| To support initiation of the Risk Management Demonstration Program, the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) developed a Risk Management Orientation Course to prepare federal, state and industry personnel for their roles in the Demonstration Program. This four-day course was presented for each of the five OPS Regions in the summer of 1997, reaching a combined audience of more than 110 participants. Shorter seminars covering the process OPS is using to conduct the Risk Management Demonstration Program were also presented at several different locations throughout the year. In addition, the Transportation Safety Institute's Pipeline Safety Division provided numerous brief overviews and status reports during their regular pipeline safety courses and seminars. The Orientation Course covered the following topics: - Risk Management Demonstration Program: The motivation that lead OPS to consider risk management; how the program evolved; and the demonstration program objectives.
- Risk Management Demonstration Project: The key characteristics of an acceptable risk management demonstration project.
- OPS Risk Management Demonstration Process: The process OPS is using to solicit, evaluate, and approve demonstration projects proposed by pipeline operators.
- Achieving Superior Performance through Risk Management: Demonstration projects must achieve superior performance. The criteria OPS is using to evaluate superior performance are covered in detail.
- OPS Audit Plan: The approach OPS will use to monitor demonstration projects to assure superior performance is being achieved.
- Communications: The efforts being made to inform external stakeholders and the public, and solicit their input on the demonstration program and projects.
- Examples: Several simplified examples that illustrate various aspects of the demonstration process and achieving superior performance.
Copies of the slides used in conducting the Risk Management Orientation Course can be viewed or downloaded by going to http://www.tsi.dot.gov/dti60/RM.htm. Copies of key reference documents can also be obtained at this site. This Risk Management Orientation Course is the first step in an evolving Risk Management training program OPS intends to offer during the four-year demonstration program. During 1998 and 1999, OPS will be working with TSI to develop a formal risk management training course that will become part of the regular TSI Pipeline Safety training cirricula.
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