20 Years After Texas City: Honoring Lives and Advancing Safety with BeyondZero

On March 23, we mark 20 years since the Texas City refinery explosion, a tragic event that claimed 15 lives. This anniversary is a time to honor those we lost and reflect on how this event reshaped our industry, reinforcing our commitment to safety through the creation of our BeyondZero program.

For Jacobs, the explosion was a pivotal moment. Eleven of our employees lost their lives that day. Determined to prevent such a disaster from happening again, we launched our BeyondZero journey in 2007. Our goal was to go beyond achieving zero incidents and build a culture of caring – taking proactive steps to ensure our employees return home safer and healthier than when they arrived at work.

BeyondZero quickly became embedded in our workplaces and projects worldwide. We extended this approach beyond Jacobs, sharing our insights with clients, suppliers, partners and communities.

This commitment has strengthened the safety culture of our clients. According to client satisfaction surveys, about 98% say we meet or exceed their health and safety expectations, with 10% specifically highlighting our Culture of Caring. Whether leading culture sessions, sharing our One Million Lives tool, delivering Culture of Caring moments, or encouraging clients to engage in collaborative HSE walks, BeyondZero has raised industry standards by prioritizing safety at every level.

Our dedication to challenging today and reinventing tomorrow shapes who we are. BeyondZero was the first of our hero brands, setting a foundation for continuous improvement reflected in our Jacobs Employee Networks and initiatives such as TogetherBeyond, PlanBeyond, Beyond Excellence and BeyondIf. 

Our BeyondZero journey is far from over. It remains a guiding force, shaping a safer, more connected and more sustainable world.