APIA: National approach key to boosting pipeline safety
Posted: 1 November 2005
A consistent approach by regulators across the country would boost the pipeline industry’s existing excellent record on safety, the Queensland Government’s Chief Inspector for the petroleum sector, Mr John Fleming, said today.
Mr Fleming’s call for a national approach, made during a presentation to the Australian Pipeline Industry Association’s annual convention in Adelaide, drew an immediate and positive response from APIA Chief Executive, Ms Cheryl Cartwright.
“APIA’s onshore pipeline construction safety code, released at this convention, was an example of the effectiveness of such a cooperative approach with State regulators,” Ms Cartwright said.
“The industry looks forward to continuing to work with regulators to pursue uniform safety standards and their interpretation,” she said.
Mr Fleming told the APIA convention that Queensland was adopting a national approach to safety regulation by applying only the Australian Standard AS 2885, dealing with safety in pipeline construction and operation.
“We are trying very hard to become consistent nationally, so that a pipeliner coming across the border doesn’t meet a whole raft of new rules,” Mr Fleming said.
“I believe we need to have meetings with all the State regulators because not only do you have to have the standard consistent, you also need to interpret the standard consistently. And sometimes that can cause issues.
“We do talk with each other in certain areas – it is not total silence. But I don’t know ever of a meeting of all regulators on safety, together at the one time.
“It would be good for industry to have a common forum they could come to and say: ‘What is your interpretation of this issue?’ and get a consistent answer.
“At the moment they would ring every regulator and possibly get different answers.
“A national approach by regulators on safety is one of the things that could contribute to an improved safety environment in the pipeline industry.
“The beauty is that we have one pipeline industry association in APIA that we can talk to, which is great. If we could do it both ways, APIA could talk to the regulators and vice versa, we could generate some really good answers,” he said.
Ms Cartwright said APIA would facilitate a forum for State regulators to meet.
“We have three State regulators at this convention and, next year, I will formally invite all of the regulators to attend a forum at our next convention in Alice Springs,” Ms Cartwright said.
“The APIA convention would be an excellent opportunity to share information and ideas and work towards a consistent approach to all technical regulation, including safety,” she said.
Mr Fleming said the Australian pipeline industry had “an incredibly good safety record both in construction and in operation”.
“It has been quite outstanding in Australia, indeed, it is hard to pick individual accidents of any consequence.
“However, that’s the time when you have to try even harder because it’s easy to become complacent, it’s easy to think that we are so safe we don’t have to care any more.
Mr Fleming said education was an important element of a campaign to avoid complacency.
“Pipelines are silent, they just sit there quietly and they don’t declare themselves to be hazardous, and yet transmission pipelines contain massive amounts of energy, stored under pressure,” Mr Fleming said.
“Like fire they are great servants and bad masters. If something can go wrong, it can go dreadfully wrong,” he said.
For more information see http://www.apia.net.au/
Posted by Richard Price, Editor, EnergyME.com
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