Dirty Dozen Cause of Errors: Lack of Resources

This month’s article mentions “sensemaking” as a resource in an organization. Recent statements by PHMSA, Congress , and the NTSB about some 2010 leaks, spills, and explosions indicate that they want to determine whether or not the decisions and responses of pipeline companies is making sense or not. Pipeliners do not want leaks or spills or explosions, and this shapes our thinking in unusual situations. That’s why a conservative, disciplined operations philosophy and abnormal/emergency procedures are necessary resources that should be used.

Please read the article: Lack of Resources-Color

Posted October 19th, 2010 in Dirty Dozen Articles

“Pipeline control room workers focus of safety concerns” article in San Jose Mercury News

Unfortunately, there have been a few pipeline spills, explosions, and fires this summer.  One in San Bruno, California caused deaths and destruction.  Last Friday, a reporter from the San Jose Mercury News called and asked my opinion of the PHMSA “Control Room Management/Human Factors” rule.   He was interested in the training that control room operators received and whether or not it was adequate.  I told him that the training was adequate,  but a more important issue is the nature of human beings.

Pipelines spend millions of dollars on sophisticated technology and then forget that people may get fatigued, stressed, distracted.  There are many simple factors that may cause a person to experience a loss of situational awareness and fail to interpret the signals from the SCADA system correctly.  Of course, the causes of this summer’s spills and explosions appear to be problems with the actual steel pipe.  The concerns of the public and regulators and Congress about the control room workers is whether or not they responded correctly or quickly. If you want to read the brief article, click on the link below.

Mercury News Article

Posted October 3rd, 2010 in Human Factors