Safety for Small and Mid-size Chemical Facilities

Securing facilities that manufacture, store, use, or transport potentially dangerous chemicals against growing and evolving threats requires vigilance from both the private and public sector.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as the Chemical Sector Risk Management Agency (SRMA), actively collaborates with public and private Chemical Sector partners every day to ensure that chemical facility owners and operators not only receive important information about manmade and natural threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk to the Nation’s critical chemical facilities, but that owners and operators are also aware of tools and resources to assess the security and resilience of their specific facility. Whether you are an upstream or downstream provider or engage in the transport or manufacturing of basic specialty, agricultural, or pharmaceutical chemicals, DHS is confident you will find these resources informative, easy to understand, and actionable.

These resources are part of the DHS Chemical SRMA’s voluntary outreach, which is a no-cost initiative specifically designed to assist chemical facility owners and operators, physical security and information security professionals, chief information officers, risk managers, business continuity planners, information technology directors, and human resource managers in their efforts to enhance the security, preparedness, and resilience of their small and medium-sized chemical facilities.

Cybersecurity for Small and Midsize Chemical Facilities

CISA Resources for Small and Midsize Businesses (SMB)

To help business leaders get started, DHS has provided resources designed to help SMBs recognize and address their cybersecurity risks.

Cybersecurity for Small Businesses

This 30 minute, self-paced training exercise from the Small Business Administration (SBA) provides an introduction to securing information in small businesses.

Federal Communications Commission Small Biz Cyber Planner 2.0

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Small Biz Cyber Planner helps businesses create custom cybersecurity plans and includes information on cyber insurance, advanced spyware, and how to install protective software.

Federal Trade Commission: Protecting Small Businesses

This Federal Trade Commission (FTC) small business website helps business owners avoid scams, protect their computers and networks, and keep their customers' and employees' data safe.

Internet Essentials for Business 2.0

This guide from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for business owners, managers, and employees focuses on identifying common online risks, best practices for securing networks and information, and what to do when a cyber incident occurs.

White Paper: Every Small Business Should Use the NIST Cybersecurity Framework

This white paper from eManagement can help SMBs understand and use the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework. It provides cybersecurity tips for SMBs aligned to the Framework’s core functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover.

Preparedness for Small and Midsize Chemical Facilities

FEMA Preparedness Checklists and Toolkits

To assist you, FEMA has collected some leading resources so you can quickly find something here for every business:

• Preparedness Checklists and Toolkits
• Emergency Preparedness Resources for Businesses

Protecting Your Home or Small Business From Disaster

This 10-hour course will provide a foundation that will enable participants to describe different disasters, describe the hazards they pose to their business, and explain protective measures to reduce or eliminate long-term risks.

Ready.gov – Business

Business can do much to prepare for the impact of the many hazards that they face today by developing Emergency Response Plans. Plans should include evacuation, sheltering in place, and lockdown, as well as plans for other types of threats identified during the risk assessment.

• Emergency Response Plan Template
• Emergency Response Plan Resources Worksheet
• Risk Assessment Table
• Business Continuity Plan
• Business Continuity Resource Requirements Worksheet
• Business Impact Analysis Worksheet

Disaster Planning Checklists

SBA's "Prepare My Business" site has 17 different checklists to easily walk you through the planning process for all types of emergencies.

Disaster Planning Webinars

Each month, the SBA hosts free "Prepare My Business" educational webinars.  Learn more about how to plan your business continuity and disaster recovery strategy through live interactive courses and archived webinars.

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Small Business Resources

OSHA provides numerous resources and information designed specifically for small business employers, including health and safety standards.

NOTE: The Chemical SRMA’s voluntary outreach activities should not be confused with the Infrastructure Security Compliance Division's Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program.  If you have any questions or to get more information on any of these resources, please contact the Chemical SRMA at ChemicalSector@hq.dhs.gov.