The Hindu Business Line : 3-day meet on hydrocarbon safety begins

Kochi April 23 Petro Safe 2007, the three-day conference on hydrocarbon safety organised by Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO) along with National Safety Council (Kerala Chapter) and other professional bodies, began here on Monday at Le Meridien.

Inaugurating the conference, Ms Carolyn W. Merrit, Chairman, US Chemical Safety Board (CSB), emphasised that the root cause of industrial accidents are deficiencies in safety management systems.

`SAFETY FIRST'

She said the cooperation between CSB and PESO, a leading organisation with a 110-year history, should be there for protecting the workers, public and the environment.

She lauded the organisers for convening such a mega event involving multi-discipline delegates of more than 800 here.

In his presidential address, Mr M. Anbunathan, Chief Controller of Explosives, stressed the need for self-regulation and implementation for ensuring safety in hydrocarbon industry in the changing global scenario.

He said that globalisation has rendered a single world market and customers are more demanding. The GDP growth in China, India and other emerging economies is exploding and high-energy costs seem to be permanent part of the global landscape. Effective measures of hydrocarbon safety will ensure that the countries' economy will grow in a higher rate, he added.

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Mr Arun Balakrishnan, Chairman and Managing Director of HPCL, defined corporate social responsibilities as a way a company balances its economic, social and environmental objectives. A corporate's finest achievements are not those found in the balance sheet but in the small towns and villages and in ensuring their safety.

Mr Balakrishnan, later, inaugurated the exhibition comprising 60 stalls of various oil companies, safety equipment manufacturers, auto LPG gas stations etc.

Mr G.M. Reddy, Deputy Chief Controller of Explosives, Kochi, Mr A.S. Didolkar, CMD, HOC Ltd, Mr V.J. Francis Xavier, Director of Factories and Boilers, Kerala, also spoke.

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