Standing behind a table at the University of Alabama in Huntsville career fair, you get a pretty good read on where an industry is headed. The students who stopped by our booth had résumés in hand, questions ready, and a level of energy that is hard to fake. They wanted to know what process safety management actually looks like day-to-day. They asked about field work versus desk work. A few of them already knew what a PHA was and wanted to know whether they'd get to sit in on

Almost every PSM coordinator builds one eventually. A spreadsheet with the OSHA requirement in the left column, the EPA version next to it, and the IIAR standard that covers the same ground in the third. Green fill wherever the rows line up. It feels like progress, and for about a week it is. Then somebody asks whether the crosswalk means you’re covered, and the honest answer is no. I like crosswalks. They’re the fastest way to see which rulebooks are pointed at your ammonia

Process Safety Information (PSI) is the technical foundation of a Process Safety Management (PSM) program. Your PHAs, operating procedures, mechanical integrity program, and many other PSM activities depend on this information being accurate. Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119(d), PSI is divided into three main categories. But what actually belongs in each one? 1. Hazards of the Chemical For an ammonia refrigeration system, this section documents the hazards and properties of anhydro

Direction of flow is one of the factors that go into a valve’s design. Valves have a direction-of-flow arrow either as part of the valve’s forging or markings. We use these arrows to ensure the valve is installed properly. But does that mean that the valve will only operate properly if installed with the arrow matching the flow of the pipe contents? Can valves be installed backwards? Valves will work when installed in either direction. They are normally installed with th