Safety Guidelines for the merger and acquisition process

The Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) will publish a new book titled “Guidelines for Acquisition Evaluation and Post Merger Integration,” with a strong focus on risks associated with process safety and its management. This publication is very timely since there is a plethora of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) underway as chemical companies seek M&A as one avenue of growth and strategic consolidation in a highly mature industry. This article summarizes this book that will contain detailed check lists identifying the “must do” items on a pre-merger basis and a “must do and how to manage” check list and directions on a post merger, smooth and seamless integration basis. In any organization the responsibility, authority, and accountability (RAA) chain is clearly delineated, but the specific responsibility for process safety management issues may vary between the acquiring corporation and the acquired entity. During post merger integration it is vital that a unified RAA chain be articulated and be clearly understood and be operational on Day 1 after the merger. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2010