DEKRA Training

In-house Organisational & Process Safety training courses

DEKRA Training

In-house Organisational & Process Safety training courses

In-House Training Courses

DEKRA’s in-house training courses are tailored specifically to your organisation, addressing your people, hazards, processes, and objectives.

Our in-house courses are custom-built, unlike open courses, which follow a fixed syllabus for a mixed audience. We collaborate with you to tailor content, depth, and delivery to your operations, regulatory requirements, and risk profile.

We deliver the training at your site, at a location of your choice, or in a live online classroom, minimising disruption while maximising relevance and impact.

With thousands of hours of experience across organisational safety, process safety, and regulatory compliance, DEKRA helps organisations build meaningful hazard awareness, strengthen technical competence, and support defensible safety decisions — all in a format designed around you. Contact us today to discuss your in-house training needs and see how we can help your organisation advance safety and compliance.

Available Courses

DEKRA ATEX and DSEAR in-House Training Course

HAZOP in-House Training Course

Functional Safety in-House Training Course

Process Safety Management in-House Training Course

DEKRA CRH & Safe Scale-Up in-House Training Course

Lifecycle Strategic Assessment of Runaway Reaction Risks

An introduction to chemical reaction hazards with an overview of the end-to-end assessment stages required to operate processes and handle reactive chemicals safely. The course introduces assessment phases that should be built into route selection, compatibility assessments, process development and scale-up to ensure that risks are identified, quantified and prevented or protected against. Extensive use of case studies and workshops is made which exemplify the key parameters at each stage. Case studies are tailored to be sector-specific to attendees.

Duration: 1 day

Target audience: Process Safety Engineer, Chemical Engineer / Process Engineer, Reaction Engineering Specialist, Process Development Scientist / Engineer, Plant / Manufacturing Engineer, R&D Chemist (especially in scale-up), Scale-up Engineer / Pilot Plant Engineer, Industrial Chemist, Operational & Management Roles, Production Manager / Operations Manager, Plant Manager, Technical Manager, EHS (Environment, Health & Safety) Manager, Quality Assurance / Quality Control Manager, Risk, Compliance & Audit Roles, Process Safety Auditor, Safety Consultant, Regulatory Compliance Specialist, Risk Management Professional, Loss Prevention Engineer, Specialty Chemicals Engineers

Topics covered

Runaway reaction key concepts and definitions

Use of criticality class concept to visualise runaway reaction risks

Statistics, reported incidents and case studies

Predicting stability and reactivity (introduction)

Explosivity and thermal stability screening (introduction)

Heat of reaction and evolved gas measurement (introduction)

Process hazard analysis for runaway reaction risks (introduction)

Characterising runaway reactions (process deviation consequence analysis using Adiabatic Calorimetry) (introduction)

Safety measures for prevention and protection – including runaway reaction relief system design (introduction)

Evaluating safety using LOPA (introduction)

** Course can be tailored to examine sector or client specific data or case studies **

Developing inherently safer processes

“Chemical Reaction Hazards for Chemists” is designed for professionals involved in developing, handling, modifying or scaling chemical reactions. The course focuses on early identification (and quantification) of hazardous materials and reactions such that chemical route choices can be informed by the principles of inherent safety. Development work can then focus on quantifying reactive chemistry risks to ensure that reaction and process conditions are adjusted to moderate any hazard potential and data is available for scale-up hazard assessment studies. The course provides in depth coverage of tools and testing available to identify and quantify risks associated with exothermic and gas generating reactions, thermal stability and explosivity. Extensive use of case studies and workshops is made to embed knowledge. Case studies are tailored to be sector-specific to attendees.

Participants will gain the knowledge needed to identify, evaluate, and mitigate reaction hazards across laboratory, pilot plant, and production settings.

Format

Delivery Options: Virtual live training, Classroom or onsite workshop

Training Style: Interactive lectures tailored for chemists, Real case studies from laboratory and scale-up incidents, Hands-on hazard interpretation exercises (e.g., DSC/ARC data, reaction pathways), Group discussions on safer process design, Optional Q&A and application to participants’ own chemistry challenges

Typical Duration: 1 day

Benefits to Your Organisation

Reduced risk of incidents such as runaway reactions, unexpected gas evolution, thermal decomposition, or incompatibilities through stronger understanding of reaction hazards and how they arise.

