Trevor Kletz

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Trevor Asher Kletz,

FIChemE (23 October 1922–31 October 2013) was a prolific British author on the topic of chemical engineering safety. He was a central figure in establishing the discipline of process safety.[1] He is credited with introducing the concept of inherent safety and was a major promoter of Hazop.[2] He is listed in The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History.[3]

Early life and education

Kletz was born 23 October 1922

Second World War, he was a member of the Home Guard. On 28 October 1958 he married Denise V. Winroope[4][6] (died 1980) and they had two sons, Anthony and Nigel.[4][7]

Professional life

Kletz at a chemical engineering safety workshop, Manchester 2010

In

iso-octane, acetone and tar acids plants. After further experience in process investigation and commissioning in the Technical Department, in 1961 he became assistant works manager on the ICI Olefines Works near Wilton, Redcar and Cleveland. In 1968, he was appointed the first Technical Safety Advisor.[7]

During this time, ICI developed hazard and operability studies, now known as

Hazop, for which he was an enthusiastic advocate, and the author of the first book on the subject.[8]

When he retired in 1982, he had established a safety culture within the company based on communication, and had begun a second career and an international reputation as an author and speaker. He quickly started to be regarded as a central figure in the establishment and development of process safety,[1] although he also referred to this discipline as "loss prevention" or "safety and loss prevention" until relatively late in his career.[9][10][11] Most of his books are concerned with case studies from the industry and the human and technical causes. Shortly after his retirement he expanded a paper entitled "What you don't have, can't leak"[12] into the book which began the concept of inherent safety.[13]

Honours

He was a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institution of Chemical Engineers, and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He was awarded medals by the latter two institutions.[4]

He was a visiting Professor of Chemical Engineering at Loughborough University and an adjunct professor of the Texas A&M University Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering.[4]

In 1997 he was awarded the

OBE for 'services to industrial safety'.[14]

In 2009 he received the Mond Award for Health and Safety of the Society of Chemical Industry, where he was said to be a 'founding father' of safety in the chemical industry.[15][16]

Books (sole author)

Books (joint author)

References

  1. ^ – via Elsevier Science Direct.
  2. ^ "Tributes paid to Trevor Kletz". IChemE. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  3. .
  4. ^ a b c d e "The Complete Marquis Who's Who (R) Biographies". advance.lexis.com (subscription required). 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  5. ^ Edwards, David (7 January 2014). "Trevor Kletz obituary". The Guardian.
  6. ^ England and Wales Marriage Index 1937-2005. p. 196, 310.
  7. ^
  8. ^ Kletz, Trevor (1983). HAZOP & HAZAN - Notes on the Identification and Assessment of Hazards. Rugby: Institution of Chemical Engineers
  9. .
  10. .
  11. ^ Kletz, T.A. (1999). "The Origins and History of Loss Prevention". Transactions of the Institution of Chemical Engineers. 77 Part B (May 1999): 109–116.
  12. ^ T. Kletz (1978) Chemistry & Industry 6 May 1978 page 278
  13. ^ "Principal Honours". Times. London. 14 June 1997. p. 8.
  14. ^ Society of Chemical Industry News A glittering awards night at Belgrave Square
  15. ^ TCE Dec 2009/Jan 2010 p 54 SCI lauds Kletz as "founding father of modern safety"

External links