Connect refinery incidents, process safety findings, occupational exposures, and corrective work across operating units and turnarounds.
Refineries operate interconnected processes containing flammable materials, toxic substances, and equipment under elevated pressure and temperature. A maintenance decision, equipment deficiency, or change in operating conditions can affect personnel beyond the immediate work area.
Dexur EHS organizes safety records around the refinery, process unit, equipment, and operating phase, helping operations, process safety, inspection, maintenance, and industrial hygiene teams follow findings through technical review, assigned corrections, and verified completion.
Maintain visibility during routine production, shutdown, turnaround, startup, and abnormal operation.
Request a Refinery EHS DemoKeep OSHA compliance activities organized across refinery operations — from process safety management (PSM), hydrocarbon release prevention, and fire and explosion hazards to refinery equipment inspections and hazardous energy control. Track process hazard analyses (PHA), mechanical integrity inspections, hot work permits, refinery turnaround safety, incident investigations, and corrective actions to support safer refinery operations and OSHA regulatory compliance.
From report to resolution
Refinery hazards depend on the chemistry, equipment condition, and operating state of each unit.
Opening a vessel during a turnaround presents different exposure concerns from collecting a sample during production. Equipment that has been shut down may still contain pressure, hot material, hazardous residues, or an atmosphere unsuitable for entry.
Changes also extend beyond individual assets. A utility interruption, altered feedstock, or unavailable protective device can affect several operating areas.
These hazards require assessment against the actual process and task. Not every refinery uses the same technology or handles the same substances. OSHA: Petroleum Refining Processes
Record the unit, equipment tag, process condition, and affected activity.
A recurring pump-seal leak may require inspection and engineering review. An isolation discrepancy may prevent vessel entry. A modification discovered during a turnaround may require updated documentation and review before startup.
Dexur EHS preserves the original observation, technical assessment, interim precautions, and evidence supporting the next decision.
Document occupational injuries, loss-of-containment events, fires, exposure concerns, and process-related near misses.
Maintain separate fields for actual consequences and credible potential severity. A release that causes no injury may still reveal a significant weakness in equipment integrity or operating practices.
Refinery examples include:
Associate each event with the operating phase and relevant equipment history.
Structure field inspections around the unit’s hazards and current activities.
Review:
Link observations to existing inspection or maintenance records where available. A field report should initiate the appropriate technical evaluation rather than substitute for a mechanical-integrity assessment.
Organize the safety evidence needed by the responsible programs:
Distinguish program completion from completion of individual tasks. Closing one recommendation does not establish that the entire unit meets every applicable requirement.
Assign findings to operations, reliability, inspection, process engineering, maintenance, or EHS personnel according to the work required.
Typical actions include:
Finding → Risk Assessment → Responsible Discipline → Required Work → Completion Evidence → Technical Verification
Retain the basis for temporary precautions and any authorized operating restrictions. Work-order completion and acceptance for continued operation may require different approvals.
Relevant categories include:
Preserve distinctions between an alarm, an operating deviation, a release, and a confirmed exposure. These observations require different assessments.
Record:
Keep the source and timing of process information identifiable. Conditions recorded after stabilization may differ from those that initiated the event.
Event → Process Timeline → Equipment Condition → Safeguard Performance → Contributing Causes → Corrective Actions → Verification
Questions may include:
The investigation should identify actions addressing the underlying failure rather than relying solely on reminders or retraining.
OSHA’s Process Safety Management standard, 29 CFR 1910.119, is central to covered refinery processes. Applicability must be established for the process; the operating label alone is not the determination.
Dexur EHS can support the organization and follow-up of PSM records, including:
| PSM element | Refinery application | Information to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Process Safety Information | Chemical hazards, process technology, and equipment information. | Identified gaps, document references, and assigned updates. |
| Process Hazard Analysis | Evaluation of process hazards and safeguards. | Recommendations, dispositions, schedules, and resolution evidence. |
| Operating Procedures and Training | Instructions for relevant operating phases and tasks. | Revisions, affected roles, and required training records. |
| Mechanical Integrity | Inspection, testing, and maintenance of covered equipment. | Deficiencies, technical assessments, and corrective work. |
| Management of Change | Changes other than replacement in kind. | Technical basis, safety review, authorization, and documentation updates. |
| Pre-Startup Safety Review | Required review of new or sufficiently modified facilities. | Findings and confirmation of applicable prerequisites. |
| Incident Investigation | Events meeting the standard’s investigation criteria. | Findings, recommendations, resolution, and required communication. |
| Compliance Audits | Periodic evaluation of compliance with the standard. | Audit findings, responses, and correction evidence. |
OSHA’s refinery guidance highlights recurring concerns involving these elements. OSHA: Process Safety Management for Petroleum Refineries
For covered processes, PSM requires a system to address recommendations promptly, document their resolution, establish a written schedule, and communicate relevant actions to affected personnel.
