What is a Pre-Startup Safety Review (PSSR) and when is it conducted?

• A. PSSR verifies that safety systems, procedures, and readiness are in place before starting up a new or modified process.
• B. PSSR is conducted after startup as a performance review.
• C. PSSR is a procurement safety standard.
• D. PSSR is only about environmental permits.

Answer: (A)

Pre-Startup Safety Review is a formal checkpoint done before starting up a new or modified process to verify that safety systems, procedures, and overall readiness are in place. It ensures that the engineering work is complete and validated, energy isolation and lockout/tagout measures are ready, safety interlocks and alarms function as intended, operating procedures are prepared, personnel are trained, permits-to-work and maintenance plans are in place, and emergency response is organized. Conducting this review before startup helps catch gaps that could lead to incidents once the process goes live. It’s performed prior to startup, not after, and it isn’t a procurement safety standard or solely about environmental permits.