

In this podcast, Trish and Traci discuss how 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.

Listen to the podcast >>

Examining Ohio Train Derailment; Five-Year Anniversary of ExxonMobil Earthquake Incident

Trish and Traci discuss the response to the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment noting that environmental factors could be an issue for some time. Also, this episode unpacks how ExxonMobil was able to weather a hurricane just five miles from the epicenter without loss of containment.

Listen to the podcast >>

Tactics to help First Responders during Process Safety incidents

Trish and Traci share insight into rescue challenges and solutions at chemical facilities and they are joined by Patrick Jessee, commander paramedic for the Bureau of Operations of the Chicago Fire Department.

Listen to the podcast >>

Lessons Learned from 2022 Process Safety Incidents

Turning tragedy into tools to help avoid future catastrophes will help keep workers safe.  Trish and Tracy reflect on some of the safety incidents from 2022.

Listen to the podcast >>

Hone Transferable Skills to Promote Safety

The workplace can be so much more for colleagues than simply doing a job and going home. If you want to succeed, you need to listen and communicate as it's the currency of safety.  Trish and Traci are joined by Craig Wright, ISC Process Safety Specialist to discuss transferable skills to promote safety.

Listen to the podcast >>

Avoid a Hero Complex during Safety Training

Practice, practice and more practice makes great emergency response but be careful of the message you are sending.  Trish and Traci discuss safety training.

Listen to the podcast >>

Hydrogen Safety and the Energy Revolution

In this podcast, Trish and Traci are joined by special guest, Owen Quake from BP to discuss hydrogen safety and the energy revolution.  Owen has recently been appointed the global HSE and carbon manager for BP's emerging hydrogen and carbon capture and storage business. Owen represents BP as the chair of the Center for Hydrogen Safety Managing Board and on a range of other external forums, such as the International Hydrogen Council Safety and Regulatory Task Force. 

Listen to the podcast >>

San Bruno Pipeline Explosion Lessons Learned

Trish and Traci look back at the San Bruno pipeline explosion that occurred on 9 September 2010 in San Bruno, California and talk about grandfathering and ensuring drawings are accurate.

Listen to the podcast >>

Unique Program Delivers Safer Workplace

In this podcast, Trish and Traci are joined by Tony Bocek, Senior Operations Technician at BP Cherry Point refinery in Blaine, Washington to discuss how employee engagement creates positive safety attitudes and reveals why procedures are in place - even if they might seem a little bit bureaucratic.

Listen to the podcast >>

Deadly Dust - Lessons Learned from the Didion Milling Explosion

Trish and Traci look back at the deadly dust explosion that occurred at Didion Milling in Cambria Wisconsin on 31 May 2017.  Indictments leveled against a few key players are charging conspiracy to commit federal offenses in order to conceal violations and unsafe conditions from auditors and government agencies.

Listen to the podcast >>

Chernobyl Disaster Dangers Then and Now

In this podcast, Trish and Traci discuss the war in Ukraine and the anniversary of Chernobyl bringing to light lessons learned from the past and unfortunate worries of today.

Listen to the podcast >>

Examining Technology’s Blessings And Burdens

In this podcast, Trish and Traci discuss how process safety is impacted by automation, robotics, devices and solutions. Whether the impact is positive or negative remains in the hands of humans who implement the technology. 

Listen to the podcast >> 

Deadly lessons learned from a Permit-to-Work Failure

In this podcast, Trish and Traci address permit to work systems that are used to ensure that work is done safely and efficiently.  

Listen to the podcast >>

How to make money and save lives via process safety

In this 29th podcast, Trish and Traci talk about cold, hard cash and how process safety can make you money.

Listen to the podcast >>

Preventable patterns revealed in 2021 Process Safety incidents

In this podcast, Trish and Traci review some of the process safety incidents that have occurred in 2021, and see if there are any lessons learned that can help others avoid or be aware of in the future.

Listen to the podcast >>

How to avoid dumb ways to die

If you are relying on humans getting it right every time, you are going to have an incident. The key is making sure that your systems are more resilient to humans making a mistake. Trish and Traci discuss this in further depth.

Listen to the podcast >>

What is Delta HAZOP?

In this podcast, Trish and Traci will focus on subtleties. Hazard and operability studies are a common process hazard analysis technique designed to find the big safety offenders. However, to really ensure process safety, facilities must also focus on subtle changes, which can lead to degradation of the design safeguards.

Listen to the podcast >>

Could Deepwater Horizon have been prevented?

In this podcast, Trish and and Traci look back at the lessons learned from the Montara oil field incident in 2009.

Listen to the podcast >>

Lessons Learned from the Seveso Environmental Disaster

Was the Seveso accident, which released dioxin in the air and was named by Time magazine as one of the top manmade environmental disasters, a black swan event? Trish and Traci discuss the lessons learned from this catastrophic event.

Listen to the podcast >>

The Ripple Effect of Recent Cybersecurity Breaches

In this podcast, Trish and Traci speak with Eric Byers, one of the world's top experts in the field of ICS and OT security.

