Institute News: March 2020

On January 29, Shakeel H. Kadri, Executive Director and CEO of AIChE’s Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), addressed the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works about the mission and role of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB). Kadri testified about the CSB’s importance to the chemical process industries (CPI) and advocated for extension of the CSB’s $12 million budget. The current U.S. administration has proposed elimination of the agency.

In explaining the mission of the CSB, Kadri told the assembly that many businesses in the CPI are dependent on the use of hazardous materials, and that incidents, although rare, can have far-reaching consequences. Because many companies lack in-house safety expertise, Kadri continued, Congress created the Chemical Safety Board to provide all chemical users and producers with the expertise needed to investigate accidents and disseminate lessons learned, best practices, and technologies, with the common goal of minimizing and eliminating catastrophic incidents.

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▲ Shakeel Kadri, Executive Director and CEO of the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), testified before the U.S. Senate on the mission of the Chemical Safety Board. Photo credit: Senate official photographer

“CSB has become an effective and important partner for our country’s process industries,” said Kadri. “And, it is these chemical, energy, and related companies that are so essential to our nation’s continued economic development and competitiveness.” He concluded, “We urge you to provide for and continue funding the Chemical Safety Board so that it may continue to offer this vital service.”