Process Safety Management (PSM)

Upon completing this program, participants will be able to:

• Explain the purpose, scope, and applicability of OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119: which chemicals and quantities trigger PSM coverage (Appendix A HHCs, 10,000-lb flammable threshold), which processes are covered, which are exempt (retail, oil and gas well drilling and servicing, normally unoccupied remote facilities), and why PSM exists as a separate regulatory framework from general occupational safety.
• Manage Process Safety Information (PSI): the three categories of required information — hazards of the chemicals (SDS, toxicity, reactivity, corrosivity, thermal/chemical stability), process technology (block flow diagram, process chemistry, safe operating limits, consequences of deviation), and equipment design (P&IDs, materials of construction, design codes, relief system design basis, electrical classification).
• Facilitate or participate in Process Hazard Analysis (PHA): understanding PHA methodologies (HAZOP, What-If, Checklist, What-If/Checklist, FMEA, Fault Tree), PHA team composition, scenario development, consequence and likelihood evaluation, safeguard identification, recommendation development, and the 5-year PHA revalidation cycle.
• Develop and maintain operating procedures: procedures for each operating phase (initial startup, normal operations, temporary operations, emergency shutdown, emergency operations, normal shutdown, startup after turnaround), operating limits (consequences of deviation for each parameter), and the annual certification that procedures are current and accurate.
• Manage the PSM training programme: initial training for employees in covered processes, refresher training at least every 3 years, training documentation (employee identity, date, means of verification), and the competency verification that ensures employees can perform their duties safely.
• Manage contractor safety per PSM: employer responsibilities (inform contractors of hazards, explain emergency action plan, evaluate contractor safety performance), contractor responsibilities (train employees, document training, ensure compliance), and the contractor management system that prevents contract workers from causing or being killed by process incidents.
• Conduct Pre-Startup Safety Reviews (PSSR): when PSSR is required (new facilities, modified facilities after MOC), what PSSR verifies (construction meets design specifications, safety/operating/maintenance/emergency procedures are in place, PHA recommendations are resolved, training is complete), and the PSSR documentation that precedes the introduction of HHCs.
• Manage the Mechanical Integrity programme: covered equipment categories (pressure vessels, storage tanks, piping, relief and vent systems, emergency shutdown systems, controls, pumps), written procedures for maintenance, inspection and testing schedules, deficiency correction, and the quality assurance for equipment fabrication and installation.
• Manage the Management of Change (MOC) process: what constitutes a change (process chemistry, technology, equipment, procedures — excluding replacement in kind), the MOC review requirements (technical basis, safety and health impact, modification to operating procedures, authorisation, training), and the MOC documentation that prevents unreviewed changes from introducing new hazards.
• Conduct PSM incident investigations: which incidents require investigation (resulted in or could reasonably have resulted in a catastrophic release), investigation timing (within 48 hours), investigation team requirements, root cause analysis, report content, recommendation resolution, and the 5-year report retention period.

All 14 PSM Elements

• Employee Participation: written plan, access to PSI and PHA, consultation on elements
• Process Safety Information (PSI): chemical hazards, technology, equipment design basis
• Process Hazard Analysis (PHA): HAZOP, What-If, FMEA, Fault Tree, 5-year revalidation
• Operating Procedures: phase-specific, operating limits, annual certification
• Training: initial, refresher (3-year), documentation, competency verification
• Contractors: employer/contractor responsibilities, evaluation, hazard communication
• Pre-Startup Safety Review (PSSR): new/modified facilities, design verification, readiness
• Mechanical Integrity: covered equipment, maintenance procedures, inspection/testing, QA
• Hot Work: permit system for welding/cutting/brazing in or near covered processes
• Management of Change (MOC): change review, technical basis, safety impact, authorisation
• Incident Investigation: 48-hour initiation, root cause, recommendations, 5-year retention
• Emergency Planning and Response: aligned with 29 CFR 1910.38/120, facility-specific
• Compliance Audits: at least every 3 years, certification, finding resolution
• Trade Secrets: information access for PHA teams, employees, without regard to trade secrets

• No prior PSM training required
• Process industry experience helpful but not required
• No academic degree required
• All instruction in English; professional proficiency required

Upon completion, graduates receive an American Institute of Safety Professionals certificate, wallet card, and transcript. Employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

• PSM coordinators and process safety engineers responsible for PSM element implementation
• Operations supervisors and shift leaders in PSM-covered facilities
• Safety managers and HSE directors in refineries, petrochemical, chemical, and gas processing
• Process engineers involved in PHA, MOC, PSSR, and operating procedure development
• Maintenance managers responsible for mechanical integrity programmes
• Contractor safety managers who manage work in PSM-covered facilities
• Anyone working in or near processes covered by OSHA 1910.119

• Process Safety Management (PSM) — YOU ARE HERE (OSHA 1910.119 awareness and practical course)
• International Diploma in Process Safety Management (480-hour academic diploma: 6 units covering PSM governance, PHA methodology, asset integrity, human factors, emergency management, and auditing)
• International Diploma in Oil and Gas Safety Management (includes process safety within broader oil and gas safety)
• CSE: Certified Safety Engineer (includes process safety from an engineering perspective)

This course provides the practical PSM competency. DIP-1011 provides the comprehensive academic qualification. Together they form the complete process safety pathway.