255.605 Essentials of operating and maintenance plan.

Each operator shall include, as a minimum, the following in its operating and maintenance plan as applicable:#

(a)detailed instructions for employees covering operating and maintenance procedures during normal operations and repairs;#

(b)procedures required to be included by the provisions of the welding, joining, corrosion control, upgrading, operations, maintenance, and accidents and leaks sections of this Part;#

(c)specific programs relating to facilities presenting the greatest hazard to public safety either in an emergency or because of extraordinary construction or maintenance requirements;#

(d)provision for periodic inspections to ensure that operating pressures are appropriate for the class location;#

(e)precautions to be taken when excavation is performed in the vicinity of any underground gas facility;#

(f)procedures to correct, within specified timeframes, deficiencies found during any inspections, evaluations, reviews, etc. required by this Part;#

(g)criteria employed to determine business districts for the purpose of compliance with section 255.723(b)(1) of this Part;#

(h)criteria employed to identify those conditions at leak hazard locations which necessitate that the interval between surveillances be shortened;#

(i)details of how an operator plans to comply with any requirement of this Part that is written in nonspecific language. For example, section 255.805(b) of this Part states that "Each operator shall.. establish a means by which it determines the appropriate surveillance interval at leak locations under frost conditions.. " the details required by this subdivision would necessitate the operator to specify the established means;#

(j)instructions enabling personnel who perform operation and maintenance activities to recognize conditions that may be safety-related conditions that are subject to the reporting requirements of section 255.831 of this Part;#

(k)procedures for making construction records, maps, and operating history available to appropriate personnel;#

(l)procedures for start up and shut down of any section of pipeline in a manner designed to assure operation within the maximum allowable operating pressure limits prescribed by this Part, plus the build-up allowed for operation of pressure limiting and control devices;#

(m)procedures for maintaining compressor stations, including provisions for isolating units or sections of pipe and for purging before returning to service;#

(n)procedures for starting, operating, and shutting down gas compressor units;#

(o)procedures for periodic review of the work done by operator personnel to determine the effectiveness and adequacy of the procedures used in normal operation and maintenance and modifying the procedures when deficiencies are found;#

(p)procedures for adequate precautions in excavated trenches to protect personnel from the hazards of unsafe accumulations of vapor or gas, and making available when needed at the excavation, emergency rescue equipment including a breathing apparatus and a rescue harness and line;#

(q)responding promptly to a report of a gas odor inside or near a building, unless the operator's emergency procedures under section 255.615(a)(3) of this Part specifically apply to these reports; and#

(r)for transmission lines, other than those operated in connection with the operator's distribution system, procedures for the following to provide safety when operating design limits have been exceeded:#

(1)responding to, investigating and correcting the cause of:#

(i)unintended closure of valves, or shutdowns;#

(ii)increase or decrease in pressure or flow rate outside normal operating limits;#

(iii)loss of communications;#

(iv)operation of any safety device; and#

(v)any other foreseeable malfunction of component, deviation from normal operation, or personnel error which may result in a hazard to persons or property;#

(2)checking variations from normal operation, after abnormal operation has ended, at sufficient critical locations in the system to determine continued integrity and safe operation;#

(3)notifying responsible operator personnel when notice of an abnormal operation is received;#

(4)periodically reviewing the response of operator personnel to determine the effectiveness of the procedures controlling abnormal operation and taking corrective action where deficiencies are found;#

(s)implementing the applicable control room management procedures required by section 255.631 of this Part.#