AM-98-55 A MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE ON RISK MANAGEMENT PLANNING

Description:

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 call for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop regulations requiring Risk Management Programs for facilities that manufacture, use, or store regulated substances in excess of threshold quantities (TQs). The new Risk Management Program regulations establish requirements for hazard assessments, prevention programs, and emergency response, all aimed at better informing the public of potential hazards, preventing accidental releases, and improving emergency response planning. Facilities subject to the regulations must be in compliance by June 2 1,1999, and submit a Risk Management Plan, which will be made available to the public. Although quite complex and still evolving, the RMP regulations will be the dominant new force in U.S. process safety regulation for the next several years. Employers and the contractors who serve them must prepare. This paper will provide a brief overview of the Risk Management Program regulatory requirements, with a focus on key issues management should be aware of, including timing, enforcement, and public communication concerns.