The latest regulatory paperwork is sitting on your desk or in your inbox. You cannot avoid it any longer, so take a breath, and let’s walk through a clean, efficient process to implement new control room regulations.
First, it’s not unusual to struggle with how to implement the latest regulations, particularly if you simply do not have internal resources at your disposal to support your efforts. Here are the resources you can use to support your objective of achieving compliance.
Peer Support: Talk to Your Colleagues About Control Room Regulations
Remember, there are other control room managers facing the same challenge of implementing the latest regulations. Be sure to reach out to your colleagues to compare notes:
- What is your biggest challenge understanding the latest regulations?
- What regulations apply to your control room?
- Which regulations do not apply to your control room?
- What headaches do you anticipate implementing the regulations?
You should also read the latest industry reports and trade journals, plus read through resources released by PHMSA for guidance. Gather as much information as possible at the early stage of implementation.
Industry Support: Seek Out High-Level Resources
If you do not already, be sure to attend industry events. In particular, the API Pipeline Conference and Cybernetics Symposium and the AGA Operations Conference Gas Control Committee are excellent resources. Talk to more industry peers gathered at a central location and attend presentations to gain a high-level understanding of key topics that will help you implement regulations.
You should also read the white papers submitted at each conference. This will help you understand the nuances of complicated topics that pertain to control room regulations.
You can also learn more about regulatory nuances through podcast resources such as the Pipeliners Podcast. As the host, I am proud to offer top-shelf interviews with industry experts who are deeply invested in this process.
Once you obtain as much information as possible from peer and industry resources, you have a better opportunity to gain management support for additional control room resources.
Management Support: How to Make a Compelling Argument
After processing all of the information available to help you implement regulations, you might feel even more overwhelmed! Additionally, you might feel the need to increase internal resources to ensure compliance.
Be sure to use the gathered information to make your argument to management about increasing resources to implement the latest control room regulations. This will help enroll management in your initiative to ensure that the overall pipeline operation remains compliant.
Once you obtain management approval to increase available resources, consider making your life easier now and in the future with an applicable software solution.
Software Support: Consider Our Solution to Support Implementation
If you have an authorization for expenditure (AFE) in-hand, you should solicit proposals for a software solution that supports your ability to comply with control room regulations.
Now that you have information to help you understand the size and scope of your need, this will allow you to evaluate and compare proposals to determine the best fit.
EnerSys offers the POEMS software solution that includes the ComplyMgr tool to provide control room managers with the following capabilities:
- Ability to link policies and procedures to the latest federal regulations
- Data repository for all relevant regulatory documents
- Links to industry standards such as API 1168, AI 1755, and API 1165
- Simplified process to track regulatory changes to determine what needs to be updated
Implementing this software solution will get you up to speed now and allow you to make adjustments in the future when the latest control room regulations land on your desk.
To schedule a POEMS demo, please complete our contact form, email the team at sales@enersyscorp.com, or call us directly at 281-598-7100.