The reduction of risks associated with chemical processing operations is essential for the safe operation of chemical plants. The reduction of these risks is accomplished through a comprehensive process safety management program. Key elements of this program include Hazard and Operability Studies, Emergency Relief Venting, Process Automation, Management of Change Control Procedures, Process Specific Training, and so forth. Central to many of these elements is a thorough, in‐depth understanding of the reactive nature of chemical processing operations. This understanding can only be obtained through intensive laboratory evalutions using “leading edge” process safety testing technologies. To accomplish this goal, a systematic process safety testing program has been established aimed at characterizing the reactive nature of both the desired and undesired chemistry. The information obtained is directly applicable to the development of intrinsically safe processes and for the safe design/operation of chemical processing facilities.

This study aimed to examine the pattern of alcohol use among those attending a General Hospital and to explore the perception of safe drinking. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) questionnaire was given for self-completion to all inpatients and outpatients on separate days and to all adults attending the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) on both a midweek and a weekend period. Additional questions to determine attitudes to, and intake of, alcohol were also given. Of the 464 people approached, 82% completed the questionnaire. Twenty-nine per cent of outpatients, 37.5% of inpatients and 20% of those attending A&E were leetotal. Fifteen per cent of outpatients, 16% of inpatients and 38.5% of those attending A&E scored as misusers of alcohol according to the AUDIT questionnaire. Males were three times more likely to misuse alcohol than females. Younger women were much more likely to misuse alcohol than older women. An unexpectedly large number of those attending the gynaecological clinic reported alcohol misuse. Of the inpatient alcohol misusers identified by AUDIT, only 50% were independently detected by either nursing or medical staff, the lower misuse scores being more frequently missed. We conclude that there continues to be a significant identifiable proportion of alcohol misuse that goes undetected. These individuals attend throughout the hospital and a simple self-completion questionnaire would considerably aid their detection.

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We examined the extent of alcohol misuse among final year medical students and explored their attitudes to their drinking and the drinking of others in order to gain insight into why junior doctors frequently fail to identify alcohol misusers. The questionnaire included AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Investigation Test), personal details and an attitudinal component. Response rate was 92%. Forty-six students (37.8%) scored as alcohol misusers. Teetotallers had a more judgmental attitude towards ‘alcoholism’. Extremes of drinking behaviour among students may affect later patient care.

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