New Audit Announcements
Audit Initiated of PHMSA’s Safety Culture
Incidents involving pipelines and hazardous materials can have far-reaching consequences on the public and the environment. According to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), in the last 5 years, 3,319 pipeline incidents in the United States have caused an average of 15 fatalities and 62 injuries per year. In addition, incidents involving pipelines or shipments of hazardous materials have incurred average annual damages of $535 million over the last 5 years. As part of its oversight responsibility, PHMSA develops and enforces regulations for 2.6 million miles of pipelines and nearly 1 million daily shipments of hazardous materials. In addition, the Agency’s strategic plan outlines a goal to build a more positive safety culture by emphasizing safety over competing goals and demands. Accordingly, we are initiating an audit to assess PHMSA’s efforts to foster a positive safety culture as it carries out its mission and other responsibilities.