The American Petroleum Institute has announced a new standard for pipeline safety management. The API Recommended Practice 1173 is now the American National Standard (ANS) for pipeline safety management systems (PSMS). The RP provides a risk management framework for continuous improvement of pipeline integrity. The PSMS builds on an operator’s existing pipeline safety system, including the operator’s pipeline safety processes and procedures. This RP defines the elements needed to identify and address safety for a pipeline’s life cycle.
The standard advocates a ‘plan, do, check, and act’ philosophy along with periodic reviews and corrective actions. Developed with help from National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and other stakeholders, API 1173 comes as a 27 page document and costs $85 from the API.
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