Process safety management establishment

Develop a plan. Based on established goals and current status, the teams will develop detailed plans for implementing a process safety management system, including projections of time and staffpwer requirements and other resource needs. When completed, these plans will be our blueprint for PSM implementation, subject to refinement based on experience. 

One of the most important elements of the PSM Rule is the process hazard analysis (PrHA). It requires the systematic identification of hazards and related accident scenarios. The PSM Rule allows the use of different analysis methods, but the selected method must be based on the process being analyzed. The PSM Rule specifies that PrHAs must be completed as soon as possible within a 5-year period. However, one-fourth of the PrHAs must have been completed by May 26, 1994, with an additional one-fourth completed each succeeding year. The highest risk processes were to be done first. A schedule for PrHAs must be established at the outset of a process safety management (PSM) program to give priority to the highest risk processes. PrHAs must be reviewed and updated at least every 5 years. 

Most facilities already have an established Incident Investigation Program as part of the Process Safety Management program. These existing Incident Investigation Programs should incorporate fire prevention requirements. 

Process safety management is the primary requirement that drives process plants and refineries to establish quality control programs for incoming materials and spare parts. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119 has defined regulations for process safety critical equipment and systems that include such requirements. Other reasons for quality control programs may be equally important, for example when failure has a significant impact on capability to make product or leads to excessive maintenance costs. 

Establish a plant process safety organization and assign responsibihty, authority, and accountabUity for this organization. Include a process safety manager whose primary responsibihty is process safety. The responsibilities of this organization should include at least the following ... 

The discussion in Chapter 1 showed how safety and risk management programs developed over the last 200 years. Typically new programs and approaches were introduced once existing systems had become mature and well established. The discussion also showed that current risk management initiatives are largely to do with the topic of culture and employee participation. Hence much of the recent literature to do with Process Safety Management (PSM) speaks to the topic of company culture. For example, the Baker Commission report to do with the 2005 accident at Texas City... 

Establish links between the analysis and the other elements of the process safety management (PSM) program. 

To establish an effective OCM process, it is essential to start with top decision-makers, whose visible enthusiasm is required if a true commitment to safety is to be accepted and upheld by their employees. When the highest echelons of the corporate structure take an active role in seeing that OCM goals are accomplished, a successful process safety management (PSM) program can be improved by adding this important component. 

OSHA is known for establishing prescriptive regulations for worker health and safety, but the agency has pursued more goal-based practices, including process safety management (PSM) and a voluntary protection program (VPP), both of which are explained below. 

In jurisdictions where the governing authorities (for example, national, federal, state, province, county, city) have established process safety design, process safety management, or other requirements, these take precedence over the requirements defined in this standard. 

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