In handling gases, vapours and dusts which, when mixed with oxidizing agents (e.g. air, oxygen, chlorine), can form potentially explosive mixtures, the safety parameters of the substances form the basis for assessing and implementing adequate explosion control systems. Reliable data are also the foundation for an assessment of the hazards emanating from plants and processes to the public, the environment and co-workers. Moreover, they are necessary for a classification of chemical substances in accordance with legislation governing transport, handling and production of chemicals.
For this reason, the Working Party deals with methods to determine safety parameters (under atmospheric and non-atmospheric conditions) and also their application for the evaluation of chemical processes and their standardization.

Chair: Prof. Dr. Thomas Schendler Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung, Berlin	Vice Chair: Dr. Markus Gödde BASF SE, Ludwigshafen