Recommended Practice for Pipeline Operator Qualification (OQ)

API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 1161 THIRD EDITION, JANUARY 2014

Special Notes

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1. Scope 1

2. Abbreviations 1

3. Guidance for Developing a Written Program 1

   1. Roles and Responsibilities 1

   2. Participation in an Industry Group 2

   3. Language 2

   4. Program Improvement 2

4. Element 1: Identify Covered Tasks 2

   1. General 2

   2. Guidance on Identifying Covered Tasks 3

   3. Guidance on Interpreting the Four Part Test 4

5. Element 2: Ensure, Through Evaluation, that Individuals Performing Covered Tasks are Qualified 4

   1. General 4

   2. Guidance on Establishing Criteria for Qualification through Evaluation 4

   3. Other Circumstances that Require Qualification Considerations 8

6. Element 3: Allow Individuals that are Not Qualified Pursuant to the Regulation to Perform a

   Covered Task if Directed and Observed by an Individual that is Qualified 9

   1. General 9

   2. Guidance on Allowing Non-qualified Individuals to Perform Covered Tasks 9

7. Element 4: Evaluate an Individual if the Operator has Reason to Believe that the Individual’s Performance of a Covered Task Contributed to an Accident/Incident as Defined in the Regulation 9

   1. General 9

   2. Guidance on Determination of Appropriate Action Following Individual’s Involvement in an

      Incident or Accident 10

8. Element 5: Evaluate an Individual if the Operator has Reason to Believe that the Individual is

   No Longer Qualified to Perform a Covered Task 10

   1. General 10

   2. Guidance on Determining if an Individual Should No Longer be Qualified 10

9. Element 6: Identify Those Covered Tasks and the Intervals at Which Evaluation of the

   Individual’s Qualifications is Needed 11

   1. General 11

   2. Guidance on Developing Re-evaluation Intervals 11

10. Element 7: Communicate Changes that Affect Covered Tasks to Individuals Performing

    Those Covered Tasks 12

    1. General 12

    2. Guidance on Developing Processes to Communicate Changes that Affect Covered Tasks 12

11. Element 8: Provide Training, as Appropriate, to Ensure that Individuals Performing Covered Tasks Have the Necessary Knowledge and Skills to Perform the Tasks in a Manner that Ensures

    the Safe Operation of Pipeline Facilities 12

    1. General 12

    2. Guidance on Providing Training, as Appropriate 13

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12. Element 9: Notify the Administrator or a State Agency Participating Under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 601 if the Operator Significantly Modifies the Program After the Administrator or State Agency Has

    Verified that it Complies with the Regulation. 13

    1. General 13

    2. Guidance on Determining a Significant Change 13

    3. Guidance on Transmitting OQ Program Revisions 14

    4. Recordkeeping 14

    5. Guidance On Developing Recordkeeping Criteria 15

Annex A (normative) Covered Task List 16

Annex B (normative) Covered Task Standards 19

Annex C (informative) Evolution of the Covered Tasks 248

Introduction

Background

The original purpose of API 1161 was to provide Liquid Pipeline Operators (“Operators”) with a guidance document to aid in the development of a written Operator Qualification (OQ) program to comply with the new OQ regulation (49 CFR Part 195 Subpart G) which became effective October 26, 1999. At that time, the preamble to the final regulation was the only guidance available to assist Operators with program development and program compliance. Since then, the regulation has been revised; Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has issued advisories, white papers, frequently asked questions (FAQs), protocols and other guidance documents; industry groups have formed and some have issued OQ standards; and Operators have gained compliance experience as their programs have matured. Therefore, it is the goal of the OQ workgroup to revise API 1161 to reflect the relevant additional information that was not available in 2000.

Program Requirements

Each Operator is required to have and follow a written OQ program that includes provisions to address the nine required elements of the OQ regulation. While the Operator has the flexibility to exceed the requirements of the regulation, it is important to note that any and all requirements included in the written program become enforceable.

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Recommended Practice for Pipeline Operator Qualification

1. Scope

   
   

   The purpose of this recommended practice is to provide guidance for developing and maintaining a compliant Operator Qualification (OQ) program. Operators may choose to use all, part or none of this document. Additionally, many components of this recommended practice also apply to Gas Transmission Lines regulated under 49 CFR 192. Therefore, Operators may choose to utilize the recommended practice as applicable for these lines.

   
   

   Operators should be aware that the OQ regulation is applicable only to United States Department of Transportation (DOT) jurisdictional pipelines. For purposes of this document, the word “pipeline” is used interchangeably with pipeline, pipeline facility and pipeline system and any and all jurisdictional pipeline components as defined in 49 CFR Part 195.

   
   

   This document is written to provide guidance for achieving compliance with the regulation at the time of publication and is comprised of four individual components: the Guidance Document, the API Covered Task List (Annex A), and the Covered Task Standards (Annex B) and Evolution of the Covered Tasks Annex C).

   
   

2. Abbreviations

   For the purposes of this document, the following abbreviations apply. AOC abnormal operating conditions

   API American Petroleum Institute

   CFR Code of Federal Regulations

   DOT Department of Transportation

   FAQ frequently asked question

   HQ headquarters

   NDT nondestructive testing

   OPID Operator identification

   OPS Office of Pipeline Safety

   OQ Operator Qualification

   PHMSA Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

   
   

3. Guidance for Developing a Written Program

3.1 Roles and Responsibilities

Operators should define roles and responsibilities for the administration, management, and consistent implementation of the OQ program. Clear responsibilities for implementing the elements of the OQ program should be established and communicated to affected individuals. Responsibilities associated with the OQ program may include but are not limited to the following:

• central management and oversight of the OQ program;

  
  

• training, as appropriate;

  
  

• conducting and administering evaluations;

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