[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 77 (Monday, April 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20174-20175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-1987]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2007-27954]


Pipeline Safety: Workshop on ``Prevention Through People'' 
Initiative

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of public workshop.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the first public workshop on PHMSA's 
``Prevention Through People'' (PTP) initiative. This workshop will 
gather information about noteworthy pipeline safety and integrity 
practices in control room operations, including measures for managing 
human risk factors such as fatigue. The information gathered will be 
used to develop an approach to control room management that enhances 
safety.

DATES: The workshop will be held on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 from 8:30 
a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will take place at the National Transportation 
Safety Board (NTSB) Conference Center, 429 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., 
Washington, DC 20594.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information regarding 
this workshop contact Byron Coy at (609) 989-2180, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Workshop Details

    Members of the public may attend the workshop. PHMSA will post any 
additional information or changes on its Web page (http://www.phmsa.dot.gov) approximately 15 days before the workshop date.
    Comments should reference Docket No. PHMSA-2007-27954 and may be 
submitted in the following ways:
     DOT Web site: http://dms.dot.gov. To submit comments on 
the DOT electronic docket site, click ``Comment/Submissions,'' click 
``Continue,'' fill in the requested information, click ``Continue,'' 
enter your comment, then click ``Submit.''
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management System: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: DOT Docket Management System; Room PL-401 
on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.
     E-Gov Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. This site 
allows the public to enter comments on any Federal Register notice 
issued by any agency.
    Instructions: You should identify the docket number, PHMSA-2007-
27954, at the beginning of your comments. If you submit your comments 
by mail, you should submit two copies. If you wish to receive 
confirmation that PHMSA received your comments, you should include a 
self-addressed stamped postcard. Internet users may submit comments at 
http://www.regulations.gov, and may access all comments received by DOT 
at http://dms.dot.gov by performing a simple search for the docket 
number.

    Note: All comments will be posted without changes or edits to 
http://dms.dot.gov including any personal information provided.

    Privacy Act Statement: Anyone may search the electronic form of all 
comments received for any of our dockets. You may review DOT's complete 
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 
2000 (65 FR 19477) or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.
    Information on Services for Individuals with Disabilities: For 
information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities, or to request special assistance at the workshop, please 
contact Byron Coy at (609) 989-2180 by May 18, 2007.

II. Background

    Sections 12 and 19 of the Pipeline Integrity, Protection, 
Enforcement and Safety Act of 2006 (PIPES Act), Public Law 109-468, 
direct PHMSA to address various risks to pipeline integrity in which 
people play a large role, including fatigue and other safety concerns 
in control room management. PHMSA plans to use its PTP initiative to 
address these PIPES Act requirements.
    Historically, PHMSA's pipeline integrity management (IM) efforts 
were driven by making best use of risk data to prioritize risk control 
efforts. Program logic dictated the focus on the physical and 
structural soundness of the pipe and other infrastructure components to 
assure that hazardous liquids and natural gas are safely transported. 
IM programs over the past several years are successfully driving down 
the leading risks of third party damage and corrosion. These programs 
help operators understand the threats affecting the integrity of their 
systems and implement appropriate actions to mitigate risks associated 
with these threats. Third party damage and corrosion are only part of 
the safety picture. The next logical area of program development is to 
examine the role of people, including control center operators. Human 
error, including those caused by mistake or fatigue, can cause or 
exacerbate events involving releases leading to safety impacts.
    PHMSA is considering a plan to recognize the importance of human 
interactions and opportunities for preventing risk, both errors and 
mitigating actions, to pipeline system integrity by instituting a PTP 
program. This effort would draw together all existing program 
components both regulatory and non-regulatory. The PTP program would be 
designed as a holistic part of the IM program efforts.
    Several existing regulations focus on the role of people in 
effectively managing safety. These include regulations on damage 
prevention programs (Sec. Sec.  192.614 and 195.442), public awareness 
(Sec. Sec.  192.616 and 195.440), and qualification of pipeline 
personnel (Sec.  192.801 and subpart G of part 195). In the future, 
PHMSA plans to address additional risks associated with human factors 
as well as the opportunities for people to mitigate risks. Explicitly 
incorporating a PTP element in IM plans would emphasize the role of 
people both in contributing to and in reducing risk. PHMSA believes 
that this may be the best means of fostering a holistic approach to 
managing the safety impact of people on the integrity of pipelines. In 
addition to regulations, PHMSA plans to recognize and communicate 
noteworthy best practices in PTP.
    PHMSA recently reported to Congress on its work examining control 
room management issues. This report, titled ``Qualification of Pipeline 
Personnel,'' is the culmination of a four-year effort examining control 
room issues in PTP. Controllers are individuals who operate computer-
based systems for monitoring and controlling the operations of 
pipelines. Although the project began with examination of qualification 
issues, during the course of the project, we identified other control 
room issues impacting the safety performance of these individuals. 
PHMSA concluded that validating the adequacy of controller-related 
processes, procedures, training and the controllers' credentials would 
improve management of control rooms, enhancing safety for the public, 
environment and pipeline employees. PHMSA also identified areas in 
which additional measures could enhance

