Standard Details

Pipeline operators’ public awareness programs help raise awareness ofpipelines and associated facilities that exist in or near communities andprovide information to stakeholder groups to help keep communities safe.

This recommended practice addresses the development, implementation,evaluation, and documentation of pipeline public awareness programsassociated with systems in the United States for distribution, regulatedtransmission, gathering pipelines, and underground storage that arerequired under federal or state pipeline safety regulations to have a publicawareness program.

It provides minimum requirements and offers guidance to operators todevelop public awareness programs that take into account the similaritiesand differences in pipeline types, release characteristics, stakeholderaudiences, operator activities, and other factors that can influence theprogram’s development and implementation.

This document provides operators with public awareness programelements and illustrates the process for establishing, implementing,measuring, and adjusting a program, in alignment with the Plan–Do–Check–Act (PDCA) process for managing programs. This recommendedpractice addresses certain operational changes requiring additionalcommunication based on the introduction of new hazards.

The 3rd edition of RP 1162 builds on industry learnings to clarify definitionsfor stakeholder audiences; includes language regarding new hazardidentification that requires operators to notify stakeholder audiences whennew hazards are introduced; and adds language for cooperative programsto allow multiple pipeline operators to coordinate their public awarenessprograms for similar products and communities. Additional guidance is alsoprovided on program assessment and evaluation.