Frank Lees
Encyclopedia
Francis Pearson Lees known as Frank Lees, was a chemical engineer
and a Professor at Loughborough University
who is noted for his contribution to the field of industrial safety.
, Northumberland
. His parents sent him to the Quaker boarding school, Leighton Park School
, Reading
, which led to a lifelong association with the Society of Friends. He registered as a conscientious objector
when called for National Service
in 1948, and worked with the Friends Ambulance Unit/Post-War Service, part of the time in a British hospital.
He won an open scholarship at Trinity College, Oxford
, graduating with a first class degree in Modern Languages (Russian and German) in 1954. After a period of employment, he decided to pursue a more scientific career and took A levels in Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics. These enabled him to start work in 1956 as an experimental officer in the Central Instrument Research Laboratory of ICI
.
He studied chemical engineering
part-time at West Ham College of Technology, then full time at Imperial College, London, graduating with first class honours in 1959. The same year he married Elizabeth, whom he had known as a student at Oxford.
at ICI
, being particularly involved in the early development of computer control of chemical plants, and later published the book “Man and Computer in Process Control" by E. Edwards and F. P. Lees (1973), IChemE.
In 1967 he became a lecturer at what was then the Loughborough University of Technology. He received a PhD
from the same institution in 1969 and rose to the position of Professor of Plant Engineering in 1974.
Following the Flixborough disaster
of the same year, he was appointed to a new body, the (UK) national Advisory Committee on Major Hazards. He was later a technical assessor for the Inquiry into the Piper Alpha
disaster, 1988.
According to Professor Gupta “His work has already saved numerous casualties and enormous economic losses since many thousands have been trained using his books and research papers and have applied them in practice. This process will continue at an accelerated rate for a very long time and, thanks to the universal nature of academic activities, it is already impacting globally.”
, the Royal Society of Chemistry
, and the Institute of Metals. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
in 1985 and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, DSc, honoris causa, by Loughborough University
in 1998.
He did various voluntary works, and in later life was a local Magistrate.
In his honour, the Institution of Chemical Engineers
instituted the Frank Lees Medal for the most meritorious publication on the topic of safety and loss prevention. In addition, Loughborough University
set up the Frank Lees Centre for Loss Prevention.
Chemical engineer
In the field of engineering, a chemical engineer is the profession in which one works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products, and deals with the design and operation of plants and equipment to perform such work...
and a Professor at Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
who is noted for his contribution to the field of industrial safety.
Education
Lees was born in HexhamHexham
Hexham is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located south of the River Tyne, and was the administrative centre for the Tynedale district from 1974 to 2009. The three major towns in Tynedale were Hexham, Prudhoe and Haltwhistle, although in terms of population, Prudhoe was...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
. His parents sent him to the Quaker boarding school, Leighton Park School
Leighton Park School
Leighton Park School is a co-educational Quaker independent school for both day and boarding pupils. It is situated in the large town of Reading in Berkshire, in South East England...
, Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, which led to a lifelong association with the Society of Friends. He registered as a conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
when called for National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in 1948, and worked with the Friends Ambulance Unit/Post-War Service, part of the time in a British hospital.
He won an open scholarship at Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
, graduating with a first class degree in Modern Languages (Russian and German) in 1954. After a period of employment, he decided to pursue a more scientific career and took A levels in Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics. These enabled him to start work in 1956 as an experimental officer in the Central Instrument Research Laboratory of ICI
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
.
He studied chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
part-time at West Ham College of Technology, then full time at Imperial College, London, graduating with first class honours in 1959. The same year he married Elizabeth, whom he had known as a student at Oxford.
Professional life
He then worked as a chemical engineerChemical engineer
In the field of engineering, a chemical engineer is the profession in which one works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products, and deals with the design and operation of plants and equipment to perform such work...
at ICI
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
, being particularly involved in the early development of computer control of chemical plants, and later published the book “Man and Computer in Process Control" by E. Edwards and F. P. Lees (1973), IChemE.
In 1967 he became a lecturer at what was then the Loughborough University of Technology. He received a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from the same institution in 1969 and rose to the position of Professor of Plant Engineering in 1974.
Following the Flixborough disaster
Flixborough disaster
The Flixborough disaster was an explosion at a chemical plant close to the village of Flixborough, England, on 1 June 1974. It killed 28 people and seriously injured 36.-Background:...
of the same year, he was appointed to a new body, the (UK) national Advisory Committee on Major Hazards. He was later a technical assessor for the Inquiry into the Piper Alpha
Piper Alpha
Piper Alpha was a North Sea oil production platform operated by Occidental Petroleum Ltd. The platform began production in 1976, first as an oil platform and then later converted to gas production. An explosion and resulting fire destroyed it on 6 July 1988, killing 167 men, with only 61...
disaster, 1988.
Publications
He published many papers, a notable one being “The Hazard Warning Structure of Major Hazards” which showed how risks could be assessed and reduced. However, he will be most remembered for his book Loss Prevention in the Process Industries of more than 1000 pages published in two volumes in 1980. This was a comprehensive review of the literature on accidents – how they happen and how they might be prevented. He took early retirement in 1990 to work on the second edition, which was published in 1996 in three volumes, indicating the growth in the field. Most books of this type would have been the result of efforts by a large team, but he was a single author. He had just finished the revision when he was affected by cancer, which led to his death.According to Professor Gupta “His work has already saved numerous casualties and enormous economic losses since many thousands have been trained using his books and research papers and have applied them in practice. This process will continue at an accelerated rate for a very long time and, thanks to the universal nature of academic activities, it is already impacting globally.”
Recognition
His achievements were recognised by medals and awards from the Institution of Chemical EngineersInstitution of Chemical Engineers
The Institution of Chemical Engineers is a global professional engineering institution with over 33,000 members in over 120 countries worldwide, founded in 1922, and awarded a Royal Charter in 1957.-Structure:...
, the Royal Society of Chemistry
Royal Society of Chemistry
The Royal Society of Chemistry is a learned society in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemical sciences." It was formed in 1980 from the merger of the Chemical Society, the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Faraday Society and the Society for Analytical Chemistry with a new...
, and the Institute of Metals. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
in 1985 and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, DSc, honoris causa, by Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
in 1998.
He did various voluntary works, and in later life was a local Magistrate.
In his honour, the Institution of Chemical Engineers
Institution of Chemical Engineers
The Institution of Chemical Engineers is a global professional engineering institution with over 33,000 members in over 120 countries worldwide, founded in 1922, and awarded a Royal Charter in 1957.-Structure:...
instituted the Frank Lees Medal for the most meritorious publication on the topic of safety and loss prevention. In addition, Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
set up the Frank Lees Centre for Loss Prevention.