Improved ability to design inherently safer reactions, including reagent and solvent choices, dosing methods and thermal management.

More reliable scale-up by recognising how small-scale chemistry behaves differently at pilot or plant scale.

Better communication with engineers and safety teams, enabling faster problem solving and safer process development.

Confidence in interpreting calorimetry and hazard data, empowering chemists to identify issues before they escalate.

Target audience: R&D, organic, synthetic, and formulation chemists; Process development and scale-up chemists; Pilot plant and industrial chemists; Laboratory managers and technical leaders; EHS professionals and chemical safety officers; Process safety and risk management specialists.

Learning outcomes

Recognise key chemical reaction hazards, including thermal instability, exothermicity, and hazardous intermediates.

Understand how reaction kinetics, accumulation, mixing, and mass transfer contribute to unsafe conditions.

Inherent Safety in Reaction Design. Apply inherently safer design principles: minimisation, substitution, moderation, and simplification. Choose reagents, solvents, and operating conditions that reduce hazard potential.

Hazard Identification Tools for Chemists

Interpret calorimetric data (e.g., DSC, ARC, reaction calorimetry) for identifying thermal hazards.

Use laboratory observations and small-scale tests to predict stability and reactivity issues.

Identify early warning signs of unstable materials or runaway potential.

Understand how laboratory chemistry changes during scale-up and why hazards often increase with size.

Work effectively with engineers to define safe operating limits and control strategies.

Incorporate reaction safety into method development, batch records, and scale-up documentation.

Modules / topics covered:

Runaway reaction key concepts and definitions

Use of the criticality class concept to visualise runaway reaction risks

Statistics, reported incidents and case studies

Predicting stability and reactivity (detailed)

Explosivity and thermal stability screening (detailed)

Heat of reaction and evolved gas measurement (detailed)

Process hazard analysis for runaway reaction risks (introduction)

Characterising runaway reactions (process deviation consequence analysis using Adiabatic Calorimetry) (introduction)

Safety measures for prevention and protection (introduction)

**Course can be tailored to examine sector or client specific data or case studies**

Scaling-up hazardous reactions and unstable materials safely

Engineering teams play a critical role in translating laboratory chemistry into safe, reliable and scalable manufacturing processes. However, hazardous reactions and unstable materials can introduce significant risks during scale-up—from thermal runaway and gas evolution to unexpected pressure generation or decomposition events.

This course provides engineers with the knowledge, tools, and practical strategies needed to recognize, assess and control these hazards throughout scale-up, pilot operations and full-scale production. Using real industrial case studies, participants learn how to apply reaction hazard data, engineering controls, and safe operating limits to avoid catastrophic incidents and ensure process robustness. Extensive use of case studies and workshops is made to embed knowledge. Case studies are tailored to be sector-specific to attendees.

Format

Delivery: Classroom, onsite, or virtual.

Training Style: Interactive lectures, real-world case studies, discussion of past incidents and group exercises.

Duration: Typically 1 day

Benefits to Your Organisation

Reduced risk of thermal runaway or other catastrophic failures.

Improved scale-up success rates and process robustness.

Enhanced safety culture and regulatory compliance.

Better communication between R&D, scale-up, and plant operations.

Stronger understanding of hazard assessment fundamentals across engineering teams.

Target audience: This course is ideal for professionals involved in chemical process design, development, and scale-up, including: Process Engineers / Chemical Engineers; Scale-Up & Pilot Plant Engineers; Process Development Scientists / Technologists;

Manufacturing & Plant Engineers; Reaction Engineering Specialists; Operations and Technical Managers; Process Safety Engineers & Loss Prevention Specialists; EHS and Risk Management Professionals.

Engineers working in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, specialty chemicals, polymers, energy materials, agrochemicals, and fine chemicals will find this course especially relevant.

Learning outcomes:

Participants will leave with the ability to:

Identify major reaction hazards including thermal instability, gas evolution, incompatibilities and decomposition pathways.

Understand the impact of scale-up on heat transfer, mixing, mass transfer and accumulation.

Interpret and apply calorimetry data to define safe operating limits.

Anticipate and manage hazards associated with unstable intermediates, energetic materials and exothermic reactions.

