Implementation of the Serious-Incident Prevention Process Pipeline Operations Case Study

9 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SERIOUS-INCIDENT PREVENTION PROCESS PIPELINE OPERATIONS CASE STUDY 

History confirms that the potential frequency of incidents involving the transport of hazardous materials in pipelines is inherently low. However, personnel involved in pipeline operations fiiUy understand that, in the event of a pipeline incident, the potential for catastrophic consequences clearly exists. Thus, a challenge for personnel operating pipelines is to maintain diligence and constancy of purpose even when operations seem almost always to go smoothly. 

One company s pipeline team, comprised of a first-level supervisor and other personnel responsible for operating and maintaining the pipeline system, established an objective of developing a more effective approach to serious-incident prevention based on the eight-element process model. The team s assessment of risks included evaluating causes of past U.S. pipeline accidents. Department of Transportation (DOT) data (Fig. 18.5) identify third-party damage as the most frequent cause of pipeline incidents, followed by defective equipment or repair, external corrosion, internal corrosion, and operator error. The team s thorough evaluation of potential risks has helped ensure that the appropriate tasks and safe 

The team monitors the percentage of critical work completed and charts the results on a monthly basis (Fig. 18.6). The chart includes each month s performance score, a 12-month moving average helpful in highlighting trends, and an indication of the team s improvement goal. Feedback, reinforcement, and corrective actions are often facilitated through the addition of handwritten notes on the charts that are posted in the work area to reinforce excellent performance and to pinpoint improvement needs. 

The status of each performance measurement is reviewed by the pipeline team each month. Positive reinforcement is triggered when the measurements demonstrate that performance milestones have been achieved. When measurements indicate improvement opportunities, root causes are identified and proactive corrective actions are initiated. The team drives continual improvement by focusing on improvement opportunities controllable by the team. 

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