Aug22136 31. Leading Expert in Industrial Safety 2025: Steven Peeters Steven Peeters is one of Europe’s foremost freelance safety advisors, with a track record spanning some of the continent’s most high-stakes industrial projects — from the €4 billion Ineos Project ONE to key turnarounds at BASF and TotalEnergies. Through his company SPARK, he delivers tailored safety training and documentation that protect contractors and streamline operations. We caught up with Steven following his wellearned recognition in the Benelux Enterprise Awards 2025. Founded in 2020, SPARK is a specialist in safety training, coaching, and documentation — offering everything from tailored Hazardous Materials Registers and Toolbox Talks to Certificate Registers and behaviour-based safety materials. Each project brings new challenges, and Steven’s ability to adapt documentation and workflows to a client’s specific needs ensures that SPARK remains both effective and efficient. The driving force behind SPARK is Steven Peeters, who founded the company as a solo freelancer with the goal of applying his extensive field experience to clear, professional safety documentation. His transition from employee to in-demand freelancer stands as his proudest professional achievement — though he looks back fondly on his early years in industrial cleaning, where he transformed from a “green” safety employee into a wellrounded expert. A crucial part of Steven’s professional development was his long-standing involvement with SIR (Stichting Industriële Reiniging) — the Dutch foundation setting standards for industrial cleaning. For several years, he was an active member of key working groups, including Breathing Protection and Vacuum Cleaning, contributing to the development of industry best practices. In addition, Steven served as an official examiner for SIR’s leading safety and operations certifications, ensuring that only well-trained professionals entered the field. This deep engagement with SIR gave Steven both a rigorous technical foundation and a strategic insight into the evolving needs of the industrial cleaning sector. His journey has also been shaped by personal growth and international mobility. “I moved to Slovenia and started working in Vienna, and now also in Burghausen,” he shared. “It’s been great to discover that no matter where you go in Europe, safety is carried out in a similar way. I felt at home in these factories right away, and my experience in Belgian and Dutch projects really helped me bring everything together successfully.” Over the years, Steven has played a key role in major projects, including the €4 billion Ineos Project ONE — the largest investment in Europe’s chemical industry in three decades — and the Borealis PP3-DBN Project, part of the NewPDH expansion. He has also led safety coordination on some of Antwerp’s largest turnarounds and maintenance shutdowns, including projects at BASF, TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil, Covestro, Ineos, and Borealis. His extensive experience gives him confidence and calm in even the most complex environments — because he knows exactly what success requires. Steven’s unique strength lies in his wellrounded, hands-on perspective. He has worked his way up through every layer of safety supervision and training, gaining a deep, practical understanding of the work taking place on the ground — from turnarounds and project builds to daily maintenance in chemical and pharmaceutical plants. As the industry evolves, so does Steven’s vision. He has observed a shift away from long-standing standards like the VCA (Veiligheid, Gezondheid en Milieu Checklist Aannemers) — especially in the Benelux — toward stricter, more proactive approaches to safety. While technology plays a growing role (such as robotics and semi-automated tools in industrial cleaning), he believes that tech alone isn’t enough. “Safety culture is everything,” Steven notes. “You can’t automate responsibility. Human behaviour still makes the biggest difference.” Looking ahead, Steven is excited to keep pushing the industry forward. “To paraphrase Forrest Gump — projects are like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're going to get,” he laughs. “In industrial projects, things are always in motion. Right now I’m involved in several exciting jobs with J-TEC Material Handling, but who knows what’s next?” Contact: Steven Peeters Company: Steven Peeters Web: www.stevenpeeters.be AIM-Jun25207
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUyMDQwMA==