Webinar: Process Safety Management

Welcome everyone to our webinar on OSHA's Process Safety Management (PSM) standard! I'm your moderator, James, and I'm thrilled to have you join us today as we delve into this crucial topic regarding the management of highly hazardous chemicals.

This one-hour session will cover a range of information about OSHA's PSM regulation, its importance, and what you need to know for compliance. Let's start with a few housekeeping items:

• Everyone's microphones are muted. However, we encourage questions! Please use the questions box on the right side of your screen, and I will address your questions after the presentation.
• There will be a Q&A session at the end. Our speaker, Rick, will do his best to answer as many questions as possible. If we can't get to them all during the webinar, we'll follow up later.
• We have an exciting offer to share at the end, so stay tuned!
• Lastly, we will send you the slide deck and a recording of this webinar tomorrow.

Now, I'm excited to introduce our speaker, Rick Foot. He is the Director of Industrial Practice here at Triumvirate Environmental, with over 25 years of experience. Rick has been with Triumvirate for over 14 years and has established numerous successful best practices for companies needing to comply with hazardous material regulations. Without further ado, I'll turn it over to Rick!

Thank you, James! It's great to be here with everyone today. Our focus will be on the OSHA Process Safety Management regulation and its relevance to your facilities. OSHA has been quite active with these standards, and the penalties for non-compliance can be hefty—up to $126,000. Recently, there was a case with a penalty of $264,000, which underscored the importance of this regulation.

You may not be aware, but many companies remain uninformed about how this rule applies to them. Our goal today is to break down the various components of the PSM regulation, so you can determine if it is applicable to your site.

Why Did OSHA Create the PSM Rule?

OSHA developed the Process Safety Management rule in response to past disasters involving hazardous chemicals. Notable incidents, including the Bhopal disaster in India, highlight the catastrophic consequences of inadequate safety measures. This rule aims to prevent such tragedies by ensuring proper handling and management of these chemicals.

Key Elements of OSHA PSM

The PSM regulation is comprehensive, comprising multiple distinct parts. Here are some essential components to be aware of:

• You must identify if your facility uses any chemicals listed in Appendix A of the regulations.
• Exceeding specific threshold quantities of listed chemicals can trigger PSM requirements. For instance, anhydrous ammonia has a threshold of 10,000 pounds.
• If you have high hazard chemicals, it’s vital to understand the regulations that apply to your inventory and processes.

Another key point to remember is that if your chemicals are located on adjacent properties under the same employer, the threshold quantities can aggregate across different locations.

Who Is Affected by PSM?

Various industries fall under the purview of PSM, including:

If your facility uses hazardous chemicals, regardless of the industry, it is crucial to assess whether PSM applies to you.

Getting Started with PSM

If you learn that PSM applies to your facility, the first step is to establish a Program Management Plan. Below are fundamental steps to kick off this process:

1. Gather a diverse team comprising process engineers, operations staff, and management to draft the written plan.
2. Document roles and responsibilities for everyone involved in the PSM program.
3. Conduct a hazard assessment to identify the potential risks associated with the chemicals you manage.
4. Collect toxicity data for all regulated chemicals and analyze how they interact.

Building a solid chemical inventory is vital in this phase.

Evaluation and Compliance

Once PSM processes are in motion, you must monitor compliance continually. Elements to incorporate include:

• Regular hazard assessments to ensure all processes are current and compliant.
• Training for employees on proper procedures and the significance of safety practices.
• Documentation for every step to maintain a comprehensive safety culture.

It’s also essential to implement a Management of Change (MOC) process where any alterations in procedures or chemicals can be tracked to ascertain impacts on safety.

Emergency Action Planning

Your emergency action plan should include provisions for potential chemical releases. Identify early warning systems, evacuation plans, and create a culture of awareness about alarms among your employees. Training must emphasize the importance of prompt responses to alarms, integrating PSM aspects with emergency responses.

Incident Investigations

In the unfortunate event of an incident, a thorough investigation is mandatory. Gather all relevant personnel to evaluate what occurred and develop a report detailing the findings and suggestions for ensuring future prevention.

It's crucial to document these processes and solutions to maintain compliance and to learn from any mistakes.

As we wrap up, I want to reiterate the importance of maintaining a robust chemical inventory and ensuring all staff are aware of PSM protocols. If you're unsure about anything we discussed, let’s connect afterwards for further clarification.

James, back to you for any final thoughts or questions from our attendees!

Thanks, Rick! I want to remind everyone that you will receive the slides and a recording of this webinar in your inbox tomorrow morning. Please take a moment to fill out the feedback survey that we’ll also send. Your input is invaluable!

As Rick mentioned earlier, our aim is to keep you informed and compliant regarding hazardous material management. If you're interested in a complimentary OSHA compliance review, check the chat for details.

Thank you all for attending today’s session on OSHA's Process Safety Management. We appreciate your time and hope you'll join us for future webinars!