Record the disposition and technical basis. An unexplained “closed” status does not show how the recommendation was addressed. OSHA: Process Safety Management
Connect inspection findings to the equipment’s acceptable limits and the required corrective response.
Where continued use is considered, retain the assessment and measures required by the applicable provision. An overdue repair date alone is not a justification for continued operation. OSHA: Mechanical Integrity Requirements
Track the technical basis, duration, authorization, affected procedures, and personnel communication for changes requiring MOC.
Temporary arrangements need a defined review and disposition. Preserve whether the change was removed, extended through the designated process, or incorporated permanently. OSHA: Management of Change Requirements
For facilities requiring a pre-startup safety review, the review must confirm specified conditions before introducing highly hazardous chemicals.
Track construction conformance, procedures, applicable hazard-review actions, MOC requirements, and training. The regulatory PSSR trigger is specific; additional restart reviews may arise from refinery procedures. 29 CFR 1910.119: Pre-Startup Safety Review
PSM requires investigation of incidents that resulted in, or could reasonably have resulted in, a catastrophic release of a highly hazardous chemical. Investigation must begin as promptly as possible, and no later than 48 hours after the incident.
Preserve the determination, investigation findings, and documented resolution of recommendations. 29 CFR 1910.119: Incident Investigation
| Requirement | Refinery application | Supporting records |
|---|---|---|
| Benzene — 29 CFR 1910.1028 | Covered occupational exposure during relevant processing, sampling, maintenance, and handling tasks. | Exposure determinations and applicable monitoring, training, and medical-surveillance records. |
| Hazard Communication — 29 CFR 1910.1200 | Hazardous feedstocks, intermediates, products, and treatment chemicals. | Safety data sheets, labels, chemical information, and instruction. |
| Respiratory Protection — 29 CFR 1910.134 | Tasks requiring respirators. | Program records, medical evaluation status, fit testing, and training. |
| Permit-Required Confined Spaces — 29 CFR 1910.146 | Qualifying vessels, tanks, and other spaces. | Evaluations, permits, atmospheric testing, and rescue arrangements. |
| Control of Hazardous Energy — 29 CFR 1910.147 | Covered servicing and maintenance. | Equipment-specific procedures, inspections, and employee training. |
| Welding and Cutting — 29 CFR 1910 Subpart Q | Applicable hot-work activities. | Fire precautions, work-area reviews, and supporting records. |
| Occupational Noise Exposure — 29 CFR 1910.95 | Compressors, turbines, pumps, and other noisy equipment. | Exposure assessments and hearing-conservation documentation where required. |
| Electrical Work Practices — 29 CFR 1910.333 | Electrical maintenance and troubleshooting. | Work assessments, deenergization practices, and protective measures. |
| HAZWOPER Emergency Response — 29 CFR 1910.120(q) | Covered emergency response to hazardous-substance releases. | Response planning and role-specific training. |
| Recordkeeping — 29 CFR Part 1904 | Covered occupational injuries and illnesses. | Recordability decisions, applicable OSHA forms, and case documentation. |
Exposure assessment should reflect actual activities, including sampling, draining, line opening, and equipment cleaning where benzene may be present.
Record the material, task duration, work practices, and measurement basis. Apply the benzene standard’s scope and requirements rather than assuming the same exposure profile throughout the refinery. OSHA: Benzene
Transient operations involve procedures and conditions that differ from steady production. CSB investigations emphasize the importance of accurate instructions, preparation, communication, and management of changes during these periods.
