As a free complement to API Recommended Practice (RP) 1173, Pipeline Safety Management Systems (SMS), The American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Pipeline SMS Industry Team published Pipeline SMS: A Contractor’s Guide to give pipeline contractors and service providers an enhanced understanding of how the scope of their work should be integrated with an operator’s Pipeline SMS.

The Pipeline SMS: A Contractor’s Guide distills API RP 1173’s 234 requirements down to 56 key requirements where, depending on a contractor or service provider’s scope, operators can focus their collaboration efforts to ensure appropriate alignment with their pipeline SMS.

The goal of providing this additional Pipeline SMS: A Contractor’s Guide is to ensure that operators and their contractors and service providers are aligned in protecting workers, communities and the environments in which they operate. Contractors, service providers and operators are encouraged to utilize this guide to begin discussions on the appropriate integration of safety programs relevant to pipeline SMS.

View the Pipeline SMS: A Contractor’s Guide as well as an accompanying compendium slide deck to for pipeline operators to support contractor implementation of pipeline SMS.

API and the Pipeline SMS Industry Team created this implementation tool to assist contractors and service providers in planning SMS implementation as well as to gauge implementation and maturity of their safety programs. It is recommended that contractors and service providers read the instructions tab first in its entirety before working left to right through the tabs. This tool can be used to better align operators’ and contractors’ safety programs.