Process safety management (PSM) remains a core focus for the Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC) and its members as the sector continues to strengthen safety performance and operational resilience.

Building on the CSA Z767 standard, the WPAC Safety Committee and PSM Working Group have committed to a focused, achievable approach in 2026 that includes foundational activities to support long-term PSM maturity across the industry. The key areas of focus are:

Developing and Validating Plant‑level Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs): Members will be supported in developing and validating clear, site‑specific PFDs to strengthen process knowledge and hazard understanding. This includes facilitated workshops, document review and collaboration with plant teams to ensure diagrams accurately reflect current operating conditions and provide a solid foundation for risk identification.

Implementing Management of Change (MOC) Systems: The 2026 focus is on implementing MOC systems that are usable, consistent and tailored to plant realities. Members will be provided self‑assessment tools, a standard MOC package, and training for PSM Champions to help integrate change management into day‑to‑day decision‑making and reduce risk associated with operational, equipment or process changes.

Reviewing and Documenting Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID) Gap Assessments: Plants will begin reviewing existing P&ID documentation to determine what is available, identify gaps and prioritize process areas. The goal is not full P&ID completion in 2026, but to build awareness, assess quality and develop plant‑specific roadmaps to support future detailed work.

A practical action plan will be developed based on the outputs of PFD development, MOC self-assessments and P&ID reviews to help plants prioritize next steps, align internal resources and prepare for a broader implementation beyond 2026.

If you want to learn more, visit pellet.org or contact Fahimeh Yazdan Panah at fahimeh@pellet.org.