Process Safety Beacon Archives | AIChE

Process Safety Beacon Archives

The Process Safety Beacons Archive includes all past Beacons and is available to everyone to download and share. Reproduction for non-commercial, educational purposes is encouraged. However, reproduction for any commercial purpose without express written consent of AIChE is strictly prohibited.

February, 2025 - Communication is the key to safer operations
January, 2025 - See Something, Say Something
December, 2024 - Stored chemicals are still hazardous
November, 2024 - Announcing International Process Safety Week!!
October, 2024 - Some short-cuts may cut lives short
September, 2024 - Are You Prepared ??
August, 2024 - Corrosion – another hidden threat
July, 2024 - Are your P&IDs up to date?
June, 2024 - Good evacuation plans save lives!
May, 2024 - Does the piping meet the specification?
April, 2024 - Get Out and Stay Out !
March, 2024 - Process Upsets Require Focus
February, 2024 - Vacuum can put a dent in your process!
January, 2024 - An error trap leads to a catastrophe
December, 2023 - The Worst Ammonia Incident Ever - What Can We Learn?
November, 2023 - The agitator stopped! Now what??
October, 2023 - Keep the manway tightly closed
September, 2023 - Lithium-Ion Battery Hazards
August, 2023 - Simultaneous Operations (SIMOPS)
July, 2023 - Battery powered tools & devices can be ignition sources
June, 2023 - Sense of vulnerability – a very important safety component
May, 2023 - Wrong material + Wrong tank = Trouble
April, 2023 - Lifting Hazards
March, 2023 - Toxic Gases
February, 2023 - People are a critical part of safe operations
January, 2023 - Effects from changes may take years to appear
December, 2022 - Take safety home for the holidays
November, 2022 - Idle Does Not Mean Safe
October, 2022 - Communication – the heart of safe operations
September, 2022 - Lightning Strikes – YIKES!!
August, 2022 - What’s an Acceptable LEL Detector Reading?
July, 2022 - Manage Temporary Changes – Including Clamps!
June, 2022 - Some mistakes take time to become incidents
May, 2022 - “ What happens if ?” An important question for hazard reviews
April, 2022 - Process Safety lessons from a ship fire
March, 2022 - Hot Work is more than Welding, Burning & Grinding
February, 2022 - Piping Dead Legs – Another hazard in plain sight!
January, 2022 - The drawing and procedures were missing some things
December, 2021 - Situational Awareness: A key to avoiding errors
November, 2021 - Happy 20th Anniversary - Process Safety Beacon
October, 2021 - How do you know your safety devices are working?
September, 2021 - Does your nose really know? Probably not!
August, 2021 - Explosion of a tank containing “mostly water”
July, 2021 - Cyber security and chemical operations
June, 2021 - Combustible dust hazards are everywhere!
May, 2021 - Valve position errors can cause serious incidents
April, 2021 - Recent nitrogen fatalities are a vivid reminder
March, 2021 - Do not allow your relief device vents to be a hazard
February, 2021 - Static discharges are frequent ignition sources
January, 2021 - Material Identification - The first link in the process safety system
December, 2020 - Reactive Chemistry Incidents Can Happen Anywhere!
November, 2020 - Not all vibrations in process equipment are good vibrations
October, 2020 - Hazardous Chemicals Hidden in Plain Sight
September, 2020 - Hand Sanitizer Hazards at Home and Work
August, 2020 - Where to Check the LFL Before Hot Work?
July, 2020 - Process interruptions: a threat to process safety
June, 2020 - Can a “fail open” valve fail closed?
May, 2020 - May, 2020 - Permitted Work – a special cause
April, 2020 - April, 2020 - A Hidden Chain of Hazards
March, 2020 - March, 2020 - Vacuum Trucks can Catch Fire and Explode!
February, 2020 - February, 2020 - A Small Word with a lot of Power - ASK!!
January, 2020 - January, 2020 - Housekeeping is more than "pretty" - its about safety
December, 2019 - Well-Identified Flying Objects
November, 2019 - What Does That Button Do?
October, 2019 - Sluggish control systems – a warning sign
September, 2019 - Plugged line & equipment – More than a nuisance
August, 2019 - Hidden Hazards!
July, 2019 - Small leak leads to catastrophic failure
June, 2019 - Corrosion under insulation
May, 2019 - Surrounded by warning signs?
April, 2019 - What if that wrong instrument reading is correct?
March, 2019 - Undetected Ball Valve Failure
February, 2019 - Critical safeguards must be kept functional!
January, 2019 - Process Safety Stories
December, 2018 - Common Cause Failures
November, 2018 - Accumulation of small changes leads to an explosion
October, 2018 - Hazardous Energy!
September, 2018 - What if your process is acting differently?
August, 2018 - What if your agitator fails?
July, 2018 - Can overcooling a reactor cause a runaway reaction?
June, 2018 - Safe Work Permits – Understand the Scope of Work
May, 2018 - Aging Process Facilities and Infrastructure
April, 2018 - Maintain a Sense of Vulnerability
March, 2018 - Reporting and Investigating Near Misses
February, 2018 - Runaway Reactions Caused by Contamination
January, 2018 - Could your plant be impacted by a natural disaster?
December, 2017 - Liquefied Gases
November, 2017 - Purged Enclosures in Hazardous Areas
October, 2017 - Are your alarms alarming?
September, 2017 - Haste Makes Waste!
August, 2017 - Vulnerable Piping
July, 2017 - Management of Change
June, 2017 - Incident Investigation of a Steam Pipe Failure
May, 2017 - Corroded Tanks
April, 2017 - Are you sure that vessel is empty?
March, 2017 - …but the temperature was below the flash point!