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{{Image|BP Refinery Fire.jpg|right|306px|Fire and explosion damage at BP refinery in Texas}}
An oil derived from petroleum crude oil consisting of hydrocarbons having about 10 to 17 carbon atoms and a boiling range of about 175 to 345 °C (350 to 650 °F). [e]
 
'''Process Safety Management''' (PSM) is a regulation promulgated by the [[U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration]] (OSHA) in 1992.<ref name=OSHA-PSM>Title 29 [[Code of Federal Regulations]] (CFR) Section 1910.119 [http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9760 OSHA's PSM regulations at 29CFR1910.119]</ref> It is intended to prevent or minimize the consequences of catastrophic releases of [[Toxicity (chemistry)|toxic]], [[Reactive (chemistry)|reactive]], [[Flammability|flammable]], or [[explosive]] "Highly Hazardous Chemicals" (HHCs) from processes.<ref name=EHSO>[http://www.ehso.com/ProcessSafety.htm PSM: OSHA Process Safety Guidance and Information]</ref>
 
The PSM regulation intends to accomplish its goal by requiring a comprehensive management program integrating technologies, procedures, and management practices.
 
==Rationale==
 
The primary motivation for the promulgation of the OSHA PSM regulation was to prevent the occurrence of such disasters as the one in 1984 at [[Bhopal, India]] which resulted in more than 2,000 deaths, as well as such incidents that occurred in four chemical plants within the [[United States]] during the period of 1989 to 1991 and which resulted in 51 deaths and 181 injured. While these incidents were highly publicized and drew national attention, many other less publicized hazardous chemical releases also occurred.<ref name=OSHA-Preamble>[http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=PREAMBLES&p_id=1039 Preamble to Final Rules, Section 1-I, Background]] Published in 57 Federal Register 6356, Feb. 24, 1992 and 57 Federal Register 7847, March 4, 1992.</ref>
 
Incidents still continue to occur in various industries that use highly hazardous chemicals. Regardless of the industry that uses these highly hazardous chemicals, there is a potential for an accidental release any time they are not properly controlled. To help assure safe and healthy workplaces, OSHA issued the PSM regulation which contains requirements for the management and control of the dangers associated with processes using highly hazardous chemicals.<ref name=BriefPSM>[http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/processsafetymanagement/ OSHA's brief discussion of PSM]</ref>
 
==Definitions==
 
'''''Process:'''''
 
Any activity or combination of activities including any use, storage, manufacturing, handling or the on-site movement of Highly Hazardous Chemicals (HHCs). A process includes any separate vessels or any group of interconnected vessels which could be involved in a potential release of a Highly Hazardous Chemical.
 
'''''Facility:'''''
 
The buildings, containers or equipment which contain a process.
 
'''''Highly Hazardous Chemical:'''''
 
Any substance having toxic, reactive, flammable, or explosive properties. A list of 137 such substances is included in Appendix B of the PSM regulation.
 
'''''Threshold quantity:'''''
 
The threshold quantity (TQ) of a HHC is that quantity at or above which the HHC has a potential for a catastrophic release. The list of HHCs in Appendix B of the PSM regulation includes the TQ of each listed HHC.
 
'''''Catastrophic release:'''''
 
A major uncontrolled release, fire, or explosion, involving one or more HHCs, that presents a serious danger to employees in the workplace.
 
'''''Process hazard analysis:'''''
 
A process hazard analysis (PHA) is an organized and systematic assessment of the potential hazards associated with an industrial process. It provides information intended to assist managers and employees in making decisions for improving safety and reducing the consequences of unwanted or unplanned releases of hazardous chemicals.<ref name=CCPS>{{cite book|author=Center for Chemical Process Safety|title= Guidelines for Hazard Evaluation Procedures, with Worked Examples|edition=2nd Edition |publisher=Wiley-AIChE| year=1992|id=ISBN0-8169-0491-X}}</ref>
 
==Applicability and compliance==
 
The PSM regulation applies to a any process facility which contains a threshold quantity or greater amount of a toxic or reactive HHC as specified in Appendix A of the regulation. It also applies to any facility containing  10,000 [[U.S. customary units|pounds]] or greater amounts of flammable liquids and gases and to the process activity of manufacturing explosives and pyrotechnics.
 
The regulation specifically exempts the following facilities from the PSM requirements:
 
* Retail facilities
* Oil or gas well drilling or servicing facilities
* Normally unoccupied remote facilities.
 
==Summary of requirements==
 
The PSM regulation includes the following requirements:<ref name=EHSO/>
 
'''''Process safety information:''''' Develop a compilation of written process safety information including hazard information on HHCs as well as technology and equipment information on the applicable processes.
 
