According to a recent AOPL survey, “spills from crude oil pipelines are down 70% over the last 10 years and spill volumes are down 40%. After an industry integrity management initiative, incidents caused by corrosion are down 73%, equipment failures down 50%, operational errors are down 40% and material and weld failures are down 30%.”
The article below talks about the oil and natural gas industries and how they are focusing on safety and making it their No. 1 priority. As one of the highest regulated industries in the world, they have adopted a list of principles in agreement with the Association of Oil Pipe Liners and the American Petroleum Institute, as a foundation of their safety methods and culture standards to keep improving:
- Zero incidents: Pipeline operators believe that every incident is preventable and work to that high standard.
- Organization-wide commitment: Safety is emphasized at every level of the organization.
- A culture of safety: Pipeline operators embrace the need to provide a workplace culture where safety is an enduring value that all employees share.
- Continuous improvement: Pipeline operators believe that no matter how safe they already are, they can always improve safety.
- Learn from experience: Pipeline operators learn how they can improve safety from their own experiences and by sharing lessons learned industry-wide with other pipeline operators.
- Systems for success: Management systems demonstrate that safety efforts are succeeding by measuring performance, tracking changes and confirming improvements.
- Employ technology: Operators constantly research and develop new ways to maximize safety.
- Communicate with stakeholders: Communicating with the public and stakeholders who value safety, from advocates to the government, is vital to improving safety.
To read the article, visit http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/oil-natural-gas-industries-take-steps-to-boost-safety-2f6bm8l-164809126.html.