IChemE Matters - November 2024

Building relationships with key decision-makers

Mark Apsey, IChemE president

IT’S BEEN another rewarding month as IChemE president, much of which has been spent building relationships with representatives from the UK government and fellow professional engineering institutions. Each meeting with these key stakeholders has allowed us to identify areas of common interest and raise the profile of chemical and process engineers and their contribution to addressing the big challenges of today.

This was certainly true when IChemE CEO Yvonne Baker and I hosted John Slinger, the MP for Rugby. After providing John with a primer on the importance of chemical engineering to everyday life and an introduction to our ongoing schools-focused DiscoverChemEng campaign, we were delighted with his interest and enthusiasm to talk about chemical engineering with other policymakers. He also expressed how much he is looking forward to our Big Bang on Location event in November when nearly 400 young people will be visiting the Rugby office to find out where chemical and process engineering can take them.

Yvonne and I had a very constructive discussion with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers president Clive Hickman and CEO Alice Bunn. We explored potential avenues of collaboration, with an emphasis on strategies to grab the attention of policymakers and future professionals. Keep your eyes peeled for a roundtable co-hosted by our two great institutions.

I was honoured to be involved in Climate Week NYC, the annual, climate-focused coming together of decision-makers from across government and industry.

I have many personal highlights from the New York-based event, including participating in a roundtable alongside UK energy secretary Ed Miliband and making the case for prioritising engineering skills in supporting the energy transition. I also enjoyed visiting the University of Pennsylvania’s chemical engineering department to explore trends in undergraduate enrolment, ways to make the profession more inclusive, and how to build links between academics across the Atlantic.

I always welcome any feedback, and value any input or ideas you would like to share – you can contact me at president@icheme.org

---

Making connections

Duncan Lugton, head of policy and impact

IN UK politics, the end of the summer can only mean one thing: party conference season. This year, IChemE’s policy team braved the rain in Liverpool and Birmingham to attend the Labour and Conservative party conferences to network, raise our profile and get a feel for the political agenda.

The mood at the Labour conference was an interesting mix of purpose and optimism now they are in power, tempered by a sense of some the unpleasant realities that go with this (for instance, ongoing headaches about scrapping the winter fuel allowance and gifts to ministers). The conference was the busiest I’ve seen – the agenda was packed, there were lobbyists from all sectors competing for attention, and sessions typically had queues out the door. I was struck by its awkward timing: because the Budget isn’t until the end of October, much of the detail of the government’s priorities simply hasn’t been decided yet, and this rather limited the depth of the discussions.

The Conservative conference was an interesting contrast. Their election for a new leader dominated proceedings, and somewhat overshadowed the work of soul-searching following the party’s recent election defeat. I was interested to hear discussions about where the party should go next on the topics of industrial policy and net zero. The common ground I saw was that the party will emphasise pragmatism, the free market, and the experiences of rural voters when it comes to these topics.

I rounded out my conference season with something non-political: representing IChemE at the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Annual Summit on Sustainable Polymers in Liquid Formulations, where I spoke about chemicals policy. Even in this setting, there was a sustained interest in industrial strategy and the government’s plans going forward. All eyes are on chancellor Rachel Reeves as we await the details of the budget and the government’s emerging plans on the industrial strategy.

For more on our work: www.icheme.org/policy

---

We asked the TCE Reader Feedback Panel

Ahead of IChemE’s Hazards process safety conference in Manchester we asked...

How often do you use your process safety competence to improve organisational process safety performance?

How do you handle a situation where you are asked to perform outside of your process safety competence?

"I will always direct the query to someone I know has expertise in that area and/or may know someone with expertise in that area. Where I believe I have expertise, but the situation calls for a second opinion I will ask another experienced process specialist to comment as well." Paul Taranto

"I was once tasked with taking over as HAZOP facilitator part way through, with very little notice and no access to documents prior to the session. I was rescued by a talented scribe. I would ‘respectfully’ decline a similar invitation now." Ivan Vince

"One of the most important things I learnt as an early career process engineer was to ‘know what you don’t know’ and be confident to say so and ‘ask for help’. If you are the one being asked, give your time freely and give positive feedback to the person asking." Richard Farrar

"I was asked to lead a compliance audit on a process I was not fully familiar with. Initially, I felt pressure to comply due to the urgency of the request. I decided to approach it by gathering as much information as possible, consulting with colleagues who had more experience, and focusing on my strengths in data analysis and safety principles. Ultimately, I conducted the audit but recognisedafterward that I should have communicated my limitations more clearly and requested additional support upfront. If faced with a similar situation now, I would prioritise open communication about my competencies and advocate for collaborative efforts to ensure a thorough and effective outcome. This approach would enhance both the audit quality and my learning experience." Paul Owens

---

Bhopal

“It is deeply concerning that not much progress has been made to address the aftermath of the tragic incident at the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide production plant in Bhopal, India…Despite widespread concerns, the site remains abandoned and heavily contaminated with toxic chemicals,” writes M Iqbal Essa in a special issue of IChemE’s Loss Prevention Bulletin (LPB).

“I see it as our professional duty to push for a just solution in Bhopal.”

All IChemE members have free access to LPB. The latest issue recaps how the accident unfolded, killing more than 15,000 people, recalls the personal stories of those who fled the toxic gas cloud and survived, and introduces a new graphical novel seeking to raise awareness of the tragedy 40 years on.

Login and download the latest issue here.

---

Annual survey

Each year we run a survey for readers, asking for your input on what you enjoy reading and what you want more of. If you want to help shape our future coverage, scan the QR code to complete the survey. We would really value your feedback.