Pipeline Construction Safety

Pipeline Construction Safety

Improving the Pipeline Construction Safety Culture

INGAA Safety CommitteeActivities 2010-2014

Foundation Membership• Pipeline Operators• Pipeline Construction Companies• Pipeline Service Companies• Pipeline Equipment Manufacturers

Principles of an Effective Safety Culture

SafetyLessons for the Pipeline Industry

Construction Safety Guidelines

Construction Safety Guidelines• Personnel Protective Equipment• Excavation Safety • Working Under Utility Power Lines • Pressure Testing

Guidelines Under Development• Vehicle Safety

Excavation Safety

Excavation Safety• OSHA Special Emphasis program• WHY? Protect employees from collapse or

harm from the work in progress..

• WHY? To prevent damage or harm to existing underground facilities.

• WHY? There is always something in the ground that you did not foresee.

Excavation Safety (continued)

• Hazard Assessment –• Analyze what you are faced with• See what has changed since the last shift.• Develop a new plan based on changes found or new

(potential) issues

• Roles and Responsibilities-• Who does what?

• One Calls• Protection of public.• Competent person• Protect other facilities• Stop Work Authority.


• Health and Safety of Employees:• One call current and active• Work plan to dig safely and protect employees/public• Stop work authority• Atmospheric monitoring (exiting utilities, methane in the ground..)

• Access/Egress • Spoil piles protected• Protect employees from accumulating water, moving

equipment or materials (installation of pipe), Spoil piles


• Protective Systems for Excavations• Soil classificationAND• Benching, Sloping and/or Trench Boxes are the most

common methods utilized. • Others methods include timber shoring, hydraulic

shoring, or an engineered excavation.

EXCAVATION SAFETY

Sloping Method

EXCAVATION SAFETY

Trench Box Method

EXCAVATION SAFETY

Engineered Shoring

EXCAVATION SAFETY

Working Around Other Facilities

EXCAVATION SAFETY

Protecting Other Facilities

Overhead Utilities Safety

Overhead Utilities Safety• WHY? Protect employees from overhead

utility contact (or fall if contacted)..

• WHY? To prevent damage or harm to existing overhead utilities.

• WHY? Overhead utilities not only pose a potential danger, but can limit workspace and create “worksite congestion” issues.

Overhead Utilities Safety (continued)

• Hazard Assessment –• Analyze what you are faced with…• See what has changed since the last shift (temperature

shifts/load demands allow change in power line height.

• Revise the standard work plan if workspace is limited.• Develop a new plan based on changes found or new

(potential) issues (Example- newly acquired ROW, other construction in the area…)

Overhead Utilities Safety (continued)

• Roles and Responsibilities-• Who does what?

• Protection of public• Protect other facilities• Protects current work from existing conditions• Plans the proper equipment for safe execution of

work (reach of equipment –vs- height of utility)

• Deploys the use of a spotter• Stop Work Authority

• .

OVERHEAD UTILITIES SAFETY

Hazard Mitigation

• THREE LAYERS OF CONTROLS AT ANY GIVEN TIME…?• INGAA recommends the use of a minimum of 3

layers of controls if overhead utility contact is a potential at your worksite. Layers Include:

1. Spotters2. Signage3. Physical Barriers4. Proximity Alarm(s)5. Utility Controls


Methods of Protection

Spotters:If using a dedicated spotter, this must be his/her only duty. Must be properly trained (knowledge, established communication with operator, established location, ability/knowledge to act…)

Must be properly equipped (Vest, air horn, radio as needed/warranted)



Signage:Must be visible to all of those working (Low/ground level, Medium, and High) to provide a visible warning device to those on the ground, vehicles and equipment.



• Signage (eye level to those on the ground and in equipment).





Physical Barriers:Located between the equipment and the overhead utility. “Goal Post” – must be highly visible and non-conductive. INGAA recommends the installation on Upstream (coming in) and Downstream(going away) sides of the overhead utility when conditions warrant.



• “Goal Posts” serve as an excellent visible boundary



Proximity Alarms:Physical alarm system installed on the specific machinery. If the machine gets too close, it alerts the operator.



• Proximity Alarms



Utility Controls: “Direct Assistance” from utility owner.Includes, blinding, shielding, insulating, de-energizing, bonding, or taking out of service.



• We cannot forget TRAINING.

Pressure Testing

Pressure Testing Safety• Work procedures• Public protection• Employee Protection

Pressure Testing Safety• WHY? Pressure Testing is designed to find

a FAILURE or FAULTY COMPONENT. • WHY? Plan(s) must be in place to ensure

safety in the event of failure.• WHY? To ensure public safety from a

faulty component or pipeline system, protect the environment, and an prevent interruption of service.

Pressure Testing Safety• Develop a plan.

• Pressures• Medium(s)• Buffers, work areas established. • All aspects of plan are to be included….

Never assume

• Stick to the plan (unless safety or conditions, or something changes)

• Communicate the plan.

Pressure Testing Safety

With these Construction Safety Guidelines or others, there is

one essential key component….

Communication.

Are we always this CLEAR?

Pipeline Construction Safety

Engineering

public safety

safety of employees

overhead utility contact

spoil pilesexcavation

current work

active work plan

standard work plan

proper equipment