Description
Audits and assessments provide a vital management control for Process Safety Management (PSM), Process Security Management, and Risk Management (RM) Programs. Audits employ protocols and checklists to verify compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards. They help to ensure programs are properly designed and implemented. Audits identify program deficiencies so that recommendations can be developed for corrective action.
Audits focus on the policies and procedures that make up the program being audited. Each program element must be addressed including the management systems that are used to implement the program. There are three main phases of the audit:
Pre-audit: Planning and organizing the audit; establishing the audit objectives, scope and protocol; and reviewing the design of the program by examining documentation.
On-site audit: Conducting personnel interviews, reviewing records, and making observations to assess program implementation.
Post-audit: Briefing management on the audit findings, and preparing a report.
Why Conduct Audits and Assessments?
OSHA's PSM Standard and EPA's RMP rule both require companies to conduct compliance audits of their prevention programs at least every three years. Without regular audits, programs will not stay current and will deteriorate, causing companies to face increased health, safety, and environmental risks as well as regulatory and legal liabilities.
Why Primatech?
Primatech has extensive experience in auditing PSM programs and has used this experience to develop audit approaches that are highly efficient. We have unsurpassed knowledge of regulatory requirements and industry standards that enables us quickly to identify program deficiencies. Our employees' experience in developing and implementing process safety and risk management programs provides insights into what is required for a successful program.
We know what regulators look for during inspections based on our work in preparing process safety and risk management guides for government and industry. Primatech's audit checklists reflect the expectations of regulators and help to ensure the intent of the regulations is covered. This is vital for performance-based regulations such as PSM and RMP.
Primatech teaches training courses on auditing and on process safety management, security and risk management programs.
Primatech has developed the software package, AUDITWorks™ that provides audit protocols, facilitates documentation of audits, and incorporates compliance checklists for process safety and other prevention programs. These checklists can be customized to meet site or company-specific requirements.
Primatech is internationally recognized for its work in process safety and risk management. This provides a stamp of credibility for the audits we conduct.
Services Offered
- Performance of compliance audits.
We provide auditors to conduct an on-site PSM, RMP, security or other type of audit. We provide a report documenting the audit. - Performance of assessments.
We perform simpler reviews that are less formal than audits to help determine whether individual programs such as those for mechanical integrity, procedures development, etc. have gaps or deficiencies. We provide a report documenting the assessment.