'''''Employee involvement:''''' In consultation with the employees, develop a written plan of action regarding employee participation in the conduct and development of process hazard analyses and on the development of other elements of process safety management.
 
'''''Process hazard analysis:''''' Process hazard analyses (PHAs) must be conducted as soon as possible for each applicable process. PHAs must be updated and revalidated at least every five years and be retained for the life of the process.
 
'''''Operating procedures:''''' Must develop clear and written instructions for safely conducting activities involving the applicable processes.
 
'''''Employee training:''''' Employees operating a covered process must be trained in the operating procedures and the training must emphasize specific safety and health hazards, emergency operations and safe work practices. Refresher training is required at least every three years.
 
'''''Pre-startup safety review:''''' Mandates a safety review for new process facilities and for significantly modified existing facilities to confirm that the construction and equipment are in accordance with design specifications; to assure that adequate safety, operating, maintenance and emergency procedures are in place; and to assure process operator training has been completed. Also, for new facilities, the PHA must be performed and recommendations resolved and implemented before startup.
 
'''''Management of change:''''' Must establish and implement written procedures to manage changes (except "replacements in kind") to applicable process facilities. Employees must be trained on the changes prior to start-up. Process safety information and operating procedures must be updated as necessary.
 
'''''Incident investigation:''''' Requires an investigation as soon as possible (but no later than 48 hours after) of incidents which resulted or could reasonably have resulted in catastrophic releases of hazardous chemicals. A  written investigation report must be developed and retained for at least five years.
 
'''''Emergency planning and response:''''' Requires the development and implementation of an emergency action plan for handling releases.
 
'''''Compliance audits:''''' Requires certification that compliance with process safety requirements has been  evaluated  at least every three years. Also requires prompt response to any findings in the audit and documentation that deficiencies were corrected. The two most recent audit reports must be retained.
 
== Similar regulation by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ==
 
The [[U.S. Environmental Protection Agency‎]] (EPA) has a Risk Management Program (RMP) regulation (Title 40 CFR Part 68) that is fairly similar to the OSHA's PSM regulation. The EPA has published a model RMP plan for an ammonia refrigeration facility<ref>[http://www.epa.gov/ttncaaa1/t3/memoranda/ammon.pdf Model Risk Management Program and Plan for Ammonia Refrigeration]</ref> which provides excellent guidance on how to comply with either OSHA's PSM regulations or the EPA's RMP regulations.
 
The Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers ([[AIChE]]) has published a widely used book that explains various methods for conducting process hazard analyses in industrial facilities and quantifying their potential severity.<ref name=CCPS/> Appendix D of the OSHA's PSM regulations endorses the use of the methods provided  in that book.
 
==Other nations==
 
{{main|Process safety}}
Other nations in [[Europe]], [[Asia]] and elsewhere have occupational health and safety entities and some have developed process safety guidance and/or regulations.<ref>[http://www.cefic.org/files/Publications/C_Jochum_RC_conference_2008.pdf Evaluating Process Safety] From the website of the [[European Process Safety Centre]].</ref><ref>[http://osha.europa.eu/ European Agency for Safety and Health at Work]</ref><ref>[http://www.ccohs.ca Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety]</ref><ref>[http://www.hse.gov.uk U.K. Health and Safety Executive]</ref><ref>[http://www.nohsc.gov.au National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (Australia)]</ref>
 
== References ==
{{reflist}}
 
 
------------------------------------------------------
'''''Related Articles'''''
 
*[[Accidental release source terms]]
*[[Atmospheric dispersion modeling]]
*[[Hazard analysis]]
*[[Hazardous chemicals]]
*[[Process safety]]
 
'''''Bibliography'''''
 
*{{cite book|author=Trevor Kletz|title=Hazop and Hazan|edition=4th Edition|publisher=Taylor & Francis|year=1999| id=ISBN 0-85295-421-2}}
*{{cite book|author=Frank Lees|title=Loss Prevention in the Process Industries|edition=3rd Edition|publisher=Elsevier |year=2005|id=ISBN 0-7506-7555-1}}
*{{cite book|author=Trevor Kletz|title=Cheaper Safer Plants, or Wealth and Safety at Work|edition=2nd Edition| publisher=I.Chem.E. |year=1984|id=ISBN 0-85295-167-1}}
*{{cite book|author=[[Trevor Kletz]]|edition=3rd Edition|title=An Engineer’s View of Human Error |publisher=I.Chem.E.| year=2001|id=ISBN 0-85295-430-1}}

Revision as of 20:29, 31 May 2010

An oil derived from petroleum crude oil consisting of hydrocarbons having about 10 to 17 carbon atoms and a boiling range of about 175 to 345 °C (350 to 650 °F). [e]

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