Fresh start SIG Process Safety

Shaun Hopgood

My name is Shaun Hopgood and I work as a process safety engineer at Gasunie. I am married and the father of two children, with a third on the way. Becoming a parent has profoundly influenced how I look at safety and responsibility. Safety is no longer an abstract professional concept; it is directly connected to the people waiting for us at home and the consequences that decisions at work can have far beyond the fence line of an installation.

I am proud to be as of now part of the team responsible for the NAP Special Interest Group Process Safety programme. Joined by likeminded, motivated professionals Anne-Fleur Veenstra from Bilfinger, Joost van den Ende from DSM-Firmenich and Gaby Brand from KH Engineering, we want to continue this SIG for the coming years with renewed energy and elan. We promise to offer the participating representatives with key insights across the membership base on improving process safety performance across the life cycle of the manufacturing assets. We aim for a nice balance between learning in the meeting room and learning in the field where the real work happens.

My own motivation to work in process safety is rooted in personal experience. Earlier in my career I frequently worked at the NAM Warffum location in Groningen where in the past a major process safety incident (NU.nl) occured. Even though I was not present or involved at the time, the impact of that event was still deeply felt, especially each time I saw fresh flowers placed at the memorial beside the location. Witnessing how a single serious process safety incident could disrupt lives, affect families, and have irreversible consequences for people simply doing their jobs made process safety become very real and personal to me. That moment shaped the way I view my profession. For me, process safety is not about compliance, checklists, or ticking boxes. It is about a duty of care to my colleagues, my family and society: understanding risk, making well considered decisions, speaking up when something does not feel right, and continuously learning to prevent others from facing similar situations. Through my involvement in the NAP SIG Process Safety, I want to contribute my experience, learn from peers, and help translate the ambition of Goal Zero into everyday practice across the Dutch process industry.

Anne-Fleur Veenstra

I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Anne-Fleur Veenstra. I work for Bilfinger Engineering & Consultancy BeNe. I started my career as a process engineer. Over the years, I have specialized in process safety, and I have now been working for some time as a Senior Consultant Technical Safety within our company.

In my work, I visit industrial companies across various sectors and collaborate with a wide range of specialists in the fields of process safety, engineering, operations, and maintenance. Together, we work to control process risks through safe design and effective management, thereby contributing to a safe working environment.

It is my passion to use the experience and knowledge I have gained to help other companies improve their management of process safety risks and to prevent incidents, so that their employees can return home safely to their families every day.

I am looking forward to working together with Shaun, Gaby, and Joost on the continuation of the NAP Special Interest Group Process Safety programme, to share my knowledge and experience, to learn from others, and to contribute to a safe Dutch process industry.

Joost van den Ende

My name is Joost van den Ende, and I have been working in the process industry as a chemical engineer for forty years.

I started at a well-known Dutch engineering firm (Tebodin) in The Hague, where I became acquainted with the professional design and detailed development of industrial installations for the oil and gas, pharmaceutical, and food industries in the Netherlands.

For the past two decades, I have been working for dsm-firmenich in Delft, where I was ultimately responsible for process safety in yeast fermentation and dryer facilities.

dsm-firmenich has a strong and extensive network of process safety experts around the world. A wide variety of products are made within the company, such as cheese cultures, perfumes, enzymes, and biomedical yarns.

All these processes have their own hazards, which must be assessed by trained experts through various safety studies.

Knowledge transfer in process safety between people and different production sites is crucial. Especially in recent years, I have held an advisory role in which I train and guide people in the field of process safety.

What may seem very logical to you after 40 years of practical experience is still a learning area for someone else.

I also aim to share my experience with other companies within the NAP network. By exchanging knowledge on process safety between companies, I am convinced this is the right way to contribute to a safe working environment. It is also a great way to stay up to date with the latest developments in process safety and within the Dutch and European industry.

Gaby Brand

I would like to introduce myself. My name is Gaby Brand. I have been working as a Process Safety Specialist for almost 20 years at various companies. Currently, I am an HSSE Engineer at KH Engineering, based in Schiedam. I have a background in Chemical Engineering and have also completed the HVK program to build a stronger foundation in the field of safety.

In my role as an HSSE Engineer, I work on various projects both in the Netherlands and abroad, across different industries. The common factor in all these projects is our ambition to minimize risks, not only for the people working at these facilities, but also for those in the surrounding area.

Together with Shaun, Anne-Fleur, and Joost, we are taking over the pioneering role within the NAP Special Interest Group Process Safety from Nils, Ton, and Pieter. In doing so, I hope we can continue to benefit from their experience, while also bringing new energy to ensure that the Process Safety program, as established years ago, continues to deliver lasting value to the Dutch process industry.