Our university successfully hosted the 6th China International Symposium on Chemical Process Safety

On May 28-29, the 6th China International Conference on Chemical Process Safety (CICPS 2024), co-organized by our university, the China Chemical Safety Association, and the Shandong Association for Emergency Management and Work Safety, was successfully held in Yantai. As a globally renowned academic conference in the field of chemical safety, this year’s event attracted over 1,000 experts and scholars from 10 countries, including China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Japan. The conference received extensive coverage from leading media outlets such as Xinhua News Agency, China News Service, and Science News, highlighting its international influence and industry authority. Wang Xiaomei, Assistant President of the university, attended the conference. The research team led by Professor Zhao Dongfeng played a pivotal role in the event’s success, leveraging their strong academic influence and organizational expertise in chemical safety to ensure its smooth execution.

The conference includes multiple sessions such as pre-conference training, keynote speeches, and sub-forum reports. Vice President of the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, Fu Xiangsheng; Chinese Academy of Engineering member, Chen Xuedong; Secretary/President of the China Environmental Protection Industry Association and Chairman of the National Nuclear Safety Standardization Technical Committee, Guo Chengzhan; Chairman of the Process Safety Committee of the International Oil and Gas Production Association, Jan Roar Bakke; Fourth President of the China Chemical Safety Association and former Vice President of Sinopec, Ling Yiqun; President of Nanjing University of Technology, Jiang Juncheng; Dr. Jan Peter Bredehoft, Senior Vice President of BASF; Louisa Nara, former Executive Technical Director of the Chemical Process Safety Center of the American Chemical Society; Secretary-General of the Chinese Chemical Society, Fang Daxing; Vice President of the Safety Engineering Research Institute of Sinopec, Dang Wenyi; Senior Vice President of Yantai Wanhua Group, Chen Yifeng; Japanese Academy of Engineering member, Qiu Jianhui; Professor Zhao Dongfeng of China University of Petroleum (East China); Arturo Trujillo, Vice President of DEKRA Global Process Safety; Williams Messina, Organic Peroxide Safety Expert of the United Nations & European Chemical Industry Association; Vice Chairman of the Responsibility Care Committee of the International Chemical Manufacturers Association, Li Shuangcheng; General Manager of the BvR Industrial Product Certification Center, Zhong Aimin, etc. were invited to deliver keynote speeches. Professor Zhao Dongfeng from our institute delivered a keynote speech titled "Challenges and Improvements in Implementing Process Safety Management in China's Chemical Industry". The report first reviewed the process safety in China's chemical industry from its infancy to development, and then based on the PSM assessment and improvement work practices of nearly 200 enterprises, pointed out that the current effective implementation of PSM still faces multiple difficulties such as insufficient system improvement, unreasonable structure, and low personnel capability matching. It also proposed constructive improvement strategies from the government and enterprise levels. The report was highly recognized by all the participants.

The conference featured six parallel sessions focusing on major safety risk prevention and control, process safety management system construction, intrinsic safety technology in the chemical industry, digital and intelligent equipment for safety emergency response, AI + chemical process safety, and chemical safety technology and equipment. A total of 73 experts from various enterprises, research institutions, and universities shared their research and practical achievements, creating a lively atmosphere at the venues. Meng Yifei, Deputy Director of the Department of Environmental and Safety Engineering at our university, served as the moderator for the sub-forum on intrinsic safety technology in the chemical industry.

The pre-conference training sessions of the event covered five key topics: Process Safety Management (PSM), Functional Safety Engineer Empowerment, Risk-Based Asset Integrity Management, Safety Management in Energy and Chemical Enterprises, and Hazard Analysis and Control. Over 500 participants received specialized training from leading industry experts.Liu Yi, Vice Dean of the college, and Associate Professor Chen Qiang co-instructed the Process Safety Management session alongside Louisa Nara, former Executive Technical Director of the AIChE Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), and Jiu Jiangbo, Senior Vice President of Qingdao Oasis Technology Development Group Co., Ltd. Their collaboration delivered a dynamic exchange of Eastern and Western perspectives on process safety management, earning widespread acclaim from attendees.

The conference was held alongside the Hazardous Chemicals Safety Technology and Emergency Equipment Exhibition, which featured participation from over 40 organizations, including China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Sinopec, CNOOC, the Safety, Environmental Protection & Energy Conservation Technology Center of China University of Petroleum (East China), the China Academy of Safety Science and Technology, and Bayer Materials Science (China) Co., Ltd.A key highlight of the exhibition was the Advanced Training Program for Interdisciplinary Chemical Safety Talents organized by our university, which showcased significant achievements in cultivating professionals in chemical process safety. The program successfully drew widespread attention from government agencies, leading enterprises, and academia.Wang Xiaomei, Assistant President of our university, Professor Zhao Dongfeng, and Louisa Nara, former Executive Technical Director of the AIChE Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), visited the exhibition and engaged with exhibitors.