Prestartup / Operational Readiness Reviews

The purpose of a Prestartup / Operational Readiness Review (PSR) is to ensure that initial start-ups, or start-ups following major project work, proceed safely and smoothly. In particular, the PSR will check to make sure that all project activities are complete and that the system is ready for safe operation. It is a tool that the operations and maintenance departments use to make ensure that they have received what they expected to receive from the project team, and that no corners were cut, particularly with regard to safety.

As with most process safety activities, a PSR will generally be performed by a small team made up of representatives from operations, maintenance, engineering and safety.

(The terms ‘Operational Readiness Review’ and ‘Prestartup Safety Review’ (PSSR) are used synonymously here. ‘Prestartup Safety Review’ was used by OSHA in the 1990s in its Process Safety Management (PSM) rule. However, a safety validation of a facility will also help determine that the facility will operate as expected. Therefore, the term ‘Operational Readiness’ is more comprehensive.)

Project Phases

The sketch shows the phases of a typical project and the time when an Operational Review is performed.

Credit: Ian Sutton