SaChE Student Safety Certificate Program
A Certificate of Safety Achievement is presented by SaChE and AIChE to students who demonstrate proficiency in process safety training modules developed for SaChE. The program allows students to receive recognition for their efforts provided they are members of AIChE. Student application for AIChE membership is available at http://www.aiche.org/students.
- Safety in the Process Industries (Dan Crowl, Michigan Tech University)
Video series that introduces the application of chemical process safety technology in an actual chemical facility.
Read more/Get the filesIntroduction
This video series entitled "Safety in the Chemical Process Industries" presents a strong introduction to the application of chemical process safety technology in an actual chemical facility. The video series is divided in roughly 30 minute segments with a total viewing time of 3.5 hours. Topics include:
- concept of corporate safety programs
- laboratory safety inspections
- personal protective equipment
- process area safety features and procedures
- DIERS methods for characterizing runaway reactions
- equipment and methods to characterize flammable dusts and vapors
- informal and formal safety reviews
To obtain this certificate, students view the streaming video series and then download and study the Study Guide. After watching the videos and reading the Study Guide, students must pass the online exam to successfully complete this Safety Certificate.
Files
You must be logged in as a student to view Student Certificate Program files. Log in here to view these files.
- Risk Assessment (Ralph W. Pike, Louisiana State University)
Browser-based SAChE product that provides an overview of the methods used for risk assessment, management, and reduction with examples and exercises.
Read More/Get the FilesIntroduction
Topics focus on the detection, prevention and mitigation of risks including:
- Screening Analysis Techniques
- Hazard and Operability Studies (HAZOPS)
- Checklist Reviews
- Fault Tree and Event Tree Analysis
- Preliminary Hazards Analysis
- Chemical Plume and Dispersion Analysis
- Safety Audit
- Explosion and Fire Analysis
- What-if Analysis
- Assessment of Health Effects
- Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
- Quantified Risk Assessment
The course material prepares students to develop the information needed in plant design in a senior-level design course (e.g., a HAZOP on a process flow diagram) or provides background to topics discussed in a process safety course. This product was also designed for practicing engineers or chemists who will be involved with risk analyses. The course material emphasizes how the methods for risk assessment, management, and reduction are related and function together.
To obtain this certificate, study the Risk Assessment self-study course (2008 SAChE Product). This course is narrated (available by clicking on a text icon). The course is distributed in a zipped file to preserve the directory structure. After unzipping the file, start the course by pointing a browser to the file index1.html in the Risk Assessment folder. After studying the materials, students must pass the online exam to successfully complete the Safety Certificate.
Files
You must be logged in as a student to view Student Certificate Program files. Log in here to view these files.
- Runaway Reactions (Amy Theis, Fauske and Associates)
CSB video and SAChE products that demonstrate the potential hazards and methods for controlling runaway reactions.
Read More/Get the FilesIntroduction
This SACHE Student Safety Certificate focuses on managing chemical reaction hazards, particularly runaway reactions. Chemical reactions are integral to the process industries, and it is critical that reactions be properly understood in order to handle them safely. Available resources for identifying potential runaway reactions are presented in this module as well as tools for sizing relief systems to safely control and contain these potential runaway reactions.
Three sources of information should be studied to successfully complete the test for this module:
- U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) safety video entitled "Reactive Hazards: Dangers of Uncontrolled Chemical Reactions", dated July 31, 2007 (available through the CSB website at http://www.csb.gov/index.cfm?folder=video_archive&page=index)
- SACHE Product "Rupture of a Nitroanaline Reactor" (2007) by Dr. Ronald Willey
- SACHE module "Runaway Reaction – Experimental Characterization and Vent Sizing" (2005) by Dr. Ron Darby.
To obtain this certificate, students study the information sources above and pass the online exam to successfully complete the Safety Certificate.
Files
You must be logged in as a student to view Student Certificate Program files. Log in here to view these files.
- Chemical Reactivity Hazards (Robert Johnson, Unwin Co.)
Web-based SAChE product that provides an overview of the basic understanding of chemical reactivity hazards; supplemented with selected issues of the Process Safety Beacon from the SAChE archive.
Read More/Get the FilesIntroduction
"Chemical Reactivity Hazards" is a web-based SAChE module that shows how uncontrolled chemical reactions can lead to serious harm. Key concepts for avoiding unintended reactions and controlling intended reactions are discussed including:
- Three major incidents that show the potential consequences of uncontrolled reactions,
- How chemical reactions get out of control, including consideration of reaction path, heat generation and removal, and people/property/environmental response,
- Data and lab testing resources used to identify reactivity hazards,
- Four approaches to making a facility inherently safer with respect to chemical reactivity hazards, and
- Strategies for designing facilities both to prevent and to mitigate uncontrolled chemical reactions.
An extensive Glossary and Bibliography are directly accessible from any page. This web-based instructional module contains about 100 pages.
To obtain this certificate, study the Chemical Reactivity Hazards self-study course (2005 SAChE Product). The course is distributed using a Word with a link to the web-based course and login information. Process Safety Beacons from March 2003, August 2003, December 2004, March 2005, August 2005, January 2006, and July 2006 should also be studied. After studying the materials, students must pass the online exam to successfully complete the Safety Certificate.
Files
You must be logged in as a student to view Student Certificate Program files. Log in here to view these files.
After students have completed a module, they must successfully complete an on-line questionnaire which is available at http://www.aiche.org/SAChE_Questions.aspx to receive recognition. Lists of students who successfully complete a module will be sent to their SACHE contact school or department in addition to companies who are supporting the program; see the list of students who have completed the certificate in 2008 (PDF), or 2009 (PDF).
For further information, please contact Lowell Aplebaum (lowea@aiche.org).

