UTP, CCPS Sign MOU for Process Safety (19 June 2015)
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) to collaborate in enhancing scientific, technical and engineering competencies in relation to the areas of process safety.
The collaboration will cover various academic and research activities, which include technology transfer and sharing through short courses and certificate programmes, joint services on industrial contract research, joint event hosting for scientific forums and conferences and other activities or areas of mutual interest for both parties.
The MoU was signed by UTP Vice Chancellor, Datuk Ir (Dr) Abdul Rahim Hashim and CCPS Asia Pacific Regional Manager, Mr Umesh Dhake on behalf of the two organisations.
"The university, through its Centre of Advanced Process Safety (CAPS), is proud to have this opportunity to collaborate with CCPS, the top Process Safety Centre recognised by industries worldwide. The signing of this MoU is another important milestone for UTP as it will become one of the very few selected universities in the world to have such collaboration with CCPS,” said Abdul Rahim.
“This MoU is a responsible collaboration between UTP and CCPS to enhance stakeholder’s process safety knowledge. It provides a way forward to bring The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), CCPS initiatives and programmes at a university level in Malaysia. The MoU also provides us a mechanism to develop new projects at regional level. On behalf of CCPS, I would like to assure our commitment and fullest cooperation to UTP for such initiatives,” said Umesh Dhake.
The first activity that UTP and CCPS will carry out is to jointly organise the 2015 Global Summit on Process Safety, the first global process safety conference conducted in Malaysia and the second in Asia Pacific region.
As the co-host of the summit, it will position UTP in process safety area and create opportunity for strategic linkages and partnership with industries, government bodies, regulators and international institutions.
In July 2014, UTP established the Centre of Advanced Process Safety as a platform to provide opportunities for the pursuit of knowledge and expertise through the advancement of process safety. The centre’s vision is to become a recognised referral centre and a partner of choice in process safety in Malaysia and Asia Pacific by 2025.
The centre, headed by Prof Dr Azmi Mohd Shariff, began research in process safety in 2003. Since then, a number of postgraduate students had graduated in the areas of risk assessment, inherent safety, fire hazard analysis, toxicity and process safety management.
A number of journals and conference papers have been published in similar areas. CAPS has completed a number of industrial projects and conducted a series of short courses in the areas of Quantitative Risk Assessment and Electrical Safety and Operability Review.
CAPS was appointed by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health Malaysia to conduct a Regulatory Impact Assessment on the revision and improvement of Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards (CIMAH) regulations 1996 by including process safety management elements.
CAPS is currently working together with the Chemical Engineering Department of UTP to offer MSc in Process Safety programme in early 2016. Strategic linkages and partnership have been established with industries, government bodies, regulators and international institutions to align this programme with the industrial needs.
Meanwhile, CCPS was formed by The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) in 1985, with the vision to bring the best process safety knowledge and practices to industry, academia, the government and the public around the world through collective wisdom, tools, training and expertise.
Since 1984, CCPS has helped industry develop tools to keep workplaces and communities safer, even as technology and businesses have become more complex. CCPS continues to address the most important process safety needs and encourage an overall culture of process safety. Over 100 members now participate in CCPS, including most of the world’s leading chemical, petroleum, pharmaceutical and related manufacturing companies.
CCPS brings together manufacturers, government agencies, consultants, academia and insurers to lead the way in improving industrial process safety. CCPS’ extensive body of work marks the progress made in these areas and it continues to expand a catalog of over 100 books and products, build on a legacy of 21 successful international conferences and cultivate the Safety in Chemical Engineering Education (SAChE) university curriculum programme. With over 100 publications to date, CCPS remains at the forefront of issues relevant to industry.
