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 ensure that all tasks are completed safely and accurately.

Span of Control Guidance

Span of control provides unqualified workers an opportunity to work on covered tasks under the supervision of a qualified observer. However, qualified observers are expected to remain present with unqualified workers in order to direct, observe, and intervene if there is an Abnormal Operating Condition. According to B31Q, qualified observers should remain where the task is being performed and maintain the recommended “observer to worker” ratios for each task.

Changing Span of Control

The ITS Qualified Observer for Span of Control course illustrates how to apply span of control in specific situations. For example, if the conditions on a worksite make it advisable to reduce the number of workers under span of control, the qualified observer may decide to limit span of control. These changes may occur due to factors such as weather conditions, visibility, and other obstructions.

Learn More about the Changes to B31Q

There were plenty of other notable changes in the latest revision to the B31Q standard. You can learn about them all in the latest edition of the ITS Regulation Navigation webinar, where ITS VP of Learning and Product, Chris Taylor, leads a wide ranging discussion with Amy  Livingston, training Manager at Kinder Morgan and a committee member with B31Q. https://its-training.com/regnav/  Watch Regulation Navigation