Hargrove Controls & Automation will participate in the 2024 Mary Kay O’Connor Safety & Risk Conference, which will take place October 22-24 in College Station, Texas. Process safety specialists Chet Barton and Karen Morton will represent Hargrove Controls & Automation and share insights on modern safety standards and risk assessments in industrial processes.

Mobile, AL – Hargrove Controls & Automation, a leading industrial automation system integrator and a subsidiary of global EPC firm Hargrove Engineers & Constructors, announces today its participation in the 2024 Mary Kay O’Connor Safety & Risk Conference, held in association with IChemE. The event, taking place from October 22-24, 2024, in College Station, Texas, will focus on this year’s theme “Safe and Sustainable Energy Transition: Making Safety Second Nature.”

This year, Hargrove will be represented by two of its top process safety specialists: Chet Barton, PE, FS Expert (TÜV Rheinland), Process Safety Leader, and Karen Morton, PE, FS Eng (TÜV Rheinland), SIS Technical Consultant.

Returning for a second consecutive year, Chet Barton will deliver a presentation titled, “This Isn’t Your Grandfather’s SIS (It’s Time to Retire the Grandfather Clause).” With his extensive expertise in process safety, Barton will explore the evolving role of the Grandfather Clause within the framework of modern safety standards and regulations.

“This conference is one of the largest gatherings of safety professionals and facility owners,” said Barton. “It provides a unique platform to engage in deep discussions about critical topics that shape our industry. The Grandfather Clause is often a point of confusion, as many professionals are uncertain about its relevance in today’s regulatory environment. I’m eager to share why it’s imperative to move beyond outdated standards and focus on continuous safety improvements.”

Making her debut at the conference, Karen Morton will present “Crediting Fired Equipment Protection Systems in Process Hazard Analysis.” Her presentation will focus on the importance of accurately crediting safeguards in Process Hazard Analysis (PHA), particularly those aligned with NFPA standards, to ensure accurate risk assessments and regulatory compliance.

“In my experience, understanding the relationship between burner management systems and Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) often poses significant challenges for industry professionals,” said Morton. “Properly crediting these systems in applicable PHA scenarios is one key to obtaining a comprehensive risk assessment. My presentation will examine three NFPA fired equipment standards to understand how compliant systems may reduce the residual risk in a scenario.”

Morton’s presentation will focus on the key considerations for crediting fired equipment protection systems, including those compliant with NFPA 85, NFPA 86, and NFPA 87 standards. She will discuss the benefits of accurate risk assessment, the importance of analyzing system effectiveness, and the critical need for maintaining system integrity through rigorous maintenance and testing procedures.