Develop robust process safety strategies including criticality classification, vent sizing basics, and emergency response planning.

Communicate risks effectively across multidisciplinary teams.

Modules / topics covered

Runaway reaction key concepts and definitions

Use of criticality class concept to visualise runaway reaction risks

Statistics, reported incidents and case studies

Predicting stability and reactivity (introduction)

Explosivity and thermal stability screening (introduction)

Heat of reaction and evolved gas measurement (introduction)

Process hazard analysis for runaway reaction risks (detailed)

Characterising runaway reactions (process deviation consequence analysis using Adiabatic Calorimetry) (detailed)

Safety measures for prevention and protection

Runaway reaction emergency relief system design (introduction)

Evaluating safety using LOPA (introduction)

** Course can be tailored to examine sector or client specific data or case studies **

This course provides a practical, non-specialist introduction to pressure relief principles used in the process industries. It is designed to help participants understand why pressure relief is required, how relief systems work, and how to recognise common design and operational issues. The course emphasises safety, regulatory intent, and real-world examples rather than detailed sizing calculations.

Format

Delivery: Classroom, onsite, or virtual.

Training Style: Interactive lectures, real-world case studies, discussion of past incidents and group exercises.

Duration: Typically, 1 day

NOTE: Basic understanding of process equipment and operating conditions is recommended although no prior pressure relief design experience is required.

Benefits to Your Organisation

Increased confidence in the safe design and operation of relief systems and reduced risk of overpressure incidents and equipment failure through more reliable identification of correct sizing methodologies.

Enhanced understanding of reaction hazards and scale-up implications.

Improved compliance with safety regulations and industry best practices.

Target audience

Process engineers, operations and maintenance personnel, EHS professionals, supervisors, and managers who interact with pressure systems but are not pressure relief specialists.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain the purpose of pressure relief in process systems.

Be confident identifying a pressure system and how to use it.

Identify common overpressure scenarios.

Describe the main types of pressure relief devices (PRDs).

Understand how relief devices are applied and protected.

Recognise common failures, incidents, and bad practices.

Communicate effectively with relief system specialists.

Intelligently review pressure relief calculations from suppliers.

Modules / topics covered

Fundamentals of Pressure and Overpressure

Module 2 – Why Pressure Relief Is Required

Module 3 – Types of Pressure Relief Devices

Module 4 – How Pressure Relief Devices Work

Module 5 – Relief System Design Philosophy (Overview)

Module 6 – Installation, Operation, and Maintenance Considerations

Module 7 – Codes, Standards, and Good Practice

Module 8 – Common Problems and Lessons Learned

Module 9 – Interfaces with Other Safety Systems

Module 10 – Practical Exercises and Discussion

** Course can be tailored to examine sector or client specific data or case studies **

Runaway reactions are a leading cause of chemical plant incidents, often resulting in overpressure, vessel failure, secondary explosions, environmental releases and catastrophic damage. Properly designed emergency relief systems are critical to mitigate these risks and protect personnel, assets and the environment.

This 1-day course provides a focused, practical understanding of emergency relief system design for reactive and potentially unstable chemical processes utilising methods developed through the Design Institute for Emergency Relief Systems (DIERS) project. Using real-world case studies and design examples, participants will learn how to size, select, and evaluate relief devices to safely manage thermal runaways and overpressure events. The course also covers peripheral considerations such as discharge containment / separation system design and thrust force calculations for adequate mechanical design.

Format

Delivery: Classroom, onsite, or virtual.

Training Style: Interactive lectures, real-world case studies, discussion of past incidents and group exercises.

Duration: Typically, 1 day

NOTE: Some prior knowledge of pressure relief concepts is desirable to maximise the value of this course.

Benefits to Your Organisation

Increased confidence in the safe design and operation of relief systems.

Reduced risk of overpressure incidents and vessel failure.

Enhanced understanding of reaction hazards and scale-up implications.

Improved compliance with safety regulations and industry best practices.

Target audience

This course is aimed at professionals involved in the design, operation, and safety of chemical processes, including:

Process and Chemical Engineers

Reaction Engineering Specialists

Process Safety Engineers

Plant and Operations Engineers

Safety and Risk Management Professionals

Pilot Plant and Scale-Up Engineers

Engineers and chemists working in pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, specialty chemicals, polymers, and energy materials will benefit most.

