Through effective process safety management, we reduce the risk of uncontrolled process events such as fires, explosions, and accidental chemical releases. The company employs a comprehensive set of Responsible Care Process Safety Standards and Guidelines to help minimize these events. Our Standards outline specific requirements for assessing and managing process risk; organizational and manufacturing changes; ensuring equipment integrity; and controlling plant purchases of equipment and materials. All of NOVA Chemicals' facilities are operated in accordance with our internal Process Safety Standards, which meet or exceed the regulated process safety requirements of the U. S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Process Safety Management Regulation.

Process fires are an area of particular focus at NOVA Chemicals, and we believe our approach to eliminating them is an industry best practice. Any uncontrolled fire that occurs at a chemical plant - no matter how small - could potentially cause harm to our employees and contractors, as well as serious damage to equipment, facilities and the environment. We place such an emphasis on process fires that whenever an uncontrolled fire of any size occurs within a process area, senior business leadership is notified immediately, and a thorough incident investigation is initiated to help prevent recurrence. NOVA Chemicals has developed a monitoring and reporting system called the Incident Learning Process (ILP), and we believe it is also an industry best practice that helps us reduce the frequency and severity of process-related incidents.

To provide leadership in addressing process fires, we have established a company-wide team that works to identify and review all process fires and Loss of Process Containment (LOPC) incidents. The team shares information and develops recommendations and actions to reduce the occurrence of electrical system faults, hydrocarbon leaks from flanges and pump seals and polymer leaks at all stages in the manufacturing process.

NOVA CHEMICALS' REPORTABLE PROCESS SAFETY INCIDENT PERFORMANCE:

*American Chemistry Council's Definition for Process Safety Incident:
Under Responsible Care, a process safety incident is one that occurs within a Responsible Care company in which a chemical process was involved resulting in a significant fire, explosion, chemical release or injury. A process safety incident is considered reportable if it results in (a) a fire or explosion causing more than $25,000 in property damage, (b) a release of a chemical greater than the CERCLA Reportable Quantity (RQ) for extremely hazardous substances or a release of 5,000 pounds of a flammable or combustible material or (c) a serious injury arising from a fire, explosion, chemical release or a release of energy or material from a process. CERCLA RQ’s are set by law at one pound until EPA establishes a specific quantity based on risks posed by the specific substance.

For additional information regarding on process safety performance in the chemical industry, please visit the process safety section of the American Chemistry Council's Responsible Care performance website.