Okaloosa Gas District is Committed to Public Safety

The employees and management of Okaloosa Gas District are committed to conducting our operations with a primary focus on protecting the safety of any people living or working near our pipelines. To ensure this overriding priority, we will continually strive to provide information and better educate our key partners in safety, including the general public; residents and property owners; places of congregation such as businesses, schools, hospitals, prisons and other places where people gather; emergency responders; public officials; excavators and contractors; land developers; and One-Call Centers.

The District will facilitate this priority and objective through development and implementation of a Public Awareness Program. Important information related to our efforts is available throughout the department of our website and are detailed in our Public Awareness Program Plan in compliance with the Office of Pipeline Safety Rule 1162.

Overview of RP 1162 from the Office of Pipeline Safety

In June 2004, the US Department of Transportation’s Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) and the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) proposed a rule that requires all gas and hazardous liquid pipeline operators to develop and implement public education programs that comply with American Petroleum Institute’s (API) Recommended Practice 1162 (RP 1162). The recommended practice, developed as a consensus industry standard, is intended for use by natural gas pipeline operators, hazardous liquid pipeline operators, operators of gathering lines, and local distribution companies.

The final rule, implemented in June 2005, calls for pipeline operators to develop and implement public education programs that address key stakeholder audiences including: affected public; local officials; emergency responders, excavators and contractors; land developers and One-Call Centers.

RP 1162 defines requirements for public awareness programs including: the message delivered to each audience; the frequency of message; and the methods and vehicles for delivering the message.

The overriding purpose of RP 1162 is to assist pipeline operators in developing an effective, yet flexible framework for managing a public awareness program and for analyzing and gauging the effectiveness of their public education efforts.

Okaloosa Gas District serves natural gas customers in Okaloosa County, southern Santa Rosa County, portions of northern Escambia County, and southern Walton County. If you have questions about this news story, call 729-4700 or e-mail us.