The US Department of Transportation's Office of Pipeline Safety last month said it wants public comment on a congressionally mandated rule that requires natural gas, oil, and product pipeline operators to perform public education programs.
Comments are due Aug. 23, 2004.
In a note to clients, the law firm Van Ness Feldman said the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 instructs OPS to establish standards for a public education program.
The agency currently wants operators to follow an existing industry standard set by the American Petroleum Institute.
"The intended goal is a reduction in the number of pipeline accidents caused by third-party damage, as well as an improvement in emergency response," the firm said.
Under the API guidelines, the public education program must address the following stakeholder audiences: affected public; local officials; emergency responders; excavators/contractors; land developers, and one-call centers.
Safety bulletin
In other OPS news, the agency issued a dewatering safety bulletin in coordination with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
"We want to ensure that workers and employers are armed with information that can save lives and prevent injuries," said OSHA Administrator John Henshaw. "Working with DOT's Office of Pipeline Safety, we've produced a document that will give the industry practical information and on the hazards and risks associated with pipeline work and the means to prevent workplace injuries and fatalities."
US regulators said in late June that the OSHA and OPS bulletin highlights potential hazards associated with dewatering operations. OSHA's area offices in the Pennsylvania cities of Allentown and Wilkes-Barre recently investigated two fatalities that occurred when workers were struck by temporary dewatering piping that was improperly anchored and, due to excessive air pressure, eventually broke from its coupling, officials said.
