Panel Discussion: Implementation of OSHA's New Process Safety Management Rules in the Pulp & Paper Industry, 1993 Environmental Conference Proceedings

Releases of flammable liquids, toxic gases and highly hazardous chemicals over the last several years, including incidents at Union Carbide - Bhopal (1984) Phillips Chemical (1989), Arco Chemical (1990) and BASF (1990), have caused numerous deaths and/or injuries. OSHA recently promulgated rules for management of hazards associated with processes using highly hazardous chemicals. The pulp 81 paper industry uses several of these chemicals above the ‘Threshold Quantity’ established by OSHA in the new rules. Examples include chlorine, chlorine dioxide, and hydrogen peroxide. Hence, the new OSHA rules are important to the industry because those mills affected must comply.

Compliance should involve a ’Steam Approach’, involving management, employees, technical experts, and process staff who understand the chemicals and their potential dangers, as well as the processes in which the chemicals are used. In some cases, mills will have the in-house expertise to address the new rules. In other cases, companies may need corporate or outside assistance to develop the ’team’ of experts to allow them to comply.