Washington State Labor Department Strengthens Safety Rules for Petroleum Refineries - bigcountrynewsconnection.com

Washington State Labor Department Strengthens Safety Rules for Petroleum Refineries | Local | bigcountrynewsconnection.com

TUMWATER - Acknowledging the risks associated with petroleum refineries and the potential for catastrophic events, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has officially updated workplace safety rules. This decision follows past incidents, including the Tesoro explosion in 2010 that claimed seven lives and the Equilon incident in 1998, resulting in six fatalities.

The focus of the updated rules is on process safety management (PSM), specifically within petroleum refineries. Craig Blackwood, Assistant Director for L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, emphasized the proactive approach required in refineries to eliminate and reduce risks, highlighting the necessity for updates given the advancements in industry safety capabilities over the past decades.

Effective December 27, 2024, the updated rules encompass several key elements:

- Performing hazard control reviews to identify the most effective measures.
- Regularly reviewing processes likely to damage or wear down equipment.
- Prioritizing risks through planning and analysis, followed by the identification and documentation of effective safety measures.
- Incorporating considerations of human factors such as staffing levels, turnover, training, fatigue, and task complexity.
- Conducting root cause analyses after significant accidents.
- Frequent analysis of hazards, safeguards, controls, mechanical factors, and process changes, with updates to safety programs as necessary.
- Assessing workplace safety culture to ensure a prioritization of safety over production by both workers and managers.

The full details of the proposed rule are available on the L&I website. The department collaborated with refinery operators, worker advocates, community representatives, and other stakeholders to update the rule. L&I facilitated four public hearings and welcomed written comments to ensure public input on the final rule. The resulting regulations are touted as among the most protective in the nation for refinery workers.