Jeffrey Wiese, of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration, has announced plans to roll out a new Youtube channel in an attempt to encourage industry to voluntarily improve process safety.
Mr Wiese, addressing oil and gas pipeline compliance officers in New Orleans, cited a “lack” of tools to enforce safety rules as a key driver behind the move.
“Do I think I can hurt a major international corporation with a $2 million civil penalty? No,” he said, in response to Congress’s 2011 decision to allow the PHMA to impose higher fines on companies.
Alluding to the length of time it can take to impose new pipeline rules, Mr Wiese said the YouTube channel would aim to “socialise these concepts long before we get to regulations”.
Can social media really play a role in process safety?Mr Wiese made his comments just before iLearn, an online training platform, launched free-to-access online process safety training videos.
iLearn managing director, John Reynolds, welcomed Mr Wiese’s remarks, saying industry must embrace as many tools as possible to maintain, prevent and control onsite safety.
“High hazard sector safe for the most part”
Mr Reynolds added: “We are to be proud that the majority of companies work hard in partnership with regulators, local authorities, neighbours and training providers to ensure the safety of their site, staff and surrounding communities.”
Such incidents, he said, were “exceptionally rare”, but rare “doesn’t mean extinct and safety failings do still happen”.
Mr Reynolds said regulators and training providers had a “duty” to do all they could to fuel high hazard sites with key skills and knowledge about good process safety.
“We must use all available channels to send the right signals and, in 2013, technology such as videos and online training platforms allow us to ping good process safety messages directly into the pockets of site managers and operators alike.”
Free process safety online training
iLearn’s free Toolbox Talk training pack introduces the concept of process safety, breaking it down into its key parts.
With a short video followed by assessment questions, you can start learning now. Upon successful completion, download and print your certificate.
Head on over to iLearn:
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