Connect the readiness review to the actual configuration and unresolved findings. CSB: Incidents During Startups and Shutdowns
| Record | What it supports | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Work permit | Authorization under specified work conditions. | Does not independently establish equipment fitness for service. |
| Isolation record | Documented energy and material separation arrangements. | Must correspond to field conditions and the task. |
| Inspection report | Findings about equipment condition. | May require further engineering interpretation. |
| MOC record | Review and authorization of an applicable change. | Does not replace required field verification or training. |
| PSSR record | Confirmation of applicable startup prerequisites. | Must address the actual facility and modification. |
| Exposure result | Information about a sampled task or condition. | Does not establish every worker’s exposure throughout the unit. |
Examples include:
Refinery risk can increase when several conditions occur together: deteriorating equipment, an unavailable safeguard, a temporary operating change, and maintenance performed nearby.
Review findings in relation to the unit’s current state and planned work.
Consider the hazardous inventory, pressure, temperature, personnel exposure, equipment condition, and availability of protective measures.
Occupational injury rates alone do not describe the potential for a major process event.
Equipment Findings + Hazard-Review Actions + Operating Changes + Safeguard Status + Exposure Concerns
→Assess the Combined Condition
→Obtain the Required Technical Decision
→Assign Repairs or Operating Changes
→Verify the Result
→Review Similar Equipment and Units
Dexur EHS supports the record and follow-up. Process control, alarms, safety instrumented systems, and emergency shutdown functions remain with the designated operational systems.
Use separate, clearly defined measures for occupational injuries and process-related events.
| KPI | What to measure | Refinery application |
|---|---|---|
| OSHA TRIR and DART Rate | Recordable cases and cases involving days away, restricted work, or job transfer, normalized by hours worked. | Review routine operations and turnaround exposure with consistent reporting boundaries. |
| Loss-of-Containment Events | Releases categorized by material, equipment, operating phase, and defined severity criteria. | Identify recurring pumps, flanges, piping systems, or failure mechanisms. |
| PHA Recommendation Resolution | Open recommendations, age, disposition, and schedule status. | Show whether significant hazard-review actions receive timely decisions and completion. |
| Mechanical-Integrity Deficiencies | Outstanding deficiencies, technical-review status, and applicable restrictions. | Identify equipment requiring repair, reassessment, or other action. |
| Temporary Change and Safeguard Status | Changes approaching expiry and impaired protective functions awaiting restoration. | Highlight conditions requiring renewed review or corrective work. |
| Startup Readiness | Applicable prerequisites completed before the designated startup milestone. | Track documentation, training, verification, and unresolved findings. |
| Verified Action Closure and Recurrence | Actions completed with suitable evidence and issues recurring after closure. | Evaluate whether investigations, audits, and field findings produce effective changes. |
If the refinery uses an external process-safety event classification framework, apply its adopted definitions consistently rather than equating every release with the same event category.
Compare refineries and operating units while retaining differences in process technology and hazard profile.
Review:
Monitor the conditions affecting continued operation, outage planning, and startup.
Identify actions requiring technical review, maintenance resources, operating restrictions, or coordination between units.
Review recommendations, MOC records, readiness findings, and investigations.
Maintain the technical basis for decisions and identify when one correction affects procedures, drawings, training, or inspection requirements.
Access the equipment tag, deficiency, operating context, repair scope, and required verification.
Preserve the distinction between completing maintenance and confirming that the equipment satisfies the applicable acceptance criteria.
See current restrictions, changes, unresolved field findings, and revised instructions.
Carry these conditions through shift handovers so incoming personnel understand both the status and its significance.
Organization
Operations
Follow-through
This structure allows leaders to move from refinery-wide trends to the equipment and decision behind each result.
Refinery findings often cross several disciplines. An inspection result may require engineering assessment, an operating restriction, a repair, an MOC review, and updated instructions.
Dexur EHS keeps the safety history traceable through those steps.
Retain the process phase, material, conditions, and equipment history relevant to the finding.
Keep exposure concerns, injuries, releases, and major-hazard findings distinguishable while allowing related actions to be reviewed together.
Document the basis for recommendation dispositions, interim measures, and operating restrictions.
Maintain visibility into procedure revisions, drawing updates, training, and verification arising from an approved modification.
Carry unresolved equipment and readiness findings into the designated startup review.
Use repair evidence, inspection results, exposure reassessment, or engineering acceptance according to the issue.
Review whether a failure mechanism, sampling concern, or procedure deficiency could affect similar equipment elsewhere.
Bring unit inspections, process safety recommendations, occupational exposure findings, incident investigations, and corrective actions into one refinery safety record.
See how Dexur EHS can help your teams maintain visibility through production, maintenance, turnarounds, and startup.