OSEA Safety Blog

Pipeline Safety

Thursday, March 2, 2017 Michele Pratt

Pipeline is back!

If you have been watching the news even with one eye open, you may have heard that President Trump signed an Executive Order regarding the Dakota Access Pipeline. Once complete the pipeline will extend approximately 1,100 miles and carry approximately 500,000 barrels per day of crude oil to markets in the U.S. The contractors working on these sites have safety as a top priority.

PHMSA – The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is the primary regulatory agency that provides guidelines on many aspects of safety. A final rule was published in the Federal Register last January which requires operators to report accidents to PHMSA within an hour and to report confirmation of the incident within 48 hours.

Pipeline companies utilize a program for safety called Integrity Management specifically for control rooms. These programs assist operators in preparing for incidents through the control room technologies to stop the flow of a pipeline quickly upon a release. Integrity Management plans have assisted in in reduction of incidents by developing emergency response plans, and working with local first responders.

For more information on Pipeline Safety click this link http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline

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