PSM General Awareness Training by Gary Whitmore - HTML preview

Test Answers:

1. What is the objective of PSM?

The objective of PSM is to prevent unwanted releases of hazardous chemicals into locations), which could expose employees and others to serious hazards or disaster.

2. What chemical(s) in your facility or plant requires a PSM program to be in place?

Check 29 CFR 1910.119(a)(1)(ii) and 29 CFR 1910.119 Appendix A to see if the chemicals used in your processes apply.

3. Contractor employees do not have to be included in the development of your PSM program.

False! Contractor employees should be included in the development of the PSM program. They can provide valuable information on what can go wrong with a process.

4. Name three methods where a PSM program can be communicated to the employees.

Any of the three would be correct:

• Safety or staff meetings
• Emails
• Company newsletters
• Bulletin boards

5. Information concerning the PSM program must be easily accessible to employees.

True!

6. Name three good sources of information for the hazards of a chemical?

Any of the three will provide a good source for that information:

• Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
• Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices published by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)
• National Institute for Occupational Safety And Health (NIOSH)/OSHA Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
• Hazardous Chemicals Desk Reference
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Piping Code for Process Facilities
• American Petroleum Institute (API)

7. The PSI data does not have to be compiled prior to performing a Process Hazard Analysis.

False! The collection of the PSI is extremely important to properly conducting a Process Hazard Analysis.

8. Name two of the methodologies that can be used during the PHA?

Here are the methodologies accepted by OSHA for a PHA:

• What-If
• Checklist
• What-If/Checklist
• Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP)
• Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
• Fault Tree Analysis
• Other Methods are Acceptable with OSHA approval

9. Name two of the seven items that a PHA must address.

Here are the seven items that a PHA must address:

• Hazards of the process
•  Identification of any previous incidents
• Engineering and administrative controls
• Consequences of failure of engineering and administrative controls
•  Facility siting
• Human Factors
• Qualitative evaluation of range of the possible safety and health effects of failure of controls on employees in the workplace

10. What’s the minimum number of members that must be part of a PHA team? Three!

• One member must have knowledge of the methodology used,
• One member must have experience and knowledge specific to the process,
• One member must have expertise in engineering and process operations.
• Operating procedures do not have to provide clear instructions to employees.

11. Operating procedures do not have to provide clear instructions to employees.

False! Operating procedures MUST be written to provide clear instructions to employees. Unclear instructions could lead to confusion thus resulting in an incident.

12. Name one of the safe work practices that operating procedures must implement.

Here are the safe work practices that the operating procedures must implement:

• Lockout/Tagout (29 CFR 1910.147)
• Confined space entry (29 CFR 1910.146)
• Opening process equipment or piping
•  Control over facility entrance

13. Operating procedures have to certified every three years.

14. Name four of the ten steps for the operating phase that an operating procedure must address.

Here are the ten steps for the operating phase of an operating procedure:

• Initial startup
• Normal operations
• Temporary operation
• Emergency shutdown
• Emergency operations
• Normal shutdown
•  Startup following a turnaround or shutdown
• Operating limits
• Safety and health consideration
• Safety systems and their functions

15. Name two items that training documentation must contain.

Training documentation shall contain:

• The identity of the employee,
• The date of training,
• The means to verify that the employee understood the training

16. Employees be provided refresher training least every ______ years at the minimum, to assure the employee understands and adheres to the current operating procedures of the process.

The fill in the blank answer is three.

17. Name two of the responsibilities an employer has with contractors.

Here are the responsibilities an employer has with contractors:

• Obtain and evaluate information regarding the contractor’s safety performance programs.
• Inform contractor employees of known potential fire, explosion or toxic release hazards related to their work and process.
• Explain to contractor employees applicable provisions of your emergency action plan.
• Develop and implement safe work practices to control entrance, presence and exit of contractor employees.
• Periodically evaluate the performance of contractor employees.
• Maintain contractor employee injury and illness log.
• Name two of the responsibilities a contractor has with their employees.

Here are the responsibilities a contractor has with their employees:

• Assure each employee is trained in practices necessary to safely perform their job.
• Assure each employee is instructed in the known potential fire, explosion, or toxic release hazards and the applicable provisions of the emergency action plan.
• Document that each employee received and understood the training required. Prepare a record, which identifies the employee, date of training and means used to verify employee understood the training.
• Assure employee follows the safety rules of the facility.

Advise employee of any unique hazards presented by employer’s work or of any hazards found by employer’s work.

