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What is Chemical Risk <br />Management? <br />Risk management is something we all practice daily. <br />We go to work on less traveled routes to avoid accidents, <br />wear seat belts to prevent injury, and use sunscreen to avoid <br />sunburn. Chemical risks in the workplace are managed in <br />much the same way. Operations are constantly checked, <br />equipment is regularly tested, and employees are rigorously <br />trained. Chemical risk management includes these safety <br />steps: <br />• Eliminate or reduce identified hazards <br />• Prevent incidents <br />• Prepare the public for possible incidents <br />• Minimize or contain incidents <br />• Respond promptly to emergencies <br />V <br />Risk Management Program: <br />A New EPA Regulation <br />Companies that handle toxic and flammable chemicals <br />are required to follow many existing federal, state, and local <br />laws and regulations to make sure that the risks posed by <br />these materials are managed safely. The U.S. <br />Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a new <br />regulation that requires many of these companies to develop <br />a risk management program (RMP), summarize it in a plan, <br />and make the information in that plan available to the <br />public. This information should encourage community <br />dialogue about how to prevent chemical accidents and <br />reduce risk. The regulation applies to a list of 77 toxic and <br />63 flammable chemicals. If a facility has more than a <br />specific amount of any one of these chemicals in a process, <br />it must follow the RMP requirements for that chemical. <br />RMP Rule Components <br />■ Hazard Assessment <br />• Worst -Case Scenario <br />• Alternative Release Scenarios <br />• Five -Year Accident History <br />■ Accident Prevention Program <br />■ Emergency Response Program <br />■ Risk Management Plan <br />■ Risk Management Plan (RMP) - A risk <br />management plan summarizes the overall risk <br />management program. Must be submitted to EPA by <br />June 21, 1999, and will be available to state and local <br />emergency planning officials and the public. <br />■ Hazard Assessment - Requires facilities to analyze <br />both worst -case scenarios and alternative release <br />scenarios (see scenario map section on page 3). Also <br />requires companies to compile a 5-year accident history. <br />• Worst -Case Scenario - Defined by EPA as <br />the largest vessel at a facility releasing its total contents <br />in 10 minutes assuming all active safety systems fail <br />and low wind speed exists. An unlikely scenario <br />primarily intended by EPA to encourage community <br />dialogue. <br />• Alternative Release Scenarios - Events that <br />are "more likely" than the worst -case scenario in which <br />safety systems work correctly. Offsite effects can still <br />occur. To be used for emergency planning. <br />• Five -Year Accident History - Provides the <br />public with information on actual accidents involving <br />RMP-listed chemicals that created safety or <br />environmental impacts or required official sheltering - <br />in -place or evacuations. <br />■ Accident Prevention Program - How the site <br />prevents and detects accidental releases using a "layers <br />of protection" approach. Very similar to the <br />Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) <br />Process Safety Management (PSM) standard. <br />■ Emergency Response Program - Ensures that <br />the site is prepared to respond in the event of an <br />emergency. Requires that facilities have a plan to <br />address public notification, emergency medical <br />treatment, and procedures for emergency response. The <br />facility must coordinate its plan with the community <br />and respond promptly to requests from local officials <br />for additional information. <br />2 <br />