Page 3 - October 2019

WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER EDITION

OUR CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR’S LETTER

THIS YEAR, the eighth day of October
ABIGAIL MORRISON lands on a Tuesday, which just so happens
Senior Associate at JMW Solicitors to be the deadliest day of the year. A study
Abigail has more than 10 years’ by CE Safety found that some 373 people
experience in helping employees have died at work on a Tuesday in the UK
claim compensation for and 84 workplace deaths occurred on the
industrial diseases, including asbestos-related eighth of the month. This means that
diseases, vibration white finger, chemical people are more likely to die at work on
poisoning and chronic lung diseases. this day than on any other, including that
most dreaded of days, Friday 13th.
PROFESSOR JOE HOWE But with proper health and safety legislation in place, why are people
Executive Director, Thornton still dying at work at all? In this edition, we’re exploring the topic with
Energy Research Institute the help of Wales & West Utilities, who explain why good a health
Professor Howe’s background and safety culture must go beyond the usual practices to become
is in geography and planning, the cornerstone of a successful business, whatever the industry.
environmental science and environmental Every year, scores of tradespeople die as a direct consequence
engineering. His own research in sustainable of coming in contact with asbestos, many of them gas engineers.
energy systems has contributed towards Abigail Morrison, Senior Associate at JMW Solicitors, lays out the
significant advances in approaches to industrial dangers and what you can do avoid this insidious menace.
clean growth in the UK and the opportunities The National Engineering Policy Centre, which represents nearly
afforded by a net zero economy. half a million UK engineers, has published a manifesto for a
Joe has received numerous research prosperous and secure economy and society, supported by a number
and consultancy contracts from industry, of organisations, including IGEM. This report calls on government to
government departments, Research Councils work with them to invest in skills, innovation, digital and traditional
UK and the EU. He has published two books infrastructure, and clean energy technologies. You can read all about
and in excess of 100 peer reviewed articles these core engineering priorities here.
and is currently an investigator on a PFER The importance of hydrogen in reaching net zero carbon
Local Energy Systems project, a BEIS CCUS emissions can’t be underestimated. In fact, it’s hard to see how
innovation project and an industry-sponsored we’ll reach these ambitious targets without it – some might say
hydrogen innovation initiative. it’s impossible. In the North West, a number of organisations have
been working together for many years to develop a hydrogen
TONY SMITH economy that can be replicated across the UK. The North West
Commercial Strategy Manager Hydrogen Alliance (NWHA) is now calling for the government
at Peel Environmental to sit up and pay attention. We have the details in this edition.
After attaining his PhD in oil Back in August, large parts of the UK experienced its biggest
biotransformation, Tony joined power outage in a decade, leaving thousands of people stranded
BP in 1981 as a Research Scientist and over the and up to a million users without power. EnAppSys takes a look
years had many gas commercial/technical roles, at why it happened and why these kinds of events could become
developing the UK liberalised gas market, gas sales, more common in future.
quality, transport and allocation agreements.
In 2013, he joined Peel Environmental, leading
the firm’s activities in unconventional gas.
This led him to become a key player in the
development of the North West Hydrogen Hub.
He is currently working on North West CCS and SHARON BAKER-HALLAM
hydrogen opportunities and is a steering group EDITOR
member for the Decarbonised Gas Alliance. BA (HONS) AIGEM
INSTITUTION OF GAS ENGINEERS AND MANAGERS (IGEM)
PAUL VERRILL
Executive Director of EnAppSys
Paul Verrill has worked for
energy and engineering TELL US WHAT YOU THINK
companies including Enron,
ICI and Rolls Royce. Paul has worked on project GOT SOMETHING you want to get off your chest? We’re always
design and development, plant management, happy to hear any comments you might have about Gi. If you have an
commercial management, project origination opinion you want to share with us, email editor@igem.org.uk or write
and acquisition, and heads up the commercial to Editor Sharon Baker-Hallam at IGEM House, 26 & 28 High Street,
side of EnAppSys. Kegworth, Derby DE74 2DA. The best letters and emails we receive
will be featured on this page.

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