Safety lessons from Hurricane Harvey

A satellite image of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico

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The chemical fires triggered by extreme flooding in Houston demonstrate the need to improve risk management

Hurricane Harvey’s disastrous impact on Houston and the subsequent incident at the Arkema chemical plant hold vital lessons for chemical safety in the US. It also serves as a warning to all chemical companies in the region that they need to be better prepared for extreme weather events that could become the new normal over the coming century.