It is remarkable that we are already approaching the midpoint of 2026. This has been a particularly busy and productive period for Safex International, highlighted by our Congress in Lisbon. We once again extend our sincere thanks to our hosts, Orica, for their support and hospitality. In particular, we acknowledge Amanda Santos from the Lisbon office for her dedication, attention to detail, and significant contribution to making the Congress such a success.
The Congress brought together 184 participants representing 26 companies from across the globe. Delegates returned with a shared message: the event provided valuable learning and reinforced awareness of the safety challenges and objectives facing our industry worldwide. These insights will be shared with our membership as part of our continued commitment to achieving zero harm.
I extend my sincere gratitude to all attendees for their participation, engagement, and support. This was one of the most successful Congresses I have had the privilege of attending.
This Newsletter opens with a message from our Chairman, John Rathbun, who reflects on the Congress and the highly successful CEO meeting.
Andy Begg has brought together contributions from the Expert Panel and individual Associates, resulting in the following insightful articles on incidents and safety management:
Also included are Vignettes of Lisbon and Surroundings, photographed and compiled by Noel Hsu, which provide a visual reflection of the Congress venue and its surroundings.
I trust that you will find this Newsletter both interesting and informative. As this is my final edition as Secretary General of this outstanding organisation, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to every contributor who has supported the Newsletter over the past 12 years.
Piet Halliday , Secretary General
While in Lisbon we had a gathering of the member company CEOs for a luncheon followed by a presentation. We had a record 14 CEOs in attendance, who represented the largest explosives companies in the western world and many of the Governors of the Board of Safex. After a legal compliance reminder on what topics we needed to avoid while together, we then engaged to talk about Safex itself, it’s purpose and it’s sustainability.
Read more ►Two mechanics were disassembling a metal plate bolted onto a wall. The detonation occurred as the plate was being removed from the wall. The plate was projected and hit one of the mechanics. As per the practices of the company the following is the routine observed before they for maintenance...
Read more ►Often, when working with energetics there is little room for error. These materials can be very sensitive and unplanned initiations can have major consequence. We should look to learn from any relevant incidents, including those outside of our industry, incorporating those lessons into our own operations.
Read more ►Much before my time I read an accident report involving 5 casualties that concluded that the operator used a beryllium copper flat screw driver as a chisel to widen a crack in comp B filled munition for a repair.
Read more ►SAFEX distributes incident notices—and, less frequently, full incident reports—to enable members to learn from real events across the energetic materials industry. Detailed reports from major incidents often require extensive internal approvals, which explains why they are less commonly released.
Read more ►One example is the tension between chemicals manufacturers and the packaging industry. Costs are a major driver for many of the industry’s actions. The chemicals manufacturers put pressure on their packaging suppliers to supply cheaper packagings. So the packaging industry makes lighter and lighter packages to reduce costs...
Read more ►Dawn Goosen highlighted the key takeaways, notable practices, and proposed discussion questions to help spark meaningful conversation within the Expert Panel in her summary paaper of the Congress.
Read more ►A series of very lovely photos of Lisbon taken by Noël HSU, offering an original and unexpected perspective on Safex Congress XXI.
Download ►