Source: American Public Gas Association
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) will bring together pipeline safety public awareness stakeholders at a June 19-20 workshop in Dallas, Texas. During the workshop, findings from recent federal and state public awareness inspections will be discussed, and various stakeholders will share their perspectives on public awareness challenges and successes in order to identify ways to strengthen pipeline safety public awareness. The workshop will also be webcast. Presentations from this workshop will be made available on PHMSA’s website following the workshop.
In 2005, PHMSA incorporated the American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 1162, “Public Awareness Programs for Pipeline Operators” by reference into its regulations to address pipeline safety public awareness requirements. These regulations require pipeline operators to develop and implement public awareness programs consistent with requirements specified in the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act (PSIA) of 2002. Pipeline operators are required to conduct continuing public awareness programs to provide pipeline safety information to four stakeholder audiences, which are the affected public, emergency response officials, local public officials, and excavators. Pipeline operators are also required to periodically evaluate their public awareness programs for effectiveness and enhance their programs as necessary, in intervals of no more than four years apart. APGA developed the Gas Overall Awareness Level (GOAL) program to measure program effectiveness for the affected public group, which includes customers and non-customers living near distribution lines.
The primary goals of this workshop are to:
1. Provide an overview of the public awareness program and discuss recent inspection findings;
2. Understand what is working and not working with RP 1162 from various stakeholder perspectives (industry, pipeline operators, public, emergency response officials, local public officials, and excavators);
3. Share ways to improve public awareness outreach efforts; and,
4. Discuss the path forward for improving public awareness.
To register to attend or to view the webcast go to www.apga.org/phmsawebinar. For further information, please contact John Erickson of APGA staff by phone at 202-464-2742, ext 1002 or by email at jerickson@apga.org.