Focused on building technical relationships between industry professionals and government and academic researchers, the 15th Annual AIChE Midwest Regional Conference will be chaired by Exponent Thermal Sciences Senior Associate Jessica M. Morris, Ph.D., who will deliver two keynote addresses and chair the Process Safety Session on April 11, as well as provide the conference introduction on April 12. Exponent's Thermal Sciences Senior Associate Nick Schulman will serve as session co-chair of the Process Safety Session and Thermal Sciences Associate Trevor Lardinois, Ph.D., CFEI, will serve as session chair of the Catalysis I and II sessions on April 12. Thermal Sciences Managing Engineer Matt Walters, Ph.D., P.E., CFEI, served as part of the steering committee for this year's conference (having chaired the 14th Annual AIChE MRC Conference in 2022) and will be part of the career panel for the High School Outreach program teaching local high school students about engineering. With his colleague, Thermal Sciences Managing Engineer David Hietala, Ph.D., P.E., CFEI, will be serving as a volunteer for the High School Outreach program as well.
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"PSM Pillars… or Dominos? A Case Study to Consider the Link Between Certain PSM Pillars"
TUESDAY, APRIL 11 | 12:40 P.M. (CDT)
Exponent will examine a case study regarding OSHA PSM and provide real-world examples of how breakdowns in one PSM element at a plant led to unintended issues with other PSM pillars — ultimately resulting in an observed safety incident. Our team investigated a plant that had replaced a four-way solenoid with a three-way solenoid valve, but the change did not trigger their management of change (MOC) program. In summary, this case study and presentation will provide useful examples of how the lack of MOC can have unintended consequences to other PSM pillars and overall plant safety.
Speaker: Thermal Sciences Associate Domingo Elias
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration process safety management (PSM) program provides a continuous, systematic approach to manage process safety. The PSM pillars have interdependency, and the effectiveness of the program is related to the implementation of the program pillars. At the AIChE Midwest Regional Conference 2023 in Chicago, Illinois — chaired by Thermal Sciences Senior Associate Jessica M. Morris, Ph.D., and joined by fellow practice speakers and attendees — Thermal Sciences Associate Domingo Elias will present case study findings about how one PSM element breakdown created a domino effect in other PSM pillars and resulted in a plant safety incident.
What Can We Help You Solve?
Exponent's thermal sciences consultants investigate root causes of failures, fires, and explosions for all types of accidents in residential, commercial, transportation, and industrial settings.
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Occupational & Process Safety
Expert consulting support for mitigating human behavior-related work and process safety risks.
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Chemical Engineering
Extensive production and safety assessments for facilities combining hazardous and reactive materials, novel technologies, and interconnected equipment.
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Process Safety Hazards & Risk Analysis
Thermal science expertise to help you Identify hazards, mitigate risks, and improve safety and compliance with regulatory practices