Stellar hires new safety compliance director

Jacksonville, Florida-based Stellar, a designer, builder and installer of industrial ammonia systems, has hired Michael A. Chapman as its director of PSM Compliance and Technological Solutions.

Chapman will lead Stellar’s Process Safety Management (PSM) team, which provides compliance solutions for clients including audits, process hazard analyses, mechanical integrity inspections and corrective action support.

To help keep workplaces safe, the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) issued the Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals (PSM) standard (29 CFR 1910.119), which contains requirements for the management of hazards associated with processes using hazardous chemicals.

At Stellar, Chapman is tasked with developing advanced technology to enhance refrigeration operator/technician training, with the aim of increasing awareness and understanding of ammonia hazards.

He will also teach best practices in system operations and maintenance for accident prevention to ensure safety.

“Stellar is the platinum standard in the food and beverage industry. I was familiar with the firm and its reputation for high-quality work before coming aboard, so it’s an honor to be here,” said Chapman.

Stellar has been designing and building low-charge ammonia systems for more than a decade. It built its first ammonia-CO₂ cascade system in 2002.

Prior to joining Stellar, Chapman spent 17 years at Tyson Foods, Inc., where for the last 10 years he was program manager for process safety and risk management programs for 100+ U.S. locations. Before Tyson, he worked for North Carolina’s Division of Air Quality.