Product Overview

Summary: This Process Safety Management Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, end‑to‑end framework for controlling major accident hazards associated with hazardous chemicals and complex processes. It helps Australian businesses prevent catastrophic incidents, protect workers and the community, and demonstrate robust compliance with WHS and major hazard facility requirements.

Process safety is about preventing low‑frequency but high‑consequence events such as fires, explosions, toxic releases and catastrophic equipment failures. This Process Safety Management (PSM) Safe Operating Procedure translates complex legal and technical requirements into a practical, repeatable system tailored for Australian workplaces handling hazardous chemicals, pressurised systems and energy‑intensive operations. It provides a clear framework for managing process risks across the full lifecycle – from design and commissioning through to operation, modification and decommissioning.

The SOP sets out how your organisation will identify major hazards, assess and control risks, maintain critical controls, and respond effectively to abnormal situations. It integrates key elements such as management of change, permit‑to‑work, competency and training, contractor management, incident investigation, and emergency planning into one coherent procedure. By implementing this SOP, businesses can move beyond ad‑hoc safety measures to a disciplined, documented process safety system that supports legal compliance, improves reliability and provides defensible evidence of due diligence under Australian WHS laws.

This document is particularly valuable for organisations that are, or may become, Major Hazard Facilities, or that operate complex process plants such as chemical manufacturing, fuel storage, food and beverage processing, water and wastewater treatment, mining and mineral processing, or energy generation. It helps align frontline operations, engineering, maintenance and management around a shared, systematic approach to preventing major incidents and protecting people, property and the environment.

Key Benefits

• Establish a structured, organisation‑wide framework for managing process safety risks and major accident events.
• Ensure demonstrable compliance with Australian WHS legislation, hazardous chemicals regulations and Major Hazard Facility requirements.
• Reduce the likelihood and consequence of fires, explosions, toxic releases and catastrophic equipment failures.
• Standardise critical processes such as management of change, permit‑to‑work and contractor control across all sites.
• Improve asset reliability and operational continuity by embedding robust controls for high‑risk plant and processes.

Who is this for?

• WHS Managers
• Process Safety Engineers
• Operations Managers
• Plant Managers
• Production Supervisors
• Maintenance Managers
• Risk and Compliance Managers
• HSE Advisors
• Chemical Engineers
• Major Hazard Facility (MHF) Operators

Hazards Addressed

• Loss of containment of hazardous chemicals (flammable, toxic or corrosive substances)
• Fires and explosions from flammable gases, vapours, liquids and combustible dusts
• Over‑pressure, vessel rupture and pipeline failure
• Runaway reactions and thermal instability in chemical processes
• Release of toxic or asphyxiant gases (e.g. chlorine, ammonia, CO2)
• Loss of critical utilities or safety systems (e.g. cooling water, inerting, emergency shutdown)
• Ignition from static electricity, hot work, or faulty electrical equipment in hazardous areas
• Process upsets caused by unapproved or poorly controlled changes to plant, process or procedures
• Human error in start‑up, shutdown, isolation, and emergency response activities
• Contractor activities interfering with live plant and critical controls

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose, Scope and Objectives
• 2.0 Definitions and Key Concepts (Process Safety vs Personal Safety)
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Accountability
• 4.0 Process Safety Risk Management Framework
• 5.0 Process Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HAZOP, What‑If, Bow‑Tie)
• 6.0 Identification and Management of Safety‑Critical Elements and Controls
• 7.0 Operating Procedures for Normal, Start‑up, Shutdown and Abnormal Conditions
• 8.0 Management of Change (MOC) for Plant, Process and Organisational Changes
• 9.0 Permit‑to‑Work and Isolation Procedures for High‑Risk Activities
• 10.0 Contractor and Visitor Management in Process Areas
• 11.0 Asset Integrity, Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Critical Equipment
• 12.0 Safety Instrumented Systems, Alarms and Interlocks Management
• 13.0 Training, Competency and Authorisation for Process Safety Roles
• 14.0 Incident, Near‑Miss and Process Deviation Reporting and Investigation
• 15.0 Emergency Preparedness, Response and Coordination with External Services
• 16.0 Performance Monitoring, Auditing and Continuous Improvement
• 17.0 Documentation, Recordkeeping and Safety Case Interface (where applicable)
• 18.0 Review, Revision and Governance of the Process Safety Management SOP

Legislation & References

• Model Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations (including Hazardous Chemicals provisions)
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of plant in the workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Guide for Major Hazard Facilities: Safety Case and Safety Management System
• AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems
• AS 1940:2017 The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids
• AS/NZS 60079 series: Explosive atmospheres (for hazardous area equipment and controls)
• AS 61511 series: Functional safety – Safety instrumented systems for the process industry sector
• ISO 31000:2018 Risk management – Guidelines