Listen "Preventing the Collapse of Safety & PSM Programs: What Domino Starts it All? "
Episode Synopsis
Allen Safety takes a deep dive into SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) reviews, the blurry overlap of responsibility between teams, and why most documentation isn’t as airtight—or as collaborative—as it should be. The hosts challenge listeners to reconsider how procedures are developed, who reviews them, and how safety personnel can truly become competent stakeholders in the systems they’re expected to sign off on.This is more than just a compliance checkbox conversation—it’s a real-world, boots-on-the-ground look at the messy middle of safety documentation, with clear, tactical solutions for bridging the gaps.Your SOPs Might Be a Frankenstein of Mismatched FormatsSOPs are often written by third parties, recycled from other plants, or poorly updated.Reviewers Don’t Always Know What They’re Looking ForReviewers are often engineers or refrigeration/maintenance techs, not safety experts.Emergency Procedures are Too GenericSOPs frequently assume “perfect world” conditions. Safety Needs a Seat at the Table—EarlySOPs, task procedures, PPE assessments, and LOTO protocols must all align—and often, they don’t.Task Procedures Without Collaboration = Injuries Waiting to HappenIf safety writes procedures without consulting maintenance—or vice versa—hazards will be missed.The Fix: Cross-Discipline Collaboration + Job ShadowingBuild SOPs and task procedures in multi-disciplinary teams—safety, engineering, maintenance in the same room. History Matters: Use Veteran Operators as HistoriansNew team? High turnover? Nobody remembers the last snowstorm or failure event?Don’t Forget Environmental Compliance (RMP)RMP (Risk Management Plans) are increasingly under scrutiny.Final Thoughts & Call to Action:If you’re managing safety, you’re not just pushing paper—you’re writing the playbook for survival. And that means getting out of the silo, out of the office, and into the field with your engineering and maintenance teams. Safety, SOPs, and real operations need to speak the same language—or someone gets hurt.Want help?Allen Safety offers:Onsite PSM audits & compliance coachingSafety-PSM joint trainingOnline access to over 100 commercial-free training episodesUnlimited email coaching with the teamVisit AllenSafety.com or AllenSafetyCoaching.com to learn more.Process Safety & ComplianceProcess Safety Management (PSM)OSHA PSM complianceEPA RMP (Risk Management Plan)Mechanical integrityPSM documentation reviewPSM audit best practicesProcess Hazard Analysis (PHA)Emergency shutdown procedures
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