Chemical process safety management within the Department of Energy

Conference · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995

OSTI ID:106749

Piatt, J A

Although the Department of Energy (DOE) is not well known for its chemical processing activities, the DOE does have a variety of chemical processes covered under OSHA`s Rule for Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals (the PSM Standard). DOE, like industry, is obligated to comply with the PSM Standard. The shift in the mission of DOE away from defense programs toward environmental restoration and waste management has affected these newly forming process safety management programs within DOE. This paper describes the progress made in implementing effective process safety management programs required by the PSM Standard and discusses some of the trends that have supported efforts to reduce chemical process risks within the DOE. In June of 1994, a survey of chemicals exceeding OSHA PSM or EPA Risk Management Program threshold quantities (TQs) at DOE sites found that there were 22 processes that utilized toxic or reactive chemicals over TQs; there were 13 processes involving flammable gases and liquids over TQs; and explosives manufacturing occurred at 4 sites. Examination of the survey results showed that 12 of the 22 processes involving toxic chemicals involved the use of chlorine for water treatment systems. The processes involving flammable gases and liquids were located at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and Naval petroleum Reserve sites.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 106749
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA--26423; CONF-9507140--2; ON: DE95016819
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
05 NUCLEAR FUELS
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
CHEMICAL FEEDSTOCKS
CHEMICAL PLANTS
FLAMMABILITY
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
IMPLEMENTATION
MATERIALS HANDLING
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
REAGENTS
REGULATIONS
TOXIC MATERIALS
US DOE
US NAVAL PETROLEUM RESERVES
US OSHA