Security Changes for U.S. Chemical Facilities

Effective June 8, 2007, all chemical or covered facilities designated as “high-risk” must adhere to the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) set forth by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which directs DHS to identify, assess and ensure effective security at high-risk chemical facilities. CFATS establishes risk-based performance standards for the security of the nation's chemical facilities and requires covered chemical facilities to prepare Security Vulnerability Assessments (SVAs), which identify facility security vulnerabilities, and to develop and implement Site Security Plans (SSPs), which include measures that satisfy the identified risk-based performance standards.

In addition to SVAs and SSPs, this regulation mandates audits and inspections to determine compliance, allows for civil penalties for any violations and empowers the Secretary of Homeland Security to cease operations if the facility is not in compliance with the regulation’s requirements. The CFATS will be implemented in phases, working with those chemical facilities presenting the very highest security risks first. 

Assisting Our Clients: How Burns & McDonnell Can Help

It is estimated that this new regulation will cost the industry $3.6 billion over the course of the first three years of implementation, and $8.5 billion over 10 years. There is a significant amount of work to be done by the industry in order to adhere to these new standards.

Burns & McDonnell’s Process & Industrial Group, as well as its Security Group, has the knowledge and capacity to assist clients with CFATS. Burns & McDonnell can assist with the development of SVAs, which identify the specific materials and chemicals located at a particular facility. Subsequent to the development of an SVA, Burns & McDonnell can assist with the development of an SSP, which is a site-specific plan for the facility, its materials and chemicals and what security measures will be required to safely secure those items.

Apart from the development of such specific plans, Burns & McDonnell has the capability to implement the SSPs through service offerings such as construction management, monitoring and inspection services. Burns & McDonnell can also deliver turnkey design-build services, handling everything from the implementation of the SSP to design, construction and management, as well as bringing the system online, ready for the client to operate. Through this service, Burns & McDonnell can handle all client needs under one roof.

Where It Starts

Facilities will be placed in one of four tiers, with Tier 1 reserved for facilities posing the highest risk, and Tier 4 reserved for those posing the lowest risk. All chemical or covered facilities will be notified by DHS officials of their tier ranking.