9 entries found for "Regulation"

Why Companies Prioritize Other PSM Elements Over Mechanical Integrity

by Michael Hurley, 12/10/2025

Tags: Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Regulation

Mechanical Integrity (MI) is one of the most critical elements for preventing catastrophic events, yet it is routinely identified as one of the weakest in Process Safety Management (PSM). This article details 10 realistic reasons - from economic pressure and production bias to leadership knowledge gaps and the invisibility of degradation - why organizations chronically deprioritize MI work over other, more administrative PSM elements. Discover why companies focus on paper compliance instead of asset integrity.

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Why is Mechanical Integrity So Important to Process Safety Management?

by Michael Hurley, 12/3/2025

Tags: API 580 API 581 Damage Mechanisms Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Regulation Risk Management

Mechanical Integrity (MI) is the crucial foundation of Process Safety Management (PSM). Major accidents overwhelmingly result from equipment failures like ruptured vessels or corroded piping. This post details eight essential reasons why a robust MI program is vital, including preventing loss of containment , ensuring safeguards function as designed , and meeting mandatory OSHA and EPA compliance.

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Are U.S. Refinery Incidents Increasing? A Clearer Look at the Data, the Debate, and When the Trend Began

by Michael Hurley, 11/26/2025

Tags: Mechanical Integrity Regulation Risk Management

Public data suggests U.S. refinery fires and explosions have increased significantly since 2018, with some analyses showing a tripling of incidents. However, industry process safety metrics indicate improvement. This article explores the evidence, why the datasets conflict, and the start of the upward trend.

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Why We Still See Refinery Fires - More Than 30 Years After OSHA 1910.119

by Michael Hurley, 11/20/2025

Tags: HSE Process Safety Management Regulation Risk Management

Despite OSHA's 1992 Process Safety Management (PSM) standard, refinery and chemical plant fires continue to make headlines. This post breaks down the seven systemic reasons why these incidents persist. We explore how mere compliance, aging infrastructure, weak safety culture, and reactive risk management prevent the elimination of catastrophic risks.

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PHMSA vs OSHA for Hydrocarbon Facilities

by Michael Hurley, 11/12/2025

Tags: Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Regulation

Hydrocarbon facilities in the U.S. frequently face overlapping regulation from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). While PHMSA primarily governs transportation safety via pipelines (49 CFR 190-199), OSHA focuses on worker safety and health within facilities, including Process Safety Management (PSM). This post clarifies their distinct scopes, common jurisdictional boundaries (e.g., at the first valve inside a facility), and provides tips for operators to integrate their compliance programs.

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The Top Three RBI Risks That Cannot Wait for a Budget Rebound

by Michael Hurley, 10/1/2025

Tags: CUI Inspection Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Regulation Risk Risk Analysis Risk Based Inspection Risk Management Value

When organizations face budget cuts, they may postpone projects, but certain risks are too critical to delay. This post highlights three such Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) risks that demand immediate attention: high-risk equipment, Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI), and overdue critical inspections. Acting now can safeguard people, assets, and the bottom line from costly failures.

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National Regulation 13 in Brazil

by Paul Sheriff, 3/31/2021

Tags: Inspection Mechanical Integrity Regulation

Although Risk Based Inspection is well recognised as a good practice it has not been adopted by every country in the world. Brazil in particular has its own Regulatory Standard known as NR13 which it uses to set out some minimum time-based safety standards for the management and inspection of steam boilers, pressure vessels, some metal storage tanks and their interconnecting pipes. Hopefully the adoption of Risk Based Inspection is not far away.

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A Practical Way to Incorporate the New PHMSA Underground Gas Storage Requirements Into your MI Program

by Michael Hurley, 3/11/2021

Tags: Damage Mechanisms Inspection Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Regulation Risk Analysis Risk Based Inspection Risk Management

PHMSA has out a new rule for underground natural gas storage facilities (UNGSFs). This is practical approach to incorporating gas wells into your mechanical integrity program with the rest of your surface and subsurface assets.

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