The Source - Spring 2009 - (Page 37)

the pipeline APGA Security and Integrity Foundation helps small utility operators By John Erickson Over the past 10 years, gas utilities have expended significant resources to comply with major new pipeline safety programs including operator qualification, public awareness and transmission integrity management. In 2009, final rules covering distribution integrity management and control room management are expected. Even large utilities are challenged to find the resources required to address these new requirements; for small utilities, compliance can be overwhelming. In 2005, the American Public Gas Association (APGA) created the APGA Security and Integrity Foundation (SIF) to assist smaller utilities to meet their compliance challenges. The Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) provided funding to the SIF initially to provide operator qualification training and evaluations, but in the following years, the SIF programs have expanded into other areas. OPERATOR QUALIFICATION (OQ) EVALUATIONS The continued to hold OQ workshops throughout 2008, offering top-of-theline written and hands-on evaluation conducted by highly qualified experts at affordable prices at locations convenient to the utilities. The SIF OQ program issues a certificate to operators when they have successfully completed the written and hands-on requirements. To date the SIF has qualified 1332 individuals in over 45 workshops held in 15 states. The SIF realizes that small operators and master meter operators are not always able to take time off to travel and attend multi-day workshops. For this reason workshops are generally held over two days and cover one or two task categories. Offering qualification on the same task over multiple days allows operators to rotate schedules and compensate for time THE SOURCE | SPRING 2009 , VOL. 1, ISSUE 3 37

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Source - Spring 2009

The Source - Spring 2009 Contents First Person APGA Events Q&A: One-on-One with Senator Jeff Bingaman Great Malls Think Alike The Economy and Your Customers Member to Member New Technology: Saving Energy Never Felt So Good New Technology: Get Pumped! Legislative Outlook The Pipeline Advertiser.com Advertisers' Index At Last

The Source - Spring 2009

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