Our Philosphy

Process safety management (PSM) is a systematic analytical tool for preventing the release of highly hazardous chemicals, and focuses on preventing incidents, increasing employee safety, and defining parameters for the safe operation of your process. HCG Associates focuses on assisting businesses with managing these inherent hazards through implementation of industry best practices. HCG specializes in developing and managing customized client programs and ensuring that the regulatory requirements under OSHA’s Process Safety Management Program and General Duty Clause, as well as the EPA’s Risk Management Programs, are fully satisfied.

NATIONAL EMPHASIS PROGRAM

• OSHA has continued to find a substantial number of hazards at facilities that are inspected under the Chemical National Emphasis Program. The Agency continues to issue significant enforcement cases to chemical facility employers inspected under the CHEM NEP.
• Thousands of facilities nationwide, many of which are in environmental justice communities, make, use, and store extremely hazardous substances. Catastrophic accidents at these facilities—historically about 150 each year—can result in fatalities and serious injuries, evacuations, and other harm to human health and the environment. These facilities are regulated under EPA’s Clean Air Act (CAA) Section 112(r) through the chemical accident prevention regulations, also known as the Risk Management Program.
• The General Duty Clause requires facilities to identify hazards that may result from accidental releases by using appropriate hazard assessment techniques, designing and maintaining a safe facility, taking such steps as are necessary to prevent releases, and minimizing the consequences of those accidental releases that do occur.