Process Safety and Safety Valves Integrity Management - One Approach From OSHA 29 CFR Standard Point of View of One Industrial Unit Procedures and Practices Related to Mechanical Integrigy

The Process Safety Management System implementation capable to enhance industrial unit safety, from the point of view of OSHA 29 CFR standard, has been showed as a great challenge and a solution to business sustainability. As a first step, an analysis was performed at a Petrochemical Company, located at the Camaçari Industrial Complex, in order to verify how aligned are the procedures and practices with the OSHA concepts. In case of some gaps, adjustment actions were recommended.

Due to the complexity of the process safety management system enclosed at OSHA 29 CFR standard, as a preliminary approach to its implementation, the procedures and practices implemented in the Petrochemical Company were evaluated based on mechanical integrity element, considering its importance to maintain acceptable safety process integrity levels regarding management barriers effectiveness to prevent major accidents. With a more specific focus, was evaluated the management of safety valves integrity analyzing the written procedures, training people involved in the maintenance activities, the treatment of equipment deficiencies and the quality assurance system requirements for mechanical equipment integrity. For this approach, was considered the integration between the OSHA 29 CFR elements, with emphasis in the information from the risk analysis as a support for inspection and maintenance of safety valves policies.