Learning Outcomes

Explain the key principles of pressure relief for runaway reactions.

Understand critical relief sizing parameters, including overpressure, relieving temperature and reaction kinetics.

Identify common types of relief devices and their appropriate applications.

Evaluate potential hazards from vapour pressure and gas evolving reactions and know the appropriate sizing calculation methods.

Perform basic relief sizing calculations for runaway reactions.

Understand the importance of discharge containment / separation systems and mechanical thrust forces.

Review historical incidents to understand failure modes and design pitfalls.

Discuss best practices for inspection, maintenance, and operational readiness of relief systems.

Modules/topics covered

Characterising runaway reactions (process deviation consequence analysis using adiabatic calorimetry.

Basis of safety options and proving adequacy using LOPA.

Process Control considerations (safety instrumented functions).

Emergency relief system design (detailed).

** Course can be tailored to examine sector or client specific data or case studies **

Avoiding Adverse Reactions in the Waste Industry

In the waste and recycling industry, the mixing, storage, and processing of incompatible materials can lead to dangerous chemical reactions—including fires, toxic gas evolution, explosions, and thermal decomposition. With increasing waste complexity and rising incident rates, understanding waste compatibility has become essential for safe operations.

This 1-day course provides practical, real-world guidance on how to identify incompatibilities, assess risks, classify wastes, and implement controls that prevent adverse reactions. Participants will learn how to recognise hazardous combinations, interpret chemical information, and apply best practices across waste handling, storage, transport, transfer stations, and treatment facilities. This training emphasises practical tools, case studies, and actionable steps that the waste sector can apply immediately.

The course is based on the HSE / Environment Agency joint guidance “Compatibility Testing Guidance for Bulking Operations in the Waste Treatment Industry” which was compiled by DEKRA.

Format

Delivery: Onsite, classroom, or virtual live training
Training Style: Interactive presentations, real-world case studies from waste operations, Group exercises on compatibility decisions, Practical tools for on-the-job use.
Duration: 1 day

Benefit to your Organisation

Reduced risk of fires, explosions, and chemical incidents.
Improved waste acceptance and classification processes.
Stronger compliance with environmental and safety regulations.
Increased staff confidence in identifying and managing incompatible wastes.
Enhanced safety culture, reducing operational downtime and liability.

Target audience

This course is ideal for anyone involved in waste handling, processing, or safety management, including:

Waste Facility chemists, engineers, managers & supervisors
Transfer Station Operators
Waste Treatment & Processing Personnel
Hazardous Waste Handlers
Environmental & EHS Professionals
Compliance Managers & Regulatory Specialists
Emergency Response Coordinators
Consultants in environmental services and waste management
It is suitable for teams mainly involved in industrial waste, hazardous waste, chemical waste services, and waste transport/logistics.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Understanding Waste Compatibility
- Identify the major classes of incompatible wastes and why reactions occur.
- Understand regulatory requirements and industry guidance for waste compatibility.

Assessing & Managing Risk

Evaluate incoming waste streams for potential hazards.
Interpret SDS information in a waste management context.
Apply simple screening methods to flag incompatible combinations.
Understand and interpret tests to characterise potentially incompatible combinations.
Assess storage, handling, and processing risks in real plant environments.

Safe Operations & Process Controls

Implement segregation and storage strategies to prevent incompatible mixing.
Develop safer waste acceptance procedures.
Establish controls for reactive, unstable, or unknown wastes.
Understand warning signs and early indicators of hazardous reactions.

Case Studies & Incident Prevention

Review real incidents involving fires, explosions, and toxic releases.
Identify underlying causes and prevention lessons.
Apply best practices for prevention, monitoring, and emergency readiness.

Modules/topics covered

Where the hazards arise – a review of reported incidents in the waste industry
Fundamental Principles of Scale-up and Adverse Reactions
Adverse Reaction Screening Procedures in Pre-acceptance
Workshop 1 – Desktop Screening Example
Laboratory Test Methods for Adverse Reaction Quantification
Applying the Data
Workshop 2 – Data Analysis and Test Validity Checking
General Principles and Good Practices

** Course can be tailored to examine sector or client specific data or case studies **

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See all our Process Safety Training options and learn how our courses can help you build safer processes and improve workplace safety.

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