PHMSA issued a brief advisory reminding gas transmission operators of training and qualification requirements under the integrity management regulations.  The advisory responds to inconsistencies in operator implementation of these rules (at 49 C.F.R. Part 192.915) and outlines PHMSA’s “expectations.”  Further, the advisory addresses inadequacies highlighted by a 2015 National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Safety Study.  In issuing the advisory, PHMSA appears to be taking an expansive interpretation of certain aspects of its integrity management rules regarding training and qualifications, which may not be supported by the regulations and thus may not be enforceable.
Continue Reading Expansive Integrity Management Training and Qualification Advisory