UK Chemical Reaction Hazards Forum
Encyclopedia
The UK Chemical Reaction Hazards Forum is a group of process safety
scientists, from different companies, who meet at regular intervals to share knowledge and experiences of recent chemical incidents, within their own companies, with the aim of preventing a repeat of the incident at a different location. They further try extend this aim to assist smaller companies, many of whom will not have access to the sophisticated equipment of the forum members, by publishing these incidents and near-misses on a web site.
incidents was the regulatory bodies (e.g. HSE in UK), following the investigation (and maybe) prosecution post incident. There was very little data that could be obtained regarding incidents and near-misses
that fell outside this area.
By this time the majority of the larger chemical companies all had some sort of Process safety
section, either as a stand alone unit or as part of a Process development area – increasing amounts of safety studies are needed as the scale is increased. Workers in this field were becoming acquainted with those in other companies, due to a rapid rise in the number of specialist safety testing equipment (most notably the Accelerating Rate Calorimeter and the Metter-Toledo RC1 Reaction Calorimeter)
In 1994 two of these safety scientists got together with the idea of creating a forum for free and unbiased information exchange. They contacted many of the companies with known process safety sections, and an inaugural meeting in May 1995 was achieved, with people representing 15 different companies plus the addition of an academic expert in chemical reaction incidents from the South Bank University.
, and has no need to raise funds as all meetings are carried out at the members sites on a rota basis. Due to the many mergers and divestments over the years since its start, there has had to be quite a few changes, and the newer companies have been invited to join to keep the numbers viable.
In all cases the data is made anonymous, so that there can be no link back to the originator – otherwise it would be unlikely that the majority of the data would ever have been released.
Many adedemic chemistry departments have installed links to the site on their own web pages, to facilitate their students education in reaation hazards.
Process safety
Process safety focuses on preventing fires, explosions and accidental chemical releases in chemical process facilities or other facilities dealing with hazardous materials such as refineries, and oil and gas production installations.Occupational safety and health primarily covers the management of...
scientists, from different companies, who meet at regular intervals to share knowledge and experiences of recent chemical incidents, within their own companies, with the aim of preventing a repeat of the incident at a different location. They further try extend this aim to assist smaller companies, many of whom will not have access to the sophisticated equipment of the forum members, by publishing these incidents and near-misses on a web site.
History
Prior to 1995, the main source of data pertaining to chemical reactionChemical reaction
A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another. Chemical reactions can be either spontaneous, requiring no input of energy, or non-spontaneous, typically following the input of some type of energy, such as heat, light or electricity...
incidents was the regulatory bodies (e.g. HSE in UK), following the investigation (and maybe) prosecution post incident. There was very little data that could be obtained regarding incidents and near-misses
Near miss (safety)
See Close Call, for the 2002 film.A near miss is an unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness, or damage – but had the potential to do so. Only a fortunate break in the chain of events prevented an injury, fatality or damage; in other words, a miss that was nonetheless very near...
that fell outside this area.
By this time the majority of the larger chemical companies all had some sort of Process safety
Process safety
Process safety focuses on preventing fires, explosions and accidental chemical releases in chemical process facilities or other facilities dealing with hazardous materials such as refineries, and oil and gas production installations.Occupational safety and health primarily covers the management of...
section, either as a stand alone unit or as part of a Process development area – increasing amounts of safety studies are needed as the scale is increased. Workers in this field were becoming acquainted with those in other companies, due to a rapid rise in the number of specialist safety testing equipment (most notably the Accelerating Rate Calorimeter and the Metter-Toledo RC1 Reaction Calorimeter)
In 1994 two of these safety scientists got together with the idea of creating a forum for free and unbiased information exchange. They contacted many of the companies with known process safety sections, and an inaugural meeting in May 1995 was achieved, with people representing 15 different companies plus the addition of an academic expert in chemical reaction incidents from the South Bank University.
Forum size
The forum size has been kept to around 15 members. The forum is non-profit organizationNon-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, and has no need to raise funds as all meetings are carried out at the members sites on a rota basis. Due to the many mergers and divestments over the years since its start, there has had to be quite a few changes, and the newer companies have been invited to join to keep the numbers viable.
Members
The members are typically senior safety scientists, often at a managerial level, from the major UK chemical companies, including:-- Alfa AesarAlfa AesarAlfa Aesar, headquartered in Ward Hill, Massachusetts, is a supplier of reagents and materials for use in research and development, and analysis. They have facilities in many countries and manufacture many of the chemicals they sell...
- AstraZenecaAstraZenecaAstraZeneca plc is a global pharmaceutical and biologics company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's seventh-largest pharmaceutical company measured by revenues and has operations in over 100 countries...
- AveciaAveciaAvecia is a privately owned group of biotechnology companies with recognised leading positions in process development and manufacture of biological and oligonucleotide pharmaceuticals, with their international headquarters in Blackley, Manchester, United Kingdom.The group's Biologics business,...
- Ciba Specialty ChemicalsCiba Specialty ChemicalsCiba was a chemical company based in and near Basel, Switzerland. "Ciba" stood for "Chemische Industrie Basel" . It was formed as the non-pharmaceuticals elements of Novartis were spun out in 1997, following the merger in the previous year of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz that created Novartis.In 2008,...
- Evonik IndustriesEvonik IndustriesEvonik Industries is an industrial corporation in Germany owned by RAG Foundation and one of the world´s leading specialty chemicals companies. It was created on 12 September 2007 as a result of restructuring of the mining and technology group RAG...
- Grosvenor ChemicalsWhyte ChemicalsWhyte Chemicals is a privately owned company established in 1976 with a turnover in the region of £100 million. Its based in Finchley London, . It is the largest private distributor of chemicals and polymers in the United Kingdom. They also manufacture pharmaceuticals: both formulation and...
- GlaxoSmithKlineGlaxoSmithKlineGlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
- London South Bank UniversityLondon South Bank UniversityLondon South Bank University is a university in south London. With over 25,000 students and 1,700 staff, it is based in the London Borough of Southwark, near the South Bank of the River Thames, from which it takes its name...
- Merck Sharp and Dohme
- Nicholas PiramalNicholas PiramalPiramal Healthcare, PHL)dates back to 1988 when the company ranked 48th steadily consolidated its position to become a formidable force of the industry, rising to top 3 with a market share of 4. 2 %...
- PfizerPfizerPfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
- Shasun
- Sigma Aldrich
- SyngentaSyngentaSyngenta AG is a large global Swiss agribusiness company which notably markets seeds and pesticides. Syngenta is involved in biotechnology and genomic research. The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in total sales in the commercial agricultural seeds market. Sales in 2010 were...
- UCB-CelltechUCB (company)UCB is a multinational biopharmaceutical manufacturing company headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.- History :UCB was founded on 18 January 1928 by Emmanuel Janssen, a Belgian businessman...
Website
The incident data on the web site has been obtained from all over the world, not just in the UK. Many of the members have global sites, which report back to them. In addition there is some data which has been freely supplied from other individuals and companies, via the e-mail links on the web site.In all cases the data is made anonymous, so that there can be no link back to the originator – otherwise it would be unlikely that the majority of the data would ever have been released.
Many adedemic chemistry departments have installed links to the site on their own web pages, to facilitate their students education in reaation hazards.