Why OSHA Developed Process Safety Management (PSM)?

Process Safety Management is a regulation (29 CFR 1910.119) publicized by OSHA, intended to prevent an incident and to prevent release of toxic, reactive, and flammable or explosive chemicals.

But, let us remind ourselves why OSHA Developed PSM.

• Bhopal, India (1984) – 2,000 deaths (Isocyanate release)
• Pasadena, TX (1989) – 23 deaths, 132 injuries (Petroleum explosion)
• Cincinnati, OH (1990) – 2 deaths (Explosion)
• Sterlington, LA (1991) – 8 deaths, 128 injuries (Chemical release)

And not to forget what industries are obligated to have PSM are Industries that Process Chemicals such as:

• Industrial Organics & Inorganics,
• Paints
• Pharmaceuticals
• Adhesives
• Sealants and Fibers
• Petrochemical facilities
• Paper Mills
• Food Processing with Anhydrous Ammonia over the TQ

In the midst of changing Regulations, Standards and Rules provided by various governing bodies like OSHA, SEMs, ISO, BSEE, EPA, DOT and more, your compliance and regulatory organization often faces potential failures to ensure satisfactory governance of compliance.

For example Human mistake can have a direct and substantial impact on profitability through losses and lower quality product. The likelihood (yes we’ve all heard this word before, many times in the risk assessment charts) for these errors is either intensified or mitigated by how your corporate culture and its management systems deal with it. Human errors can be reduced if the workplace and the tasks within it are designed with consideration for the needs and capabilities of those who will interact with this worksite or facility.

In recent times, authorities (EPA, OSHA, BSEE) have fined and closed various facilities due to lack of proper technology utilization for regulatory change, risk, incident and safety management, that enable HSE/Compliance officers in preventing further incidents.

Unlike the old days, now you have various software suites to enable you to track all of the above manually and automatically. The evolution of safety can simply be measured by implementing proper tools to automate and create an undying sense and need of Governance, Risk and Compliance. In this article we explained how a safety management software captures and automates every single piece of regulation and standard and provide collaboration(alerts and email communication) between the stakeholders (Executives, Compliance and Risk managers) and integrates Regulation with Policy while tracing evidence, enabling you to perform risk assessment  and take appropriate actions. And if you have doubt over your safety practices, instantly connect with an industry expert to have your concerns addressed (all better explained in the figure below):

 

In the end, let’s not forget all the lives lost. Our sympathies are with them and their family members.

 

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