Massachusetts Fire Code hazardous material processing regulation (527 CMR 33) requires a hazard evaluation or limited process safety program for many companies that have never faced this requirement before, (though many companies have been essentially performing these tasks as good practice). Many companies covered by this regulation must now document that a hazard evaluation has been done, and safety measures are being integrated into operations. Preparing for emergencies involving hazardous chemical processing requires an understanding of what can go wrong and how to control it if it does. Preventing such emergencies requires an understanding of alternative ways of accomplishing work without creating hazards that pose a risk of harm.
OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) and EPA’s Risk Management Program (RMP) rules set standards for large facilities posing risks of significant property damage or toxic releases to the community. The new Fire Code regulation provides facilities with lesser risks (Categories 3 and 4) the flexibility to formulate an approach that is appropriate for the facility. This advisory concerns the essentials of preventive hazard evaluation and the formalization of the process in a way that fits the scale of operations and which captures the potential value of the effort. All facilities that have processes that pose risks should implement preventive hazard evaluation to reduce the chance of an accident involving injury or other losses.