In the latest Regulation Navigation, ITS Compliance and Regulatory Specialist Warren Miller shared his key takeaways regarding the Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking from the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC) meeting, November 27th through December 1st, 2023. Due, in part, to the large number of comments under consideration, only half of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) was discussed during the meeting.
GPAC gathers government, industry, and public stakeholders to review the proposed rule’s language and develop recommendations for the final...
3 Easy Ways to Customize Your OQ Training
The ITS Enhanced 192 and 195 series have been leading industry standards for Operator Qualification training for the pipeline industry. Yet, a pipeline operator often requires customized training materials for specific tasks that go beyond a standard program. PHMSA places the responsibility for modifying an OQ program on pipeline operators, but ITS can provide vital support through developing customized training content. Why does it make sense to work with ITS on custom training content? Here are a few reasons:Customized detail and complexity for specific tasks Precisely match procedures...
3 Tips for Stress Free Audits
Warren Miller’s 3 Tips for Stress Free Audits
We can’t think of anyone in any industry who looks forward to an audit. Yet, with the expertise of Warren Miller, the ITS Compliance Specialist and former PHMSA regulator, you can prepare for audits with confidence and alleviate the stress that many feel when receiving an audit notice.
Tip 1: Nail Down the Essentials
Preparing for a stress-free audit begins with nailing down the most important details so that you know how to focus your time:
Who is inspecting?
What do they need to see during the audit? Records, facilities, or...
How to Document Span of Control Using the ITS Verify App
When we talk to pipeline foremen and OQ managers, they often mention there’s no simple way to track in the field who can perform OQ tasks under the span of control of a qualified supervisor.
The ITS OnBoard Learning Management System makes it easy to track fully trained and qualified individuals for pipeline tasks and to assign specific projects to a group of workers with the appropriate span of control requirements. Combining ITS Verify with OnBoard data makes it possible to customize span of control requirements and then access them on a mobile device through the Verify app.
Here’s how...
5 Ways the Gas Industry Is Improving Pipeline Safety
When the staff at ITS speak with our clients and colleagues in the pipeline industry, we regularly hear about the steps they’re taking to improve safety for their workforce and customers.
The release of a new Pipeline Safety Management System computer-based training series in the ITS LMS is the perfect time to share some of our favorite tips for improving your safety responses.
Choose the Right Words for a Pipeline Safety Culture
Building a safety culture requires developing a shared sense of success or failure. When a...
Why Your Company Needed a Professional LMS Yesterday
The manager of an organization’s Learning Management System (LMS) shared at a recent gas industry conference, “We should have switched to the ITS LMS years ago.”
That’s a common conversation for us. Growing, successful companies get stuck using yesterday’s software for tomorrow’s challenges because of concerns about the complexities of importing their data to a new system.
THE LMS DILEMMA
A compliance LMS is an essential training tool for accessing and tracking online training and assessments. The ITS LMS was built specifically for pipeline compliance and leverages industry-proven content...
Webinar Recap | An Inside Look at Rulemaking and Upcoming NPRMs
Many voices are involved in developing Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) regulations, and pipeline operators and contractors should be among them. These federal rules shape how work is done on natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines.
Our latest Regulation Navigation webinar covered how PHMSA final rules are made and regulations that are in the works for the energy industry.
Whether you missed the webinar or would like a quick refresher, read on for the Top 5 Takeaways:
There are 5 ways rules originate: congressional mandates, NTSB recommendations, PHMSA...
Top 5 Takeaways: Integrity Management
On December 1, 2021, we wrapped up the year with our fourth webinar in the Regulation Navigation with Warren Miller series discussing the topic of Integrity Management. To summarize our session, our panelists put together a list of the Top 5 Takeaways from the discussion. Check it out!
Gain leadership buy-in
Ensure your leadership or management team supports the development of the Integrity Management program. Leadership can help pull together the people and resources needed to build a successful program.
Break down barriers and walls between programs
Communication between departments...