Category: Blog

The Top 5 Ways to Lead an Effective OQ Program

Written by Kaitlyn Dukes on March 30, 2026. Posted in Blog, Regulation Navigation, Uncategorized.

The Top 5 Ways to Lead an Effective OQ Program Chris Taylor, ITS Vice President of Learning and Product hosted Gordon Tipton for Regulation Navigation, a quarterly webinar on pipeline industry news and trends. Gordon is an industry veteran with experience managing the training program at a large, multi-state operator and the current director of the Evaluator and Proctor Services program at ITS. They discussed Gordon’s background in becoming an OQ manager and his story of managing a large-scale, multi-year program change, including ways to get more buy in from everyone involved and how...

From Data to OQ Program Decisions: Why Dashboards Matter for OQ Managers

Written by Kaitlyn Dukes on February 11, 2026. Posted in Blog, Uncategorized.

From Data to OQ Program Decisions: Why Dashboards Matter for OQ Managers Most organizations today sit on vast amounts of information, yet teams still struggle to turn that data into answers they can trust and act on quickly. Static reports, manual exports, and one-off analyses have slowed decision-making and created uncertainty at the moments when clarity matters most to keep programs updated and workers in the field. That’s why dashboards have become more than reporting tools. When designed well, dashboards are decision enablers — helping teams see what’s happening, understand what...

PHMSA Updates 20 Regulatory Notices

Written by Kaitlyn Dukes on October 6, 2025. Posted in Blog, Industry News.

PHMSA Updates 20 Regulatory Notices On October 2nd, 2025, PHMSA published a series of updates to 20 of the regulatory notices published on July 1st. The updates include 3 regulations that have been withdrawn due to adverse comments, 1 that has a new effective date, and 16 with a confirmed effective date of January 1, 2026. During the ITS Regulation Navigation webinar on September 10th, ITS VP of Learning and Content, Chris Taylor, discussed the July 1st regulatory flurry with Erin Kurilla, Executive Vice President of Advocacy and Operations at the American Public Gas Association....

5 Takeaways from Regulation Navigation on the PHMSA Regulatory Flurry

Written by Kaitlyn Dukes on September 4, 2025. Posted in Blog, Industry News, Regulation Navigation.

5 Takeaways from Regulation Navigation on the PHMSA Regulatory Flurry PHMSA sent out a flurry of regulatory announcements on July 1st that included 28 related to pipeline safety in the Federal Register. During the latest Regulation Navigation webinar, Chris Taylor, ITS VP of Learning and Product, hosted Erin Kurilla, Executive Vice President of Advocacy and Operations at the American Public Gas Association, to discuss the expected changes and their timelines. Erin works closely with public-owned natural gas utilities member systems to continuously improve the safety and reliability of...

Span of Control Best Practices in Your Pipeline OQ Program

Written by Kaitlyn Dukes on July 25, 2025. Posted in Blog, Industry News, Regulation Navigation.

Span of Control Best Practices in Your Pipeline OQ Program The recent revisions to Span of Control in the ASME B31Q standard for the pipeline industry provide significant clarification on the role of a qualified observer for an unqualified worker. ITS has adapted the guidance from the B31Q standard, as well as related PHMSA regulations, into an interactive online course: Qualified Observer for Span of Control in the Enhanced series. This brief course, available to all ITS clients, will help supervisors and workers easily identify their roles and responsibilities on the job site and...

The Top 5 Takeaways from Regulation Navigation on Updates to B31Q

Written by Kaitlyn Dukes on June 16, 2025. Posted in Blog, Industry News, Regulation Navigation.

ITS hosted a conversation with Amy Livingston, Training Manager at Kinder Morgan and a committee member with ASME B31Q, for the latest Regulation Navigation webinar. Livingston and Chris Taylor, the ITS VP of Learning and Product, discussed the importance of the ASME B31Q standard for the pipeline industry and the most recent updates released in 2025. The webinar included 5 key takeaways about the latest updates to ASME B31Q: 5 Takeaways Span of Control (SOC) guidance has been clarified regarding the role of a qualified observer who must be present for the entire...

How the 2025 Edition of ASME B31Q Impacts Your OQ Program

Written by Kaitlyn Dukes on May 28, 2025. Posted in Blog, LMS.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has released the 2025 edition of ASME B31Q, a standard for pipeline safety and integrity as well as for operator qualification. This revision has a series of notable updates that will impact many OQ programs, including changes to span of control, language clarification, and firm standards for requalification. As you consider how these changes impact your OQ program, here are some highlights to keep in mind: Program Changes in B31Q The OQ program changes in B31Q include the following: New Task 0637: Vacuum Box Inspection of Tank Welds...

4 Excavation Best Practices for Pipeline Crews on Safe Digging Month

Written by Kaitlyn Dukes on April 15, 2025. Posted in Blog, LMS.

Whether you’re installing new services, making repairs, or performing maintenance, one misstep in the digging process can cause damage to critical infrastructure and pose serious safety risks. As we celebrate National Safe Digging Month this April, here are four reminders on what every pipeline worker should follow before and during excavation. Always Call 811 and Confirm All Line Locates You may have worked in the same area a hundred times but submitting a locate request through 811 before you dig is non-negotiable. Utility lines could have been added at any time. Facility operators...

How the ITS Connect App Delivers Accuracy and Flexibility for Gas Systems Operators

Written by Kaitlyn Dukes on February 27, 2025. Posted in Blog, LMS.

The ITS Connect App makes it easier than ever to track performance evaluations in any location. With Connect loaded on your mobile device, you can record evaluations on custom-built forms, record information with or without a network connection, and upload the data to your OnBoard account when connected to the internet. The Connect App is designed to meet the demands of the modern workforce, with digital signature recording and automatic PDF affidavits. Companies have used Connect to help them streamline their evaluation process in the following ways: ...

Pipeline Safety and Program Integrity are Center Stage for ITS

Written by Kaitlyn Dukes on November 5, 2024. Posted in Blog.

From October 16-17, ITS hosted its annual User Conference in Nashville, TN, gathering OQ administrators, leaders from pipeline operators, and contractors focused on using ITS products to ensure superior safety and program integrity. New Logo, Same Commitment to Improvement ITS CEO Stephanie Balmer shared that ITS has expanded its leadership team to include experienced experts in continuous improvement who prioritize listening to clients and improving our products and services accordingly. In keeping with this emphasis on continuous improvement, Industrial Training Services...