A Dive into Some Practical and Often Overlooked Uses of PMS Reports | Blog No. 87

[This is three of three in a "Now What?" blog series by Chris Foster, a Macha PSM Consultant]

If you missed our previous instalment of this “Now What?” blog series for Macha PSM, go back and give the previous blog a read. We’re exploring the strange and uncanny feeling that comes over someone who has just received a detailed PSM report. The feeling that the project is done, yet unfinished at the same time. While there should be actionable and resolvable recommendations included in your report, there is also a sense in which the job is never done, which is true if the job in question is the safety of the personnel around an active refrigeration system. To put it another way, if the system is running, then the PSM work isn’t done. To help assuage the discomfort of this “Now What?” feeling when receiving a PSM report, we first considered the role of the fearless leader and how they could best utilize the report to their advantage. We then moved on to consider the PSM “team player” and the vital but often overlooked parts they play. Today, we’re considering other facility personnel outside of the PSM team, whether a production employee or a plant manager who is outside of the PSM team but nevertheless has information to contribute to the PSM process. How can you glean helpful information from the finished report? Let’s call this group “The Other Guys”- buckle up. 

The Other Guys

Forgive me for the overgeneralization, as this group includes gals as well, we just opted for the commonly used phrase to include the group of personnel not on the PSM team, but still having a role to play in the process. We didn’t forget you ladies. The temptation, for those not on the PSM team, is to assume that all the responsibility for the safety of the refrigeration process lies in the domain of the PSM team, which could not be farther from the truth. In reality, everyone in the facility has a role to play in ensuring the safe operation of the process. Beyond the bare bones compliance required for all facility personnel, the PSM reports developed by your facility’s team can and should be a gold mine of information for any team member to improve their understanding of their system and execute their role at a higher level. But how do you do that? Where are these so-called golden nuggets of information hiding? We want to help point you in the right direction. 

1. Start by asking. Most facility personnel are unaware of the amount of facility information at their disposal if they simply ask for it. If you are a team member responsible for production, sanitization, or any other aspect not directly related to the refrigeration equipment, your right to know extends beyond a simple ammonia awareness training. Your facility’s PSM team should have a record of past PHAs, Compliance Audits, and Mechanical Integrity Audits. All of these past reports offer a glimpse into the state of your facility’s PSM program, which can give you insight into where the PSM program has been and what improvements are currently being pursued. Bear in mind, no facility is perfect, and past reports are not meant to be a “gotcha” exercise, but rather an open and honest assessment of where the facility excels and where it needs to improve. For instance, a production employee who reads over a PHA will likely gain a newfound appreciation for the lengths to which the PSM team has gone to investigate all manner of potential hazards and the amount of effort dedicated to their safety while on the production line. PSM is a task too large for one individual to shoulder the burden, so any facility member outside of the PSM team who approaches a PSM team member offering help or support will likely be a welcome relief. Remember, you are all in this process together, and something as simple as knowing when the next annual MI inspection is scheduled and being prepared to accommodate an inspector goes a long way and can help you stand out as a solid team player.

   
   

2. Accountability makes everyone better. The PSM process is often misunderstood as a grand power struggle between those in charge of the budget and those who care about safety. In reality, the more conversations we’ve had with facility managers, refrigeration operators, production employees, and everyone in between, there’s a funny similarity that arises- it turns out no one wants to cause a catastrophic release. It turns out, everyone wants to go home safely and enjoy time with friends and family- crazy, I know! That being the case, the more knowledge that facility personnel have about their PSM process, the more they have to offer in the process. The goal is not to turn everyone into a skeptical hall monitor, but rather to graciously offer accountability on when and how the findings of the PSM reports will be completed. This shared accountability over PSM findings can help production employees, forklift operators, and facility management anticipate things like shutdowns, renovations, and regular PSM inspections. If you’re part of this group of “other guys,” remember- the PSM team is probably not intent on making your life as difficult as possible, they likely want the same thing you want, to keep the facility running safely and efficiently. With a little effort, you can assist them in this goal.   

   
   

Thanks for reading along in this series. We hope you’ve gleaned something from our experiences in the PSM world and picked up a few practical tips on how you can take your operation to the next level. Till next time.

Coming Up Next: An insight into what is Blockflow Diagram is. Stay Tuned!

Previous Post: Inspiring the Next Generation of Ammonia Refrigeration Professionals | Blog No. 86

---

For a comprehensive training on Anhydrous Ammonia, click here for our PSM Academy Ammonia Awareness training, to learn and earn a certificate of completion. Training is in English and Spanish. Use code SDS20 for a 20% discount on the entire purchase. For more information, email us at academy@machapsm.com.