The DOT / OPS has finalized their new reporting requirements for hazardous liquid pipeline accidents. The rule lowers the current release reporting threshold of 50 barrels to a new threshold of 5 gallons, and makes changes to the accident report form. The changes are necessary because the existing reporting threshold and report form do not yield sufficient information for effective safety analysis. This final rule also changes the "bodily harm" criteria for accident reporting to conform to the gas pipeline reporting requirements. This change is necessary to harmonize reporting by hazardous liquid and gas pipeline operators. This rule is effective January 1, 2002! (editor's note: any spills since the first of 2002 should be re-evaluated using the new reporting criteria. However, since the rule was published January 8, 2002, we assume that reporting violations for the first 8 days of the year will not be levied using the new criteria. Also note that your O&M; manual will need to be revised to incorporate the new reporting criteria.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Little by phone at (202) 366-4569, by e-mail at roger.little@rspa.dot.gov, or by mail at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), Room 7128, 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. The final rule, including the revised reporting form and instructions, can be downloaded from RCP's website here.