Integrating PSM into a Company's Management System

Integrating PSM into a Companys Management System

Process Safety Management is composed of different elements and processes that need to articulate properly to be effective in the objective of managing the risks associated to the processing of hazardous substances or materials.

Although CCPS has provided a very good overview of those elements and processes in their Risk Based Process Safety book companies still face a great challenge making the 20 elements work together as a management system. In addition to that, PSM must be an integral part of the Management System of the Company to make sure that it will be sustainable and that it will prevail as a corporate value to the organization.

The paper will identify key requirements to build a solid foundation for Process Safety Management in an organization. These requirements are approached from different perspectives including the existing Process Safety culture, the organizational structure and the standards and practices adopted or developed by the company. Then it will recommend some steps in the development of a PSM system and some tips to gradually integrate it into the General Management System of the organization.

The presentation will provide some tips and priorities in regard to the level of complexity that the PSM systems should have recognizing that small organizations may require more simple PSM processes focused on essential elements and roles to manage process safety risks while bigger companies may require more comprehensive and articulated processes. Also, what can be done if a company does not have a general management system into which integrate a PSM system.