NEB Reports Highest Pipeline Worker Injury Rate Since 2000
The NEB's annual Focus on Safety and Environment: A Comparative Analysis of Pipeline Performance 2000-2007 reports that nearly two out of every 100 pipeline workers suffered a serious workplace injury in 2007, almost double the seven-year average. It is the highest worker injury rate since the NEB began reporting on safety performance indicators in 2000.
News Release 09/16 - National Energy Board Taking Steps to Improve Worker Safety
Pipeline Safety Performance - Pipeline Incident Reporting
The report singled out factors such as employee experience levels, increasing pressure to meet deadlines, worker complacency and increased construction activity as possible causes for the rise in the injury frequency. In 2007, there were several pipeline projects under construction including the 145-kilometre long Emera Brunswick pipeline and the Trans-Mountain Anchor Loop pipeline that stretches for 151 km through mountainous terrain.
The report also noted that for the tenth consecutive year, there were no fatalities on NEB-regulated facilities. However, two fatalities were reported in 2008, and early reporting by NEB-regulated companies indicates that the injury rate for pipeline workers is rising.
"The National Energy Board has been committed to safety since the day this organization was founded nearly 50 years ago. Safety is, and always will be, our number one goal," said NEB Chair Gaétan Caron.
"Together with our industry stakeholders, we have been working hard to understand the factors underlying this important issue. We have also been taking steps to help improve pipeline worker safety by increasing the number of compliance activities and hosting events such as the recent NEB Forum 2009 where industry leaders can share best practices in the area of safety."
NEB-regulated pipeline companies reported 49 incidents to the NEB in 2007, including two ruptures, the first since 2002. The first rupture was caused by pipeline cracking due to fatigue which allowed approximately 990 cubic metres (6 227 barrels) of crude oil to spill into a farmer's field near Glenavon, Saskatchewan in April.
In July, NEB staff responded to an oil pipeline spill in Burnaby, British Columbia. A contractor doing construction in the community struck an underground 24-inch pipeline. Approximately 232 cubic metres (1 460 barrels) of heavy synthetic crude oil was released.
Between 1991 and 2002, there was an average of 2.5 ruptures per year on NEB-regulated pipelines. The Board introduced new regulations in 1999 making integrity management programs compulsory, which has helped to reduce the number of ruptures.
The National Energy Board uses this report to help improve the Board's compliance programs. For example, NEB staff increased compliance activities, such as inspections or audits, from 99 in 2007 to 216 in 2008. NEB inspection staff noted fewer incidents of non-compliance with NEB regultions in 2007 than in 2006 and most of these incidents were corrected while NEB staff were still onsite. The most common incidence of non-compliance was related to personal protective equipment such as not wearing hard hats or safety glasses correctly.
In May, 2009 the National Energy Board brought more than 300 representatives from pipeline companies, contractors, regulators, First Nations and landowners together at the NEB Forum 2009 to discuss issues related to pipeline safety, security and emergency management. The NEB plans to continue hosting events such as these as one step towards improving worker safety.
Celebrating 50 years of regulatory leadership, the NEB is an independent federal agency that regulates several parts of Canada's energy industry. Its purpose is to promote safety and security, environmental protection, and efficient energy infrastructure and markets in the Canadian public interest, within the mandate set by Parliament in the regulation of pipelines, energy development and trade. As part of its mandate, the NEB monitors the supply of all energy commodities in Canada and reports its findings. The NEB Internet site is regularly updated with new energy information for the Canadian public.
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For further information:
Tara Sukut (tara.sukut@neb-one.gc.ca)
Communications Officer
Telephone: 403-299-3930
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265