When it comes to process safety management in 2022, it is crucial to be as thorough as possible. Not only are these standards established to keep your factory or warehouse safe in how it executes workflow, but process safety management also keeps your operations efficient.
It is true that each workplace has its own unique set of challenges and safety concerns. However, practices put forth in process safety management standards are implemented so that organizations can take a tried-and-tested blueprint, and then tailor it to their needs. After all, there is not a single best approach to mitigating risk or solving safety issues. But with the implementation of process safety management services, you can be confident you prioritize safety within your organization.
What is Process Safety Management?
Simply put, process safety management is an operational standard established by OSHA, which requires production employers to identify, evaluate, and control any potential hazards associated with their operations. Specifically, OSHA’s process safety management standard seeks to isolate those hazards in connection with highly hazardous chemicals that are used in workflow processes.
Additionally, while some of the requirements affiliated with process safety management are to be introduced into the workflow, or established within the factory setting, some of these requirements are ongoing.
To be compliant with process safety management standards, a facility must meet the following 14 key provisions as established by OSHA:
- Process Safety Information
- Employers are required to provide written safety information before conducting a process hazard analysis.
- Process Hazard Analysis
- Employers must identify, evaluate, and control hazardous processes throughout the facility and workflow operations.
- Operating Procedures
- Employers must develop and implement written operating procedures for all aspects of the operation.
- Incident Investigation
- Employers must execute thorough investigations anytime there is an incident associated with an operational process.
- Management of Change
- Employers must evaluate any changes to a process to determine if it will result in any impacts on the health and safety of employees.
- Mechanical Integrity
- Employers must verify that process equipment is designed and installed correctly.
- Employee Participation
- Employers are required to involve workers in process safety management programs.
- Trade Secrets
- Employers are required to provide all information necessary to comply with process safety management standards, regardless of the trade secret status of the information.
- Compliance Audits
- Employers must conduct audits (or allow audits to be conducted) and reported at reasonable or requested intervals.
- Training
- Employers must train employees on all hazards and workflow procedures.
- Contractors
- Employers must ensure that all contractors working on or near highly hazardous chemicals must be trained on emergency procedures (and any additional relevant aspects of the process safety management program).
- Hot Work
- Employers are required to issue hot work permits for any hot work operations taking place near the operational process.
- Pre-Startup Safety Review
- Employers must conduct (or allow to be conducted) a pre-startup safety review for any new or modified facilities before operations can begin.
- Emergency Planning and Response
- Employers must establish and train workers on emergency planning and response procedures.
As you can see, considerable considerations go into a proper process safety management program. And, to put a finer point on it, this list is merely baseline standards. Sure, OSHA has established these process safety management services standards so that being compliant is relatively straightforward. Still, just as your organization is unique, this list might not cover all of your bases or not be robust enough. But on the other hand, when you partner with the experts, they will help you build a more comprehensive program that is tailored to your organization’s unique needs.
Process Safety Management Services
Every process is not the same, just like every production company or logistical warehouse doesn’t abide by the same operational workflow. For example, you have different processing needs if you are overseeing the operations of a pharmaceutical plant as opposed to a food manufacturer. Even if you are a player in the parcels industry, you have safety and operational concerns that are unique to you. Therefore, each operation needs to be approached uniquely, scoping the components individually, and identifying every step of the production workflow. For this reason, it is best to have oversight to ensure that everything is being handled as it should.
However, this doesn’t mean you sit on the sidelines. On the contrary, you will be involved in every step, ensuring that every aspect of the process is identified fully and that your complete workflow is thoroughly navigated for safety. These are not one-size-fits-all processes, so your insight is crucial to ensuring the proper process safety management standards are applied.
After all, the point is not merely to be compliant, but to keep your workers safe, your processes hazard-free, and your workflow efficient. And this is why even after a process safety management plan has been implemented, the services of your process safety management consultants do not end. Instead, we will continue to work step by step to ensure the plan is working as it should and facilitate any changes that may occur, either because of your preferences or because of regulations that may change along the way.
Contact the Experts at EAD today
It is clear why process safety management standards are in place, but they are not designed by OSHA to be a hindrance on your operations. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Let the experts help you facilitate and implement these process safety management standards so you can rest assured knowing your facility is compliant, your workers are safe, and your workflow is as efficient as possible.