CQ Guide: Process Safety Excellence in the Oil & Gas Industry

Why OSHA Emphasizes on Process Safety Management?

Considering the risks, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) emphasizes the need for Process Safety Management (29 CFR 1910.119) to specifically tackle safety risks associated with hazardous chemicals and materials.

Industries such as oil and gas using hazardous chemicals often report the unexpected release of toxic chemicals. This needs to be controlled and PSM provides the standards that help with the management of such hazardous chemicals. This encompasses the use of technologies, procedures, and management practices.

The International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) defines the PSM as “a disciplined framework that helps to manage the integrity of processes and operating systems handling hazardous substances. This prevents the occurrence of major incidents due to the unplanned release of hazardous materials, energy, structural failures, or loss of stability..”

Other Regulations that recommend better Process Safety Management (PSM) Apart from OSHA’s PSM, some of the other regulations, standards, and guidelines for the safe handling of chemicals include:

• Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) in the US
• The Seveso III Directive (2012/18/EU) in the European Union
• The Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations 2015 in the UK
• Dangerous Goods and Major Hazard Facilities under Occupational Health and Safety Acts in Australia

CQ Guide to a Robust Process Safety Management (PSM) program

Here’s a 14-point checklist to tick-off to ensure your company has a PSM program that is robust and reliable:

• Deep employee participation and involvement in tackling process safety issues
• Easy access to process-related data and information
• Quick and agile process hazard analysis (ideally supported by an automated JSA process)
• Standard Operating Procedures, with proper training and documentation
• Robust training focused on continuous improvement
• Contractor Safety Management
• Pre-startup safety review (of new or changed procedures)
• Mechanical integrity
• Hot Work Permit (with a robust automated PTW solution)
• Change management
• Incident Investigation, empowered by data
• Well-planned emergency response
• Regulatory compliance and safety audits
• Collaborative approach towards enterprise-wide safety, with proper access to process information

At CQ, we published a Whitepaper titled ‘14 Elements of Process Safety Management (PSM) in the Oil & Gas Industry’. Download it here: https://www.compliancequest.com/whitepaper/process-safety-management-elements-in-oil-gas-industry/