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Spring 2007 PSM Effective Practices Workshop Allows Industry to Share Experiences

March 29, 2007

Houston, TX – The API University and ABS Consulting 2007 PSM Effective Practices Workshop was held March 13-14, 2007, at the Wyndham Greenspoint Hotel in Houston, Texas, with over 115 attendees. Carolyn Merritt, Chairman/CEO, U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, gave the keynote address and previewed some findings of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard BP Texas City investigation report.

The workshop agenda included lessons from the BP US Refineries Independent Safety Review Panel report; a preview of the new CCPS guidelines for risk-based process safety; and an API facility siting guidance update. Workshop discussions included areas in which the industry can make a difference by formalizing efforts to evaluate and nurture the process safety culture, lead the role in process safety indicator metrics, and identify ways to increase consistency in risk-based decisions. Attendees discussed using risk-based process safety (RBPS) as a tool for correcting possible deficiencies in their OSHA process safety management (PSM) systems. In addition, attendees discussed avoiding PSM stagnation and pursuing continuous improvement by applying new elements, new practices, effectiveness improvement ideas and metrics and management review ideas to focus their PSM renewal efforts.

Panel Members (Left to Right): Mark Whitney, ABS Consulting;
Phil Partridge, The Dow Chemical Company; Natalie Salter, Shell Global Solutions (US) Inc.;
Chris Buchwald, ExxonMobil Chemical Company.

When Steve Arendt, Vice President, Organizational Performance and Assurance, of ABS Consulting was asked how companies should react to the BP US Refineries Independent Safety Review Panel report, he replied, "The BP US Refineries Independent Safety Review Panel report should be used as a 'blind spot detector;' companies should take advantage of it to improve process safety." Mr. Arendt continued, "As a result of the recent BP US Refineries Independent Safety Review Panel report, companies need to ask themselves some tough questions about whether their PSM audits accurately reflect the effectiveness of their PSM systems."

Steve Arendt, Vice President, Organizational Performance Assurance,
ABS Consulting, provides opening remarks.

The next workshop is planned for fall of 2007 in Houston.

For more information, contact:

Rebecca Rieansnider
Marketing Communications Specialist
ABS Consulting
1-281-673-2948 | rrieansnider@abs-group.com