• PSM applies to companies that deal with any of 130 specific toxic and reactive chemicals in listed quantities and with certain flammable liquids or gases.
• The PSM standard does not apply to retail facilities, oil/gas well operations, or unoccupied remote facilities.
• Regulatory information for PSM can be found at 29 CFR 1910.119.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Process Safety Management (PSM) of Highly Hazardous Chemicals standard contains requirements for the management of hazards associated with processes using chemicals deemed to be “highly hazardous.”

For many types of businesses, such as refineries and chemical companies, it may be obvious that PSM applies. However, PSM can apply to many other perhaps not-so-obvious employers, such as grocery stores, pulp mills, and manufacturers, to name a few. (Conversely, some employers think they have PSM-covered processes when, in fact, they do not.)

Where does PSM apply?

Regulatory information for PSM can be found under 29 CFR 1910.119— Process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals (PSM), including Appendix A — List of highly hazardous Chemicals, toxics and reactives.

PSM applies to those companies that deal with any of more than 130 specific toxic and reactive chemicals in listed quantities (See 1910.119 Appendix A, which contains the list); it also includes any Category 1 flammable gas (as defined in 1910.1200(c)) or a flammable liquid with a flashpoint below 100°F (37.8°C) on site in one location in a quantity of 10,000 pounds (4535.9 kg) or more (with a few exceptions, as outlined in 1910.119(a)(1)(ii)(A) and (B)).

Exempted from the standard

A few types of facilities and operations are exempt from PSM. The standard does not apply to any of the following:

• Retail facilities,
  • OSHA will typically not issue PSM citations to retail facilities, as those facilities generally do not present the same degree of hazard as other PSM workplaces. In particular, current OSHA policy specifically prohibits issuing PSM citations to employers in the following North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes:
    • 424510 - Grain and Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers,
    • 424590 - Other Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers, and
    • 424910 - Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers.
• Oil or gas well drilling or servicing operations, and
• Normally unoccupied remote facilities.

This means that employees are not permanently stationed at the remote location. This includes sites where periodic visits by employees may be made on a scheduled basis. Examples could include pump stations that are located miles from the main establishment where employees may be assigned to check on the station as needed. The remote location must be geographically separated from other facilities and employees such that employees would not be affected by an explosion, vapor cloud of toxic gas, or other consequence of an uncontrolled release at the remote site.