Nikhil Kumar Tanwar
Process Safety And Environmental Engineer
Bad Homburg
Summary
I am a dedicated Engineer specializing in Process Safety, Chemical Risk Management, and Explosion Protection, with a strong academic background and a Master’s degree in Process Safety and Environmental Engineering. Throughout my studies and professional journey including roles as WHS Coordinator at Amazon and researcher at PTB I have gained valuable expertise in safety standards (OSHA, ATEX, SEVESO), risk analysis methods like (HAZOP, LOPA, A3,), and regulatory compliance (ISO 45001, ArbSchG,BetrbSchV). My academic and project work allowed me to contribute to research on ignition of hybrid mixtures and combustible dust behavior, resulting in peer-reviewed publications and direct contributions to explosion protection standards. Currently pursuing the NEBOSH International Diploma and holding the BCSP GSP credential, I aim to combine industry best practices with data-driven innovation to enhance occupational safety and sustainable process design across high-risk industries.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
4
4
Certifications
3
3
Languages
Work History
WHS (Workplace Health & Safety) Co-ordinator
Amazon Deutschland
10.2024 - Current
- Ensured compliance with OSHA, ISO 45001, ATEX, SEVESO, and German safety regulations (ArbSchG, BetrSichV) through audits and risk assessments and hazard control measures.
- Investigated workplace incidents and near-misses, performing Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and implementing corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
- Designed and delivered safety training programs on safe work practices, hazards communication, PPE usage, manual handling, and emergency response.
- Developed and tested emergency response plans, conducting drills to ensure readiness for fire, chemical, and medical emergencies.
- Managed Permit-to-Work (PTW) for high-risk operations (HRO) to ensure strict adherence to OSHA, ISO 45001, and site safety regulations.
- Monitored safety KPIs (LTIFR, TRIR, near-miss reporting), analyzing trends and proposing data-driven safety improvements.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to integrate safety into operations and drive safety innovation.
Research Assistant (Master's Thesis, Working Student)
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)
09.2023 - 09.2024
- Conducted detailed research on brush discharges to correlate transferred charges with ignitability, contributing to safety in hybrid dust-gas mixtures.
- Developed a direct ignition testing apparatus for hybrid dust-gas mixtures using brush discharges, defining explosion limits to mitigate ignition risks. This led to a cost-effective solution and contributed to updates in IEC 60079-32-1 safety standards.
- Successfully achieved ignition of hybrid mixtures using brush discharges and captured discharge signals on an oscilloscope, enabling precise quantification of charge transfer at the point of ignition
- Conducted explosion risk assessments, including Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) and ATEX zone classification, for hybrid dust-gas mixtures to evaluate ignition hazards.
- Improved the MIKE 3 apparatus to achieve significantly lower Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE) for hybrid dust-gas mixtures by incorporating enhanced dispersion and purging mechanisms. Enabled successful ignition at reduced energies, and calibrated hybrid mixtures to compare ignition thresholds between brush discharge and MIKE 3 spark ignition systems.
- Designed a new top-feed dust distribution mechanism to improve cloud homogeneity and reduce turbulence compared to conventional methods used in the MIKE3 apparatus, which results in a much lower MIE of the hybrid mixture and pure dust.
- Developed a Python script to analyze dust cloud behavior, including sinking velocity, rising velocity, and turbulence intensity through the image subtraction method (python-based optical analysis).
Simulation Intern (Methanol to olefins production)
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)
04.2023 - 06.2023
- Conducted a comprehensive literature review and selected appropriate kinetic models for the methanol-to-olefin process.
- Developed Python-based kinetic models to get the maximum yield of olefin production and then integrated into Aspen plus simulation model.
- Implemented HAZID studies to assess deviations in temperature, pressure, and kinetic behavior that could lead to unsafe operating conditions.
Student Research Assistant
Otto-von-Guericke-Universität
12.2022 - 03.2023
- Developed and evaluated thermal insulation materials, including phase change materials (PCM), for energy storage systems to prevent thermal runaway.
- Conducted hazard analysis of exothermic reactions in battery modules to assess fire propagation risks and explosion scenarios.
- Developed 3D heat transfer safety models in COMSOL to optimize thermal insulation and prevent catastrophic failure events.
- Calculated safety distances for explosion hazards in thermal runaway scenarios using the TNT equivalence method, ensuring safe separation distances for personnel and equipment.
- Supported the preparation of NVP/C cathode material for tests and analysis for replacement of lithium ion batteries.
Process Intern
Delhi Jal Board
06.2019 - 07.2019
- Company Overview: Govement Agency of NCT Delhi (Waste Water Treatment and Supply)
- Assisted safety audits and process compliance checks in a 50-MGD wastewater treatment plant, ensuring adherence to environmental and occupational safety standards.
- Analyzed water quality parameters (BOD, TH, TSS) and assessed chemical dosing safety to minimize health risks associated with process failures.
- Assisted in the HAZOP study for chlorine handling & PAC dosing operations, identifying critical risks in water treatment safety.
- Provided PPE recommendations and hazard communication strategies for worker safety.
- Govement Agency of NCT Delhi (Waste Water Treatment and Supply)
Education
Master of Science - Process Safety and Environmental Engineering
05.2021 - 10.2024
GPA: 2.0 ( Specialized in industrial explosion protection, chemical risk assessment, fire safety, and environmental compliance, with coursework in HAZOP, ATEX, dispersion modeling, and safety system simulation)
B.Tech. - Chemical Engineering
08.2016 - 09.2020
GPA: 2.1
Skills
Incident Investigation & Root cause Analysis
Design of safety devices
Safety compliance
Explosion Protection
Fire safety in
MORA (Method of Risk Analysis)
A3 investigation
Occupational Safety
Safety documentation and materials
HAZOP
ATEX
SEVESO
ISO 45001 & 14001
Certification
NEBOSH IDIP, 10/01/24, Present
Interests
Industrial Explosion Protection
Thermal Runaway Rections & Battery Safety
HAZMAT Management
Occuaptional Health & Safety
Publications
- Testing Ignition of Hybrid Mixtures by Brush Discharges, Sabine Zakel, Nikhil Tanwar, Michael Hau, Michael Beyer, Carola Schierding, 01/25/25, Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlp.2025.105565
- Study of Combustible Dust Cloud Dynamics and Turbulence in Ignition Tests through Image Subtraction Method (ISM), Enrico Danzi, Olivier Dufaud, Fausto Franchini, Nikhil Tanwar, Sabine Zakel, Luca Marmo, To appear in: Chemical Engineering Transactions, The Italian Association of Chemical Engineering (AIDIC)
Timeline
WHS (Workplace Health & Safety) Co-ordinator - Amazon Deutschland
10.2024 - Current
Research Assistant (Master's Thesis, Working Student) - Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)
09.2023 - 09.2024
Simulation Intern (Methanol to olefins production) - Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)
04.2023 - 06.2023
Student Research Assistant - Otto-von-Guericke-Universität
12.2022 - 03.2023
Otto-von-Guericke-Universität - Master of Science, Process Safety and Environmental Engineering
05.2021 - 10.2024
Process Intern - Delhi Jal Board
06.2019 - 07.2019
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha Universität - B.Tech., Chemical Engineering
08.2016 - 09.2020