[Pipeline operators] work as long as it takes to return an area to its undisturbed state, including using oil spill containment and recovery equipment, employing clean-up specialists and following the polluter pays model.
1 Deployment – A full-scale simulation of a real emergency. This includes the actual deployment of emergency response equipment and involvement from first responders and stakeholders. It’s intended to evaluate the coordination of the response in a realistic scenario. 2 Functional – A functional exercise focuses on evaluating the overall effectiveness of the plans, procedures and functions in emergency response. It includes a simulated deployment of equipment and resources. 3 Tabletop – This exercise is about testing the plans, procedures and functions of a response in a groupdiscussion format. Its purpose is to encourage participants to problem solve and identify opportunities for improvement. 4 Drill – A drill tests a specific function or operation within an emergency event. Participants can practice specific skills, receive equipment or process training, or prepare for a more complex exercise. 38
PIPEL INE OBSERV ER CAEPL A .ORG
Preparation is part of a comprehensive, proactive approach While preparation is critical, pipeline operators seek to prevent incidents from happening in the first place. That’s why they take a comprehensive and proactive approach to mitigating, preparing for, responding to and managing incidents. Pipeline operators take a proactive approach by:
➥ Ensuring pipeline infrastructure is well-designed, comprehensively maintained and monitored 24/7
➥ Focusing on third-party damage prevention and education initiatives
➥ Using innovative leak-detection technologies However, if an incident does occur, they are ready to respond immediately—from the first warning in an
actively-monitored control room. In the event of an incident, the pipeline is shut down and the operators focus on protecting the people, environment and assets. They work with first responders and local authorities while communicating essential information to the public. CEPA members work as long as it takes to return an area to its undisturbed state, including using oil spill containment and recovery equipment, employing clean-up specialists and following the polluter pays model for taking responsibility for an incident. Knowing what to do in an emergency is critical. For CEPA members, preparation is one of the most important safety measures to ensure readiness in the unlikely event a pipeline incident occurs. For more information on pipeline emergency management, visit aboutpipelines.com/en/emergency-response.
This page photo courtesy Trans Mountain; facing page photo by Steve Sutherland
While pipeline incidents are rare, CEPA members must be ready to respond quickly. Emergency response exercises are planned and executed to make sure everyone has in-depth training and practice experience with different incident scenarios, equipment and environments. These simulations are crucial in keeping employees’ response skills sharp and ready at a moment’s notice. There are four types of emergency response exercises that pipeline employees participate in:
Crews practicing ice-response techniques at a full-scale winter emergency response exercise held near Jasper, AB, in January 2018.