We’re Not OSHA PSM – What Can I Learn from Process Safety?

Process Safety Management is often associated with highly regulated chemical processes, but many of its core principles can strengthen safety performance in virtually any organization. This session will introduce attendees to the fundamentals of process safety, explain how process safety differs from traditional occupational safety and other common EHS practices, and explore practical concepts that can be applied beyond facilities covered by OSHA’s PSM standard.

Warren will also share a personal safety moment related to occupational hearing loss, providing a real-world reminder of the importance of recognizing and managing both immediate and long-term workplace risks.

Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of the key pillars of process safety, where industry commonly experiences gaps, and how selected process safety principles can be incorporated into existing safety programs to improve risk awareness, operational discipline, and organizational learning.

Objectives:

1. Identify lessons from a real-world occupational hearing loss experience and relate those lessons to long-term hazard recognition and prevention.
2. Define process safety and differentiate it from traditional occupational safety and Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) practices.
3. Describe the primary pillars and foundational elements of effective process safety management.
4. Analyze common process safety weaknesses and identify areas requiring greater organizational focus.
5. Apply selected process safety principles to workplaces and operations not covered by OSHA’s Process Safety Management standard.

Presenter:

Warren Gillenwater is an experienced, multi-disciplined engineer with extensive expertise in process safety and process engineering. In several of his most recent roles, he served as a company-wide process safety leader and technical subject matter expert, helping organizations strengthen risk management practices and improve operational safety.

Throughout his career, Warren has launched numerous products, developed and improved manufacturing processes, and led teams across Safety, Operations, and Project Engineering. His experience spans several Chicago-area companies, including Nufarm, Ecolab, Nalco, Cabot Microelectronics, Nanophase, and Stepan.

His broad technical and leadership background gives him a practical perspective on how process safety principles can benefit organizations—even those that are not subject to OSHA’s Process Safety Management standard.

Agenda:

11:30 am                               Lunch & Networking

11:55 am                               Chapter Announcements & Introductions

~Noon to ~1:00 pm           Presentation

Meeting Sponsor:

Not a current member apply here and select Three Rivers as your primary chapter, see you soon!