Challenge
A building products manufacturing facility in Georgia was recently acquired by a private equity firm. During the post-acquisition review, the new owners identified a gap in compliance with OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) standard (29 CFR 1910.119). The facility uses a regulated chemical in its production process, which requires a formal PSM program. However, the site had been operating for several years without all required PSM elements in place. Like many smaller manufacturing facilities, the site had limited internal resources and experience with this complex regulation.
The client needed a compliant and practical PSM program that site personnel could understand, implement and manage. They also wanted to reduce regulatory risks and improve overall plant safety performance and readiness.
Solution
TRC partnered with site leadership and operations staff to develop a complete, site-specific PSM program. Work began with employees to understand existing processes and review available safety documentation and controls to enhance the PSM program. A physical inspection was performed of the production operation to evaluate current practices and identify PSM compliance gaps.
Based on these findings, we facilitated a Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) and a Pre-Startup Safety Review (PSSR) with site personnel to identify hazards, missing documentation and safety improvement opportunities.
Using these findings, our team developed and implemented the required PSM program elements, including operating procedures, training frameworks and maintenance documentation. We also prepared a PSM compliance action item summary to support ongoing updates and regulatory program completeness.
Additional safety gaps were addressed through the development of a new Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and updates to the Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs). Combining these efforts into a single engagement activity improved efficiency and reduced overall project cost.
Results
The facility now has a complete PSM program that meets the OSHA requirements and can be managed and updated by site personnel. Key gaps in maintenance, training and documentation were corrected, and process improvements were implemented to increase safety and reliability of the covered process.
The client reduced the risks of OSHA citations and penalties and improved readiness for agency inspections. Employees now work in a safer environment with clearer procedures, guidelines and expectations.
What began as a compliance initiative became a broader improvement to the site’s health and safety program. The strengthened safety systems support fewer incidents, more reliable operations and a more stable workforce.