Ammonia PSM Can Help You Solve Your PSM/RMP Problem
- PSM Programs OSHA describes as "Good Paper, Poor Practice"AmmoniaPSM believes that the relationship between a risk management consultant and the company he serves should be a long term “partnership” based on loyalty and trust.
Ammonia Process Safety Management's experience with Chemical Process Safety began long before the OSHA Process Safety Management standard became law in 1992. Our experience since then quite clearly shows that PSM Programs that are written only to meet the regulatory requirements but do not change the methods by which a company manages its Hazardous Material Business, will be of little, if any, value in release and risk reduction. OSHA has described such programs as "Good Paper, Poor Practice".
“Good Paper, Poor Practice" programs will exhibit some or all of the following characteristics:
- Employees do not understand PSM/RMP Program requirements.
- There are no upper/lower operating limits on Standard Operating Procedures.
- SOP,s are not updated with current information and are little used.
- P&ID's are non-existent or do not show current revisions.
- What is passed for training amounts to watching videos.
- There is no documentation that employees received or understood training.
- Preventive Maintenance Inspections are not conducted or are not documented.
- Plant management assigns PSM to the "Safety Department" and then conducts business as usual.
The above features are characteristic of a "window dressing" program that may tech-nically meet the regula-tion requirements but will not result in truly safer working conditions. AmmoniaPSM believes that the use of PSM/RMP principles must become a "LifeStyle". In other words "PSM/RMP must become the method by which a company manages it's Ammonia based business", and not "just another Regulation that demands compliance.”
AmmoniaPSM provides a full range of services. Our programs are available nation-wide to businesses that store or use Anhydrous Ammonia. Some companies, perhaps your own, may have some PSM/RMP program elements that meet compliance requirements already in place. We invite you to call or write us concerning any program element where we may be of service. If your company is starting from scratch with Process Safety Management and/or Risk Management Programs we invite you to consider our PSM/RMP compliance package. This complete group of services will put your company in compliance with all PSM/RMP Program Requirements. Expect the implementation studies, inspections, report preparation, training and documentation activities for a full program to take approximately 6 months. We will monitor your implementation over a two year period and conduct both orientation and refresher training. We will also perform a progress audit at the end of year one and a full compliance audit at the end of year two.
If your company is not sure which of your programs meet PSM/ RMP standards, or which may be deficient, AmmoniaPSM suggests that you invite us to conduct a Preliminary PSM/RMP Assessment Audit. This audit will require participation by the on-site "owner" of your PSM/RMP programs. AmmoniaPSM personnel will be on-site one day. The audit report will identify weaknesses and develop a recommen-dations task list designed to bring your plant into compliance with both the OSHA PSM and the EPA RMP programs. Please call us for cost and arrangements.
AmmoniaPSM PSM/RMP programs are "User Friendly". They will be written in language that operators (and managers) use and understand. Ammonia PSM believes that Employee Participation is one of the keys to a successful and effective program. We will not accept a contract with a company whose program does not include significant input and participation from employees.
AmmoniaPSM believes that a successful "Good Paper and Good Practice" PSM/RMP program will first and foremost, really and actually reduce the risk associated with handling anhydrous to an absolute minimum; and second, comply with all existing regulations: PSM, RMP, and CalARP.
