Final PHMSA Control Room Management Rule Issued – December, 2009

Have you reviewed the final control room management rule?

Pipeline Performance Group is working with clients who want to develop and implement their control room management plans.  We work with you to address the following issues:

• Roles and responsibilities of controllers

• Communication practices with controllers, field operations, and management

• SCADA displays and how changes are addressed

• Alarm management plans

• Shift schedules and how some schedules contribute to fatigue

• Procedures and whether they help or hinder controllers

• Process for normal, abnormal, emergency, and alarm procedures

• Workload of critical and non-critical tasks

• Safety culture (a just, learning culture balances safety and accountability

• Error management and error reduction practices

• Lessons learned program to include “near miss” reporting

• Work environment and ergonomics

• Training

We believe that a company should have an “Operations Philosophy” that addresses human performance. The philosophy guides the development of policies and procedures.

A driving impetus for this rule is the risk from controller fatigue. A company must include “a maximum limit on the hours of service established by the operator for individuals employed as controllers in a control center for the pipeline.”  Pipeline Performance Group incorporates fatigue research, circadian rhythms, and sleep and rest requirements into our fatigue management risk assessment.

Pipeline Performance has the experience and expertise to address human performance so you can improve operational performance in the control room and other areas of operations and management. Contact us to discuss and schedule the development of your control room human factors plan.  

Develop Your Control Room Management & Human Factors Plan