Pipeline Safety Management System
A pipeline safety management system is a systematic approach to increasing safety, reducing risk, and improving overall performance. API first published API Recommended Practice (RP) 1173, Pipeline Safety Management Systems, in 2015. Since then, companies either improved their management system or developed one. It is a journey to improve continually; each company is unique.
In RP 1173, 10 elements form a flexible and scalable system following a plan-do-check-act cycle. Element 2 or Section 6 is on Stakeholder Engagement.
What does this mean? Companies with a management system likely have a public or stakeholder engagement program. Reviewing your existing program against the RP 1185, Pipeline Public Engagement, may be beneficial.
What does it mean if you don’t have a management system? An engagement program following RP 1185 and its principles will integrate more easily into a system when the time is right. RP 1185 was designed and written to follow the RP 1173 approach of being flexible, scalable, and following plan-do-check-act/adjust. Like RP 1173, the implementation of RP 1185 will be a journey.
More information about integrating safety management systems and engagement is in the integration to PSMS of the foundation section of the website.