Listen to the podcast >>

The Cost Climate Change has on Process Safety

In this podcast, Trish and Traci speak with Dale Sands, an expert in risk reduction and resiliency.

Listen to the podcast >>

Lessons Learned from the Fukushima disaster 10 years later

Focus on the right Process Safety Indicators

The absence of an incident does not mean the presence of safety. Focusing on the correct indicators can help you intervene and potentially change the future. In this podcast, Trish and Traci prove when the measure becomes a target it ceases to be a good measure.

Listen to the podcast >>

Understand the Importance of Partnering with First Responders

In this podcast, Trish and Traci speak with Fire Captain Bryan Suesse about the dangers first responders face and how chemical-processing facilities can mitigate risks and help save lives.

Listen to the podcast >>

How to apply Process Safety during Concept Select

In this episode Trish and Traci reiterates that process safety requires constant vigilance. The challenge is when it works well, nothing goes wrong. People then question if you really need to spend all that money on safety efforts. The reason nothing is going wrong is because you’re doing it right.

Listen to the podcast >>

Lessons learned from the Longford Gas Explosion that killed two

In this episode, Trish and Traci examine the Esso Longford gas explosion. Sadly, all the mistakes were nothing unheard of — simply a chain of errors that caused the deaths of two workers.

Listen to the podcast >>

Ensure your safety message is understood

In this episode, Trish and Traci speak with podcast guest Valerie Stakes, a bilingual safety trainer based in San Diego, California. The trio conclude companies need to ensure that communications are understandable because process safety doesn't give you second chances.

Listen to the podcast >>

Catastrophe at the hands of legacy design issues

In this podcast, Trish and Traci discuss lessons learned from the Mumbai High North Platform disaster of 2005. Ultimately, a range of different natural events can cause all sorts of issues at industrial facilities. The bottom line: You need to be prepared to deal with myriad scenarios via mitigation strategies and response. 

Listen to the podcast >>

Transporting Dangerous Cargo via Train - What could go wrong?

Applying process safety principles like inherently safer design could prevent derailments, explosions and deaths. Trish and Traci examine the recent uptick in crude oil derailments and what could be done to prevent them.

Listen to the podcast >>

Mistakes make good leaders

Trish talks to Traci about how she landed her role as Director of the IChemE Safety Centre. Mishaps and safety incidents led to Trish's passion to ensure process safety standards were practiced all over the world.

Listen to the podcast >>

How the Chemical Industry is Adjusting to the New Norm

Trish and Traci talk about what needs to happen when bringing back your workforce. How will they remain safe distances? How will they handle PPEs? What could go wrong and how to manage and mitigate all the risks.

Listen to the podcast >>

Take advantage of downtime to ramp up process safety

Trish and Traci uncovers best practices for presenting and attending safety training virtually.

Listen to the podcast >>

What have we learned from significant safety incidents?

Trish and Traci point out that while it is easy to judge accidents after the fact, judgment does not help prevent tragedy. You need to really unpack why the decisions were made in order to avoid them.

Listen to the podcast >>

Leading through a crisis

Trish and Traci details tips and tactics to better lead during trying times — whether it’s a global pandemic or just a time of critical importance.

Listen to the podcast >>

Operating during a pandemic and process safety documentation

Operating during a pandemic is challenging. If something goes wrong what are you going to do about it. Regarding process safety knowledge is power and make sure your documentation is thorough and current. 

Listen to the podcast >>

Is inherently safer design really safer?

Born out of Trevor Kletz's 1978 article entitled "What You Don't Have Can't Leak", inherently safer design focuses on design philosophy. Trish and Traci seek to answer if the concept really makes facilities safer.

Listen to the podcast >>

Are corporate manslaughter charges too much for safety incidents?

Trish and Traci discuss if plant management should face punishment for safety incidents.

Listen to the podcast >>

Cyber security: It's not if you'll be hacked - it's when

Trish and Traci discuss cyber security.

Listen to the podcast >>

Is a hurricane Harvey hangover the reason for so many safety incidents in Texas?

Trish and Traci discuss the aftermath of a hurricane or extreme weather goes well beyond the event itself. Many issues arise that can cause problems months or even years later. How do you prepare for the current weather and mitigate against accidents in the future?

Listen to the podcast >>

Do regulations make chemical processing plants safer?

Trish and Traci discuss process safety regulations. In the end, a safe workspace is a productive workspace and regulations are not meant to keep you down — they are meant to keep you safe. The key is making sure regulators are educated enough to help you reach your safety goals. 

Listen to the podcast >>

A corroded pipe and decades-old regulations

Guest Expert Greg Borgard joins Trish and Traci to discuss a news story from earlier this year regarding the fire and explosions and ultimate shuttering of the Philadelphia Energy Solutions oil refinery.  The official word from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board is that a corroded pipe fitting, found to be half the thickness of a credit card at its thinnest point, led to that incident. The concern is that the pipe, which was installed when Richard Nixon was president — 1973 — went all this time without being properly checked.

Listen to the podcast >>

Educated workforce key to safety in China

Trish and Traci examine recent catastrophic events at chemical plants in China. Trish offers compelling insight into what might be causing so many accidents abroad.

Listen to the podcast >>