June 01, 2018

51 combined attendees at Pittsburgh, Marietta EHS Regional Roundtables

The value of SOCMA’s 2018 EHS Regional Roundtables can be summarized in just a few words. This year’s attendees particularly enjoyed the key theme, “safety culture,” as well as the opportunity to “discuss” key issues with their peers during “breakout sessions.” They also found value in “networking” opportunities and updates on SOCMA’s “Chemical Operator Training” program.

One SOCMA member had this to say about the Roundtables:
“Great interaction with other folks in the chemical industry. It’s good to know what others are doing and what issues they are focusing on.”

Another said:
“Large group discussion is very beneficial. Thanks for setting up a great venue for us to discuss similar difficulties and hear about potential solutions among peers in the same industry.”

During the two meetings, attendees heard from Louisa Nara, Global Technical Director, with AIChE’s Center for Chemical Process Safety. They learned that you don’t improve what you don’t measure during a discussion on leading and lagging indicators.

When it comes to incident investigation and root cause analysis, in almost 90 percent of the cases Nara told attendees that hazards involved in the incident were well-known and could have been prevented.

Attendees also learned that a company’s safety culture is reflected in the way employees think and act and must be practiced and supported at all levels of the organization – from the top down.  And, a strong process safety culture coupled with a management system will result in a strong process safety performance.

SOCMA’s leadership and Government Relations team also shared updates on the latest news from the association, as well as legislative and regulatory updates that impact the industry.

Find a full listing of key takeaways here.

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