Philippe Debruyne

I was born in Lille the year the word “préventeur” entered the French dictionary and the new franc our wallets.


Internships during my engineering studies in computer science and automation allowed me to understand the human-machine interface and its multiple consequences.


My first job, in the steel industry, took me from theoretical IT to the reality of the shop-floor. It was a captivating experience to answer the question: how to enforce a procedure? The answer revolves around people, methods and their application.


After an experience abroad, in an Australian SME, I met Frank Bird and his pyramid in Atlanta and I decided to apply the most unifying activity in business: safety.


First as a SHEQ consultant for ten years, then again as an operational on a SEVESO site.


After completing my professional profile on aspects of human factors, I coordinated H&S areas for a decade within large groups headquarters in the steel, transport & telecommunications industry.


All these positions have confirmed that the culture of continuous improvement requires working safely, for and with people, using the tools of the Lean Manufacturing philosophy.


Hence the Safety-Lean convergence: people, tools and their application on the shop-floor.

If you want more details, see my CV at