Midstream reduces rate of safety incidents

August 20, 2024 By Ellen Kriz

The GPA Midstream Association’s Safety Committee leads the midstream in implementing safety practices, procedures and operations that protect workers, communities where companies operate as well as the environment.

Data collected by the committee shows the industry has reduced the incident rate – the number of safety events per 100 employee work years – by 42 percent over the past decade.

The industry incident rate has decreased dramatically over the past decade – by 42 percent. Source: GPA Midstream Association

“The Safety Committee is a place for sharing lessons learned, challenges and successes – including occupational and process safety,” says committee chair Mike Reed of Energy Transfer. “We then take those lessons and successes back to our own companies and apply them in the ways that make sense for our operations. That process helps each company improve at their own pace, and we see industrywide improvement. The numbers don’t lie.”

The GPA Midstream Association says member companies:

Design, engineer and operate facilities with safety as the highest priority.
Monitor infrastructure, routinely inspect pipelines and conduct regular aerial surveillance.
Invest in safety resources and equipment, including specialized safety personnel; personal protective equipment; gas, fire and fall detection and protection; respiratory protection; medical management; communications preparedness; and emergency response protocols and procedures.
Employ advanced technology, equipment and certified experts to monitor and mitigate health and safety risks.
Use technology, data analysis, safety devices, training, engineering solutions and industrial safety expertise to keep jobsites safe and comply with state and federal safety regulations.

Reed, who’s been part of the midstream industry for 37 years, encourages individuals to get involved with the Safety Committee.

“The most impactful takeaway is the lessons learned – hearing the experiences of peers and colleagues around the industry,” Reed says. “You’ll also have the chance for legislative and rulemaking involvement. Before I was chair, I had the opportunity as a committee member to author public comments submitted to the EPA. Being able to directly work on the legislation and regulations affecting our industry is important work and enormously valuable for the industry, companies and the individuals working on these issues.”