New Kletz book compiles safety pioneer’s lessons for a new generation

ICHEME has published a new book showcasing the works of process safety pioneer Trevor Kletz.

Kletz has had a huge impact on the way those in the process industries viewed accidents and safety. He was one of the first people to tackle the issues and became internationally renowned for sharing his ideas on process safety that he developed from almost 40 years in the chemical industry.

Trevor Kletz Compendium: His Process Safety Wisdom Updated for a New Generation has been compiled by members of IChemE’s process safety community.

Andy Brazier, who led the team of authors, said: “Trevor Kletz was ahead of his time and many of his ideas and the process safety lessons he shared remain relevant today. The aim of the compendium was to share his work with a new audience and to prompt people who may have read his books in the past to have another look. Trevor did not expect everyone to agree with everything he said, but he was willing to share his opinions based on experience. We have tried to follow this spirit in compiling this compendium.”

The compendium covers the topics that Kletz identified as most important to process safety, including HAZOP, HAZAN (quantified risk assessment), inherent safety, management of maintenance risk, control of modifications, human factors and learning from accidents.

It brings together the most significant stories in Kletz’ own words, with additional commentary to highlight how the lessons remain relevant today. Recent incidents are used to help readers understand the risks and equip them with the knowledge to effectively manage process safety in every workplace today and in the future.

“It is the responsibility of everyone working in the process industry and with major accident hazards to learn the lessons from the past, share our knowledge across the generations and develop our methods to continually reduce safety risks. Technology may be changing but the fundamental issues remain the same,” Brazier added.

The book is available to purchase as a print or digital copy online.

For a profile of his career, see Trevor Kletz – A lifetime spent saving lives in the series Chemical Engineers Who Changed the World.