Northwest Gas Association members make safety their number one priority

P

ublic safety is the natural gas industry’s number-one priority, and for good reason: the men and women who build and operate the Pacific Northwest’s natural gas delivery system also live, work, and raise families here. Public safety is also a key business driver for our companies since pipelines are integrated into many neighborhoods and the energy they deliver is integral to supporting our lifestyle.

A true safety culture demands consistent effort and commitment. To that end, the industry continually strives to improve its safety and reliability record by directing and funding research and developing new engineering standards. Natural gas transmission and distribution companies devote considerable resources - both dollars and manpower - to advance the industry’s safety agenda because people’s lives are at stake and because the region relies upon natural gas as a clean, safe, dependable resource to meet its growing energy needs.

Natural gas pipelines are one of the safest modes of energy transportation in the world today. Billions of cubic feet of natural gas are transported and delivered to Northwest communities each year, but accidents are rare. In fact, the number of serious incidents in the U.S. and Canada has gone down substantially over the last 20 years, while during that same time period the amount of natural gas transported has increased dramatically.

Improvements in the safety record of natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines are the direct result of constant industry diligence, government programs and oversight, public safety awareness activities and technological innovation. Record-keeping has also improved, facilitating studies that provide vital data to assist in developing even more efficient methods of reducing incidents and keeping the pipeline system as safe as possible for everyone in the Pacific Northwest.

This white paper explores current and developing natural gas infrastructure safety programs affecting the region, the roles of stakeholders in furthering safety practices to improve results, specific actions to be taken in the event of an incident, and the vital involvement of the public in keeping the region safe from unnecessary mishaps.