Newsletter 78
Executive Summary Newsletter 78
Dear Safex Members,
I live in Chile. A country that is located at the convergence of tectonic plates, the Nazca and South American to be more specific. This is a zone of high seismic activity known as the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Although earthquakes are a reality of Chile, the country has developed a solid capacity for risk response and mitigation. This has been possible thanks to the experience accumulated over generations, which has contributed, to a great extent, to reducing their impact and protecting people's lives. It is a natural phenomenon that we cannot control, but we can mitigate.
Read moreSome things you never forget
Twenty-nine years ago, I received a call from the on-shift supervisor to let me know of a terrible accident which occurred with our dredging contractor removing sediment from the riverbed off our dock facility. This tough-as-nail man was deeply shaken by the horrific scene he witnessed as he assisted the coroner remove the body from the vessel - a sentiment I soon experienced as I accompanied the authorities as they inspected the scene. I’ve never forgotten the expressions of the victim’s co-workers - a mixture of shock, fear, and anger.
Read moreSAFEX Congress XX, Salzburg, Austria
After three false starts the 20th SAFEX Congress was held at the Salzburg Congress Centre and what a success it was.The Congress and preceding events were attended by 180 delegates from 50 countries.
Read moreESD Work Group SALZBURG
At the Salzburg Congress about 30 people met to discuss SAFEX resources to support our members in identifying and managing the hazards from electrostatic discharges (ESD). Our current Good Practice Guide on ESD hazards was updated most recently in 2012 and is a very good source of information to support ESD risk assessments....
Read moreSAFEX eLearning modules - ENAEX
At the recent SAFEX Congress in Salzburg, an update on the available eLearning modules, formats, translations, and its use had been given. Though starting early in the morning, we experienced high participation of attendees to listen in. On the 2nd day of the congress, Maria Virginia Ramirez (‘Marivi’) gave a presentation with the title ‘Emanation of Nitrous Gases in [the] Nitration Process’ at ENAEX Rio Loa plant in Chile. The paper discussed the immediate and root causes and inconsistencies in the emergency procedures very openly.
Read morePETN workshop in Austin Red Diamond
Austin Powder installed a new continuous PETN process at the RD facility several years ago. The plant was the most recent design and very similar to one installed by EXSA in their Lima Plant...
Read moreChallenges of Plant Decommissioning
Many of us have already experienced the satisfaction of participating in a new project and the construction of new plants. This is a great experience. However, like any other man-made structure, explosives plants also have a limited life span and will reach the end of their operational life and eventually require a decommissioning.
Read moreStop work Authority Card
The safety culture at EPC-UK has evolved significantly over the past two decades, with the introduction of our visionary STOP WORK AUTHORITY CARD initiative and the effect it has had on our employees, customers, and values, cited as a particular triumph.
Peace Technology
A paper by the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences published in 2015 reported a study on ”Peace Technology”, i e non-military (technical) measures that can help remove obstacles to the return to (or creation of) a normal, peaceful society.
The study focused on some nations affected by war and armed conflict, in a situation where large-scale fighting has ceased and the community should be geared towards normalization. There are often many obstacles, but some might be possible to eliminate or at least reduce through the use of existing technologies...
Read moreAmmonium Nitrate and Fertilizer Safety
In this book, the author - Kishore (Kish) Shah - has attempted to consolidate advanced expertise and practically relevant literature published over the last century. He has supplemented that with his own observations, experience and analysis, to provide an accessible resource of reliable and practical information on hazardous behaviour of AN-based products and corresponding safety implications.
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