Distribution Best Practices Program Best Practices Summary – Operator Qualification

Operator Qualification & Training Best Practices Roundtable

American Gas Association

Washington, DC

October 2-4, 2012

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OPERATOR QUALIFICATION

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Challenge 1:

How to Manage Contractor OQ; Portability of ‘Subcontractor’

Qualifications/OQ records

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Best Practice 1

Best Practice: Have contractors qualified to the individual

company qualification test/tasks. When possible, get adjacently located companies to agree to a task list and qualification tests so that the records are portable.

- Group Consensus

Benefits:

1. Creates uniformity with OQ records and materials

2. Saves time, cost, and stream lines efforts for parent company

3. Expedient availability of OQ records for portability issues

4. Creates working relationship with neighboring companies for mutual aid contingencies

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Best Practice 2

Best Practice: Everyone should highly consider taking up B31Q - TECO Peoples Gas - Group Consensus Benefits:

1. The ease of a pre-arraigned/pre-structured OQ program 2. Meets ASME minimum guidelines

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Best Practice 3

Best Practice: Common system where companies can access

contractor qualification records such as Veriforce and IS Networld

- Scott Yant, Dominion East Ohio Benefits: 1. No time lag when requesting records 2. A single data system would allow company to keep more

accurate, uniform, and up to date records 3. Easier to run reports with single data system 4. Easier to manage Quality Control

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Best Practice 4

Best Practice: Investigate contractor records in-house – Cari Colton, NW Natural Benefits: 1. Maintain checks and balances for real time records 2. Allows closer company oversight in how contractors are

maintaining OQ responsibilities

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Best Practice 5

Best Practice: GAP analysis should be performed to validate

3rd party OQ - Michael Breighner, NiSource

Benefits: 1. Affirm that Contractor/subcontractor OQs are approved up

front before work begins

2. Reduce future regulatory issues when looking over past work by contractor and subcontractor OQ qualifications

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Best Practice 6

Best Practice: Have a pro-active plan for mutual aid - Group Consensus Benefits: 1. Sets up pro-active working relationship with neighboring

companies for mutual aid contingencies

2. Process in place to avoid an immediate rush of merging on the spot policies, procedures, training and equipment issues etc.

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Challenge 2:

OQ Remedial Actions

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Best Practice 1

Best Practice: Require leadership from Middle Management

or above to sign off on re-instatement of qualifications. - Daniel Feemster, Pacific Gas & Electric

Benefits: 1. Creates responsible support and involvement from top

down 2. Creates atmosphere of accountability

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Best Practice 2

• Best Practice: Have guidelines for determining if an

incident is determined an infraction and if an OQ task qualification should be revoked.

- Group Consensus

Benefits:

1. Process in place so that each case of infraction is handled in the same manner

2. As new individuals are put into roles of leadership there will be a process in place

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Best Practice 3

• Best Practice: Candidate must have completed structured

OJT with documented course codes that become prerequisites for OQ evaluation.

- Dawn Bass, NiSource

- Kevin Campbell, Peoples Gas

- Daniel Feemster, PG&E

Benefits:

1. On the Job Training program is tied into identified OQ tasks

2. Provides a training path that helps prepare field workers for OQ evaluation

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Challenge 3:

How is your Company’s OQ Program Structured

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Best Practice 1

• Best Practice: At conclusion of a test, if the minimum is

score is met, any wrong answer is reviewed so person taking test understand the correct answer before they leave. The test-taker should have 100% knowledge regardless of passing test score.

- Daniel Feemster, PG&E

Benefits:

1. Field workers benefit by receiving the qualification and training that is expected

2. Field workers will have more respect for the OQ training purpose and procedure

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Best Practice 2

• Best Practice: A process in place that brings together

respective groups impacted by changes in codes, standards, DOT and policy procedures to create a streamlined communication process

- Carl Shilling, Colorado Spring Utilities

- Group Consensus

Benefits:

1. Brings essential company areas/ departments together to make proper changes where and when needed in expedient fashion

2. Allows for communication flow

3. Creates trusted inter-connectedness across the board

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Best Practice 3

• Best Practice: On-site access to OQ records (even if not

required)

Benefits:

1. Cuts down on time lag when records are requested on site

2. Company auditors and regulatory commissions have real time record information

3. Less time spent for office personnel retrieving information requested from the field

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Best Practice 4

• Best Practice: Knowing who is responsible for OQ

program/plan

- Ervin McDaniel, BG&E

- Group Consensus

Benefits:

1. Ability to quickly contact the right person(s) for OQ information or assistance

2. Being able to refer others to regarding OQ issues

3. Regulators have consistent person(s) to build relationship with

4. Knowing who to contact when necessary changes are identified and must be updated/corrected

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Challenge 4:

Qualification Intervals

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Best Practice 1

• Best Practice: Process for analyzing tasks for choosing

intervals (DIF analysis). Involving cross-functional groups such as Compliance, Field SME’s etc.

- Group Consensus

Benefits:

1. Consistent and reliable method of creating OQ intervals set in place

2. New leaders have a process in place

3. Making use of identified SMEs for accurate analysis

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Challenge 5:

Alternate Methods of Qualifying Personnel through prior Certifications/Licensing

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Best Practice 1

• Best Practice: Make sure OQ plan documents what

certifications/licensing should be acceptable with a frequency of certification/licensing.

- Group Consensus

Benefits:

1. Clear guidelines in companies OQ Plan will state companies OQ policy on how employees earned certifications and licensing may affect OQ qualifications

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Challenge 6:

How Does Your Company Integrate Abnormal

Operating Conditions into its OQ Program ?

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Best Practice 1

• Best Practice: Each covered task has own AOC’s assigned

- Cari Colton, NW Natural

- John Doherty, Laclede Gas

Benefits:

1. AOCs are represented in each task

2. Qualified personnel becomes more aware of AOCs in the work environment

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Best Practice 2

• Best Practice: Should examine new construction within OQ

qualification

- Group Consensus

Benefits:

1. Company has policy regarding OQ and New Construction Business work

2. Companies pro-actively OQ qualified for performing New Construction Tasks

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Best Practice 3

• Best Practice: Recognizing, identifying and reacting to

AOC

- Group Consensus

Benefits:

1. Raises companies awareness and ability to properly react and respond to AOCs in the working environment

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Best Practice 5

• Best Practice: Consider AOC’s separately as stand-alone

training module

- Group Consensus

Benefits:

1. Raises companies awareness and ability to properly react and respond to AOCs

2. Pro-actively prepare for regulatory high level view of AOCs in companies OQ Plan/Program

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Challenge 8:

How do you Measure the Effectiveness of your OQ

Training?

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Best Practice 1

• Best Practice: Utilize compliance data points (e.g. Incident

reports, commission audit results, internal audit results, safety measures) and look at trends to measure effectiveness

- Bill Gibson, PG&E

Benefits:

1. Proactive rather than reactive measures in place to create a safe working culture

2. Reduced injuries, audit reports, NOPVs, etc.

3. Provide an across the board measurement tool

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Best Practice 2

• Best Practice: Third party checking of tests and validation

- Bill Gibson, PG&E

Benefits:

1. Reliable and certified testing materials

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Best Practice 3

• Best Practice: Feedback from field employees on

qualification process

- Group Consensus

Benefits:

1. To better meet the needs of companies front line field workers

2. Keep up with technology training tools

3. Help gauge quality of training personnel and materials/methods used for OQ program

Questions?