Last Updated on September 26, 2022 by Ossian Muscad
If you’re running a process-driven business, it’s important to be aware of OSHA’s Process Safety Management Standard. PSM is a critical process for any organization that works with hazardous materials. The OSHA Process Safety Management Standard (29 CFR 1910.119) outlines specific requirements for organizations to follow to protect their employees from potential process hazards.
This guide will discuss process safety management, why it’s important, and how to implement a PSM program. We will also show you how to create a process safety management checklist.
What is Process Safety Management?
Process Safety Management is a regulation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). PSM applies to any process that uses Highly Hazardous Chemicals (HHCs). The regulation is designed to prevent process-related accidents, like fires, explosions, and toxic releases.
The Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) outlines the properties or characteristics of HHCs:
Toxic Materials:
- Asphyxiants
- Carcinogens
- Neurotoxins
- Reproductive toxins
Flammable Materials:
- Flammable solids
- Flammable liquids
- Flammable gasses
Explosives:
- Blasting agents
- Pyrotechnics
- Detonators
Reactive Chemicals:
- Oxidizers
- Organic peroxides
- Unstable (reactive) organics
- Pyrophoric
- Water-reactive chemicals
To comply with PSM, organizations must have systems and procedures in place to manage process hazards. These hazards can come from the materials used in the process, the process itself, or the equipment involved. PSM requires organizations to identify and assess process hazards and implement controls to mitigate those hazards.
In addition, PSM requires organizations to develop and implement procedures for managing process changes. Changes to process equipment, chemicals, or operating conditions can all create new hazards.
Why is PSM Important?
The main reason why OSHA created PSM is the Phillips Disaster of 1989. In this accident, a process hazard led to a series of explosions and fires that killed 23 people and injured 132 more. The disaster also caused over $100 million in damage.
After the Phillips Disaster, OSHA conducted an investigation and found that process safety management could have prevented the accident. As a result, they created the PSM regulation to prevent future process-related accidents.
Since then, process safety management has become an important part of a process-driven business. PSM can help organizations to avoid accidents, injuries, and fatalities. It can also help to protect equipment and minimize process downtime.
Since the Phillips Disaster, process safety management has been vital to running a process-driven business. PSM can help organizations create a safer work environment, avoid process-related accidents, and protect equipment.
What Falls Under the PSM Standard—and What Doesn’t?
According to statements from OSHA, the process safety management standard applies to any process involving chemicals with quantities at or above the specified threshold numbers.
The process must also meet one or more of the following:
- Be flammable or combustible liquids or gasses;
- Be flammable or combustible dusts;
- Present an atmospheric hazard (oxygen deficiency or enrichment);
- Be an oxidizer;
- Be pyrophoric (catalytically active in the presence of oxygen);
- Be unstable (reactive) organics;
- Be water reactive; or
- Perform a process hazard analysis for it.
The 14 Process Safety Management Elements
An employer must develop and implement a process safety plan to meet the process safety management standard. The plan must address each of the 14 elements required by OSHA. These elements are as follows:
- Process Safety Information: Collect and record process safety information on three aspects of the process: process chemicals, equipment, and technology.
- Operating Procedures: Develop and document process-specific operating procedures.
- Process Hazard Analysis: Conduct a process hazard analysis (PHA) to identify and assess process hazards.
- Employee Participation: Before proceeding with other elements, safety managers must develop an action plan for implementing employee participation in the PSM program. In addition, safety managers should consult with employees on how to proceed with the process safety plan.
- Training: Provide process safety training to all employees who work with or around process chemicals.
- Contractor Safety: Manage contractor safety in accordance with the process safety plan. The PSM element applies to contractors performing maintenance repair, major renovations, turnaround, and other specialty work.
- Mechanical Integrity: Maintain the process equipment in good working condition to prevent process hazards. Record Inspections and maintenance activities in a mechanical integrity program.
- Incident Investigation: A safety management process could result in a catastrophic release of HHC. That’s why whenever it occurs, safety managers need to initiate an immediate investigation within the next 48 hours.
- Management of Change (MOC): Before making any changes to chemicals, equipment, technology, or facilities, prepare and submit a MOC request. The process safety plan should detail how the organization will manage changes.
- Pre-Startup Safety Review (PSSR): Before startup, review new and modified processes to ensure that it meets process safety requirements.
- Emergency Planning and Response: Develop an emergency plan to prepare for process safety incidents. The plan should include procedures for notifying employees, contractors, and first responders.
- How Work Permit: A hot work permit is a document issued whenever hot work operations are going to be conducted. The permit establishes safety procedures that must be followed during the work.
- Compliance Audits: Safety managers must conduct process safety audits to ensure compliance with the process safety plan. The audit should be conducted by both the safety manager and an independent third party.
- Trade Secrets: Finally, process safety information can be considered a trade secret. To protect process safety information, employers should have a process for handling it. That way, process safety information is not inadvertently released.
Implement Process Safety Management with DATAMYTE
DATAMYTE is a quality management platform that offers different tools to help you manage your PSM process. One of these tools is our Digital Clipboard, a comprehensive workflow automation software capable of creating PSM workflows to ensure that process safety information is collected and documented.
Our drag-and-drop interface makes creating process safety management checklists easier than ever. And with our process safety audit tool, you can easily conduct process safety audits to ensure compliance with the process safety plan.
With the DataMyte Digital Clipboard, you can:
- Manage process hazards effectively and efficiently
- Create process hazard analysis reports.
- Collect process safety information and store it in a secure database
- Develop process-specific operating procedures.
- Conduct process safety audits and create audit reports.
- Implement employee training programs.
- And much more!
With the DataMyte Digital Clipboard, you have an all-in-one solution to your process safety management needs. Book a demo with us today to learn more about how we can help you!
Conclusion
Nowadays, process safety management is essential in any industry where process chemicals are handled. By understanding and implementing the 14 elements of PSM, employers can create a safe work environment and prevent process hazards. And with DATAMYTE, the process safety management checklist is easier than ever! Get started today!
