Tag Archives: Employee Involvement

What training does my refrigeration operator need?

Posted on July 11, 2017 by Brian Chapin

Note: this article focuses only on the PSM/RMP training burden that is unique to PSM/RMP. Furthermore, it does not address the requirements of training documentation. Understanding the requirements of PSM/RMP training for Operators The Training element in PSM (1910.119(g)) and … Continue reading →

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We’re all in this together

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Brian Chapin

It was great to meet so many friends and colleagues in Las Vegas last week for RETA’s annual conference. While all business is about personal relationships, most people recognize that the Ammonia Refrigeration industry is a uniquely tight-knit group. I’ve … Continue reading →

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Opinion: Why many Safety Programs fail to get results

Posted on May 3, 2015 by Brian Chapin

The question that vexed me Over the past few years as a traveling PSM auditor I was exposed to hundreds of different safety programs. There were small, flat organizations with dozens of workers and large international conglomerates with thousands of … Continue reading →

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The “PSM Lessons Shared” project

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Brian Chapin

Recently, during a PSM class, I had a student with an all-too-common issue: How do I change the incident reporting culture at my facility? As a new PSM coordinator he was struggling because he couldn’t get his operators to report … Continue reading →

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How do I deal with recommendations to my program?

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Brian Chapin

You should frequently get recommendations for improving your PSM program through the PSM elements of Employee Participation, Process Hazard Analysis, Incident Investigations, Mechanical Integrity audits, Compliance Audits. Often, these recommendations are worthwhile improvements to your system that are worthy of … Continue reading →

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So, you need a PSM coordinator…

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Brian Chapin

The Situation: Several times a month I get a call from a recruiter or a facility that desperately needs to fill a PSM coordinator position. They quickly learn something that many people in our industry are unaware of – quality … Continue reading →

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First, Do no Harm!

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Brian Chapin

The OSHA Law Blog has a nice post up called “Best Practices? Or Safety Run Amuck” about the unintended consequences that can occur when people rationalize their opinions as “Best Practice” without bothering to consult with the workers who are expected to … Continue reading →

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Refresher Training

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Brian Chapin

Many people struggle with Refresher Training. I think this is because the way they train to meet the PSM/RMP requirement is fundamentally flawed: Most places re-train each operator on EVERY SOP they are expected to perform at least every three … Continue reading →

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Speaking their language…

Posted on February 20, 2011 by Brian Chapin

I recently came across this fatality report from NIOSH about a workplace fatality which included this quote: The foreign-born worker in this incident and a friend were hired together by a temporary agency to work as cleaners at the feed … Continue reading →

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