19. A Pre-Startup Safety Review is required after modifying a process when the Process Safety Information is affected.

True!

20. Name one of the items that a Pre-Startup Safety Review confirms prior to the introduction of the highly hazardous chemical.

Here are the items reviewed during a PSSR:

• Construction and equipment is in accordance to design specifications,
• Safety, operating, maintenance and emergency procedures are in place and adequate,
• For new facilities, a process hazard analysis had been performed and recommendations have been resolved or implemented before startup.

21. Name two of the items that must be documented when inspecting or testing equipment.

Here are the items that must be documented:

• Date
• Name of person performing the inspection or test
• Identification of equipment
• Test/Inspection description
• Test/Inspection results

22. Written procedures do not have to be written to maintain the integrity of the equipment.

False! Written procedures HAVE to be written to maintain the integrity of the equipment.

23. Name one type of training that employees involved in maintaining the equipment must receive.

Here’s the type of training that must be provided:

• The process and its hazards
• Maintenance procedures
• Safe work practices
• Proper use of equipment

24. Name three activities that are considered hot work.

Here are the activities considered to be hot work:

• Cutting
• Brazing
• Grinding
• Electric or gas welding
• Burning
• Exposure of energized electrical conductors

25. A Hot work permits does not ensure that the hazards associated with the task are communicated to personnel performing the work.

False! A hot work permit DOES ensure that the hazards associated with the task are communicated.

True or False?

26. Management of Change applies to replacement in kind? True or False?

False! Management of Change DOES NOT apply to replacement in kind.

27. Name two of the items that a MOC must address prior to any change.

Here are the items that a MOC must address:

• Date and originator
• Date for change
• Duration of change if temporary
• Description, location and purpose of change
• Technical basis for change
• Safety and health consideration
• Pre-startup inspection
• Authorization and approvals
• Training completed
• PSI updated

28. Process safety information and operating procedures must be updated accordingly for the Management of Change. True or False?

True!

29. The objective of an incident investigation is to place blame. True or False?

False! The objective is to find the facts of how the incident occurred so that it can be prevented in the future.

30. Name two of the items that an incident investigation report should document.

The incident investigation report should document the following:

• Date of incident
• Date investigation began
• Description of the incident
• Factors that contributed to the incident
• Recommendations from the investigation
• Establish a system to promptly address and resolve incident findings and recommendations
• Document the resolutions and corrective actions

31. Incident investigation reports should be kept for how long?

Five years.

32. The incident investigation shall be initiated as promptly as possible, but not later than ____ _____ following the incident. Fill in the two blanks.

48 hours.

33. Name two procedures that the Emergency Response and Action Plan must have:

Here are the procedures that the Emergency Response and Action Plan at a minimum must have:

• Reporting a fire or other emergency
• Emergency evacuation, including type of evacuation and exit route assignments
• Employees to remain to operate critical plant operations before they evacuate
• Accounting for all employees after evacuation
• Employees performing rescue or medical duties
• The name and job title of every employee who may be contacted by employees who need more information about the plan.

34. The Emergency Response and Action Plan does not have to be kept in the workplace and made available for employee review. True or False?

False! The plan DOES have to be kept in the workplace and made available.

35. A compliance audit must be performed every ____ _____. Fill in the two blanks.

Three years.

36. The compliance audit must be conducted by at least one person knowledgeable in the process. True or False?

True! It is also recommended that the audit also include someone knowledgeable about OSHAs PSM standard.

37. Copies of all compliance audits must be kept on file. True or False?

True! The two recent audits must be kept on file.

38. Trade secrets does not have to be available during the development of a PSM program. True or False?

False! Trade secrets must be made available during the development of the PSM program.

39. What is a process?

A process is any activity involving a highly hazardous chemical including any use, storage, manufacturing, handling, or the on-site movement of such chemicals, or combination of these activities. For purposes of this definition, any group of vessels, which are interconnected and separate vessels, which are located such that a highly hazardous chemical could be involved in a potential release shall be considered a single process.

40. Here are the 14 elements of the PSM standard:

1. Employee Participation
2. Process Safety Information
3. Process Hazard Analyses
4. Operating Procedures
5. Training
6. Contractors
7. Pre-Startup Safety Review
8. Mechanical Integrity
9. Hot Work Permits
10. Management of Change
11. Incident Investigations
12. Emergency Planning and Response
13. Compliance Audits
14. Trade Secrets