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control room safety and minimize risk associated with fatigue and 
interaction with computer equipment. These areas include annual 
validation of controller qualifications by senior level executives of 
pipeline companies, clearly defined responsibilities for controllers in 
responding to abnormal operating conditions, the use of formalized 
procedures for information exchange during shift turnover, and clearly 
established shift lengths combined with education on strategies to 
reduce the contribution of non-work activities to fatigue.
    This workshop will build on work done in the June 2006 workshop on 
controller issues. PHMSA will include panels drawn from the entire 
enterprise to discuss noteworthy practices in the various areas. We 
anticipate panels on fatigue and other control room management issues. 
These issues include both those directly relating to the individuals, 
such as qualifications and fatigue, as well as the systems and 
processes controllers use that can affect pipeline safety and 
integrity.
    In particular, PHMSA seeks information about best practices and 
standards that would accomplish the following:
    1. Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of controllers to 
ensure their prompt and appropriate response to abnormal operating 
conditions.
    2. Formalize procedures for recording critical information and for 
exchanging information during shift turn-over.
    3. Establish shift lengths and schedule rotations to protect 
against the onset of fatigue, and educate controllers and their 
supervisors in fatigue mitigation strategies and how non-work 
activities contribute to fatigue.
    4. Periodically review the supervisory control and data acquisition 
systems (SCADA) displays to insure controllers are getting clear and 
reliable information from field stations and devices.
    5. Periodically audit alarm configurations and handling procedures 
to provide confidence in alarm signals and to ensure controller 
effectiveness.
    6. Involve controllers when planning and implementing changes in 
operations, and maintain strong communications between controllers and 
field personnel.
    7. Determine how to establish, maintain, and review controller 
qualifications, abilities and performance metrics, with particular 
attention to response to abnormal operating conditions.
    8. Analyze operating experience including accidents and incidents 
for possible involvement of the SCADA system, controller performance, 
and fatigue.
    9. Validate the adequacy of controller-related procedures, training 
and the qualifications of controllers, possibly annually through 
involvement by senior level executives of pipeline companies.
    PHMSA also expressly seeks comments on the potential for including 
PTP within IM.

III. Preliminary Workshop Agenda

    The preliminary agenda for this workshop includes briefings on the 
following topics:
     Prevention through People' Overview.
     Purpose and Goals of Workshop.
     Fatigue and SCADA-NTSB.
     Fatigue-Panel Discussion.
     Computer Interface and Change Management--Panel 
Discussion.
     Control Room Practices--Panel Discussion.
     Risk Approach to Control Room Management--PHMSA.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 60102, 60117.

    Issued in Washington, DC on April 17, 2007.
Joy Kadnar,
Director, Office of Engineering and Emergency Support.
[FR Doc. 07-1987 Filed 4-18-07; 10:40 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P