SEMP Compliance

What is SEMP? Known as Process Safety Management (PSM) for many years by refiners and chemical plants, the MMS has endorsed and may soon require every owner, Operator and contractor working offshore to have a written Safety & Environmental Management Program. Offshore platforms and onshore facilities are at the same overall risk for serious incident(s) as refineries and chemical plants, and yet, less has been done while waiting for the government to promulgate specific regulations. The MMS has already begun onsite cooperative reviews of voluntary compliance at some facilities. Mandatory compliance may be eminent. Although SEMP is a relatively new concept being applied to facilities and operations offshore, many Operators have been complying with most of the required "elements" of API RP75 and/or RP750 for years. Some potential benefits of implementing a SEMP program include:

• Safer workplace for employees
• Reduced liability exposure and risk to facilities
• Reduced environmental impact and/or spill fines
• Compliance with MMS, OSHA, EPA and/or industry consensus standards
• Lower construction costs through value engineering before actual fabrication begins
• Asset protection or reduced losses and lower insurance premiums
• Improved public relations and employee morale.

Process Safety & Reliability Group Inc. (PSRG) , 9114 Rhapsody Lane, Suite 1000, Houston, TX 77040-2515. Tel: 713-849-9460; Fax: 713-849-4326.