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  • Program level 3 applicability and whether states have delegated OSHA programs

    I am a publicly owned facility in a state with a delegated OSHA program. Why are my processes considered to be in Program 3 when the same processes in a state where federal OSHA runs the program are in Program 2? Federal OSHA cannot impose its rules on state or…

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  • Five-Year Accident History for Non-Gas Releases

    Pursuant to 40 CFR §68.42(a), the owner or operator of a stationary source subject to the risk management program regulations must document significant accidental releases of regulated substances from a covered process in the five years prior to the submission of an initial or updated risk management plan (RMP). For…

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  • Are evacuations and sheltering-in-place considered for Program 1 eligibility?

    A facility performed a worst-case release scenario and determined that there are no public receptors within the endpoints. There are several residences located just outside the endpoint. In reviewing the five year accident history, there were several releases of a regulated substance, in which the residences were notified by the…

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  • What level of off-site property damage triggers five-year accident history reporting?

    What level of off-site property damage triggers reporting? Any level of known offsite property damage triggers inclusion of the accident in the five-year accident history. You are not required to conduct a survey to determine if such damage occurred, but if you know, or could reasonably be expected to know…

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  • Do I need to report releases for processes that have shut down?

    A process involving a regulated substance had an accidental release with off-site consequences two years ago. The process has been shut down. Do I have to report anyway? No. The release does not have to be reported in your accident history. Your Risk Management Plan only needs to address operating…

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  • Are releases under prior ownership included in the five-year accident history?

    Documentation of a five-year accident history is required as part of the hazard assessment under 40 CFR Section 68.42. Should a stationary source subject to the risk management program regulations report as part of the five-year accident history any accidents that occurred when the facility was under prior ownership? Yes…

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  • What constitutes "significant property damage on site?"

    Under the hazard assessment requirements at 40 CFR Part 68, Subpart B, the owner or operator of a covered stationary source must document a five-year accident history that includes all accidental releases from covered processes that resulted in deaths, injuries, or significant property damage on site, or known offsite deaths…

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  • Is the off-site death of livestock considered environmental damage?

    Under the hazard assessment requirements of 40 CFR Part 68, Subpart B, an owner or operator must document a five-year accident history including all accidental releases from covered processes that resulted in deaths, injuries, or significant property damage on site, or known offsite deaths, injuries, evacuations, sheltering in place, property…

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  • Program 3 applicability and NAICS code determination

    A covered process that is ineligible for Program 1 will be subject to Program 3 requirements if the process is in one of ten specified North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes, or is subject to the OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) standard (40 CFR Part 68.10(d)). When determining Program…

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  • Can a newly-constructed process that has no accident history qualify for Program 1 status?

    The eligibility criteria for Program 1 status under 40 CFR Part 68 include a requirement that the process must not have had an accidental release resulting in serious offsite consequences for the past five years (40 CFR §68.10(b)(1)). Can a newly-constructed process that has no accident history qualify for Program…

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  • Are processes subject to delegated state OSHA programs classified as program level 3?

    If my state administers the OSHA program under a delegation from the federal OSHA, does that mean that my processes that are subject to OSHA PSM under the state rules are in Program 3? Yes, as long as the process does not qualify for Program 1. Any process subject to…

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  • Are all covered processes subject to identical risk management program requirements?

    The risk management program regulations in 40 CFR Part 68 are applicable to owners or operators of stationary sources at which more than a threshold quantity of a regulated substance is present in a process (40 CFR Section 68.10(a)). Are all covered processes subject to identical risk management program requirements…

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  • Certifying RMP process at higher program level

    If a process qualifies as Program Level 1, can a facility designate it as a Program Level 2 or 3 in their Risk Management Plan? No. The owner or operator of a stationary source with a process eligible for Program 1 must certify their Program 1 designation in their Risk…

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  • Differences in accident history between Program 1 eligibility and the hazard assessment

    Program 1 eligibility under 40 CFR §68.10(b) is contingent upon the process not having had an accidental release of a regulated substance that led to offsite death, injury, or response and restoration activities at an environmental receptor within five years prior to the risk management plan submission. Additionally, as part…

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  • Program 1 Five-year Accident History and Hazard Assessment Differences

    Pursuant to the risk management program regulations under 40 CFR §68.10(b), Program 1 eligibility requires that the process has not had an accidental release of a regulated substance that led to off-site death, injury, or response and restoration activities at an environmental receptor within five years prior to the risk…

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