(78b) In Harm’s Way – After Which Nothing was the Same Again

Most incident case studies are presented by a third party who was not directly involved in the incident. As such, the presentations may lack the human element and other insights that can only be properly appreciated and articulated by someone directly involved in the incident. In his early career the author was involved in two major incidents while managing the day-to-day operation of refinery process units. The presentation describes both incidents; the first involving two major fires, and the second where several employees collapsed from exposure to sour gas.

In both incidents, the author found himself too close for comfort and could easily have become a casualty himself. There is nothing quite like raised adrenalin levels and the fear of death to get one’s attention! The lessons learned changed a young engineer’s attitude to process operations and led to a pursuit of process safety excellence. It has been a long journey, which continues to this day - indeed, a commitment to continuous improvement that never really ends.