Organizing Process Safety Information In a Chemical Industry

On July 17, 1990, OSHA published in the Federal Register (55 FR 29150) a proposed standard,—”Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals” containing requirements for the management of hazards associated with processes using highly hazardous chemicals to help assure safe and healthful workplaces. OSHA’s proposed standard emphasized the management of hazards associated with highly hazardous chemicals and established a comprehensive management program that integrated technologies, procedures, and management practices. The key provision of PSM is process hazard analysis (PHA)—a careful review of what could go wrong and what safeguards must be implemented to prevent releases of hazardous chemicals. However, employers must complete a compilation of written process safety information before conducting any process hazard analysis required by the standard, which will help the employer and the employees involved in operating the process to identify and understand the hazards posed by those processes involving highly hazardous chemicals.

The proposal of this presentation is to provide an overview of the methodology and activities developed to organize the Process Safety Information in a Chemical Industry to be in compliance with OSHA’s requirement and examples of this methodology extended to other process area to improve the PSM culture in the entire organization.