Recent Blog Posts

PSI Explained: Electrical Supply and Distribution Systems

August 22nd, 2017

CalOSHA’s PSM regulation (Title 8 CCR §5189(d)(3)(A)(9)) uniquely requires that the “information pertaining to the equipment in the process shall include: Electrical supply and distribution systems”. None of the other California or Federal process safety regulations (FedOSHA PSM, USEPA RMP, or CalARP) contain such a requirement. As such, literature describing best practices for implementation of […]

PSI Explained: Safety Systems

August 8th, 2017

Title 8 CCR §5189(d)(3)(A)(8) and Title 29 CFR §1910.119(d)(3)(i)(H) requires that “information pertaining to the equipment in the process shall include: Safety systems (e.g. interlocks, detection or suppression systems)”. At minimum, Safety Systems documentation must identify and summarize all Safety Systems associated with the chemical process. Once developed, this documentation will serve as a useful […]

PSI Explained: Material and Energy Balances

July 25th, 2017

Title 8 CCR §5189(d)(3)(A)(7) and Title 29 CFR §1910.119(d)(3)(i)(G) require that “information pertaining to the equipment in the process shall include: Material and energy balances for processes built after May 26, 1992”. The same requirement exists in the RMP and CalARP regulation except that the applicability date is June 21, 1999 (Title 40 CFR §68.65(d)(1)(vii) […]

PSI Explained: Design Codes and Standards Employed

July 11th, 2017

In addition to the technical documentation that we have discussed previously (P&IDs, Ventilation System Design, Relief System Design and Design Basis, etc.), Title 8 CCR §5189(d)(3)(A)(6) and Title 29 CFR §1910.119(d)(3)(i)(F) require that a facility have documentation describing the “Design Codes and Standards Employed” readily available for each PSM chemical process. This documentation serves multiple purposes: […]

PSI Explained: Ventilation System Design

June 27th, 2017

Similar to the Relief System Design and Design Basis, Title 8 CCR §5189(d)(3)(A)(5) and Title 29 CFR §1910.119(d)(3)(i)(E) require that the owner of a PSM chemical process prepare documentation describing the design of the ventilation systems associated with the process. With regard to ammonia refrigeration machinery room ventilation, we have written about the current ventilation system […]