Process Safety Management (PSM)

Background to PSM

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Process Safety Management (PSM) program, encapsulated in the regulatory code of 29 CFR 1910.119, is a cornerstone of regulations aimed at the safe management of highly hazardous chemicals. This pivotal OSHA initiative was developed to prevent severe incidents, including fires, explosions, and toxic chemical releases, which could arise from improper handling of dangerous substances. The program breaks-out a comprehensive set of 14 essential elements that cover a range of critical areas including employee participation, process safety information, operational procedures, management of change, and emergency preparedness. Adherence to 29 CFR 1910.119 is not merely a regulatory mandate but a fundamental commitment to preserving the health and safety of workers, the environment, and the wider community.

This course is specifically designed to provide your organization with a thorough understanding of the OSHA PSM framework that equip you with the tools necessary to steer your organization toward full compliance. Beginning with a foundational overview of the program’s requirements, the course progresses through training on building essential process safety knowledge, managing safety information, planning actions, conducting compliance audits, leading Hazard and Operability Studies (HAZOPS), and demonstrating the effectiveness and compliance of your process safety management efforts.

Sample Course Content (tailored to meet your needs)

Course content is tailored for content to meet your organization’s operations and existing levels of experience/ expertise around a framework of:

Course Content

• Fundamentals of flammable liquids and toxic materials as covered in the PSM regulation.
• In-depth coverage of OSHA 1910-119 Elements, including Employee Involvement, Process Safety Information (PSI), Operating Procedures, Pre-startup Safety Review (PSSR), Mechanical Integrity, Management of Change (MOC), Incident Investigation, Emergency Action Planning and Response, and Compliance Audits.
• Case Studies: Analysis of major industrial accidents with a focus on prevention.
• Building PHA Leadership Capability.
• Regulatory requirements for PHAs.
• Leading Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) Studies, with insights into assembling the right team, defining roles, setting expectations, risk evaluation, human factors, and more.
• Gap Analysis for compliance – development of a checklists with evaluation criteria based on OSHA PSM regulation requirements.
• Sources of Guidance/Additional Resources.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the regulatory requirements of the OSHA PSM program 29 CFR 1910-119.
• Develop the skills and knowledge required to implement effective tools and strategies to ensure legal compliance with highly hazardous chemical systems.
• Learn how to demonstrate the effectiveness of each of the 14 Elements of the OSHA PSM regulation to regulators and others.
• Foster a culture of safety and reliability, emphasizing both short-term compliance and long-term operational excellence.

Course Duration

The duration of this course is typically one (1) day but can be adjusted to meet the specific needs of your organization. For example, the course could be expanded to include workshops and specific examples from your own operations and processes.

Who Should attend

The course is designed for those who wish to better understand Process Safety Management, how it works in practice and its basis in the OSHA PSM program 29 CFR 1910-119.  If you have any involvement in PSM at your facility, this course is relevant to you – whether you are a safety, process, instrument, chemical, or mechanical engineer, or plant, operations, project, or maintenance manager, for example.