For more than 15 years UKOPA has been offering its members the opportunity to take part in the widely acclaimed PERO (Pipeline Emergency Response Officer) course. The course is designed by pipeline operators for pipeline operators, helping ensure there is consistency across industry in how operators respond to pipeline emergency incidents in the UK.
The latest PERO course replaced an initial course developed following the introduction of the Pipelines Safety Regulations Act in 1996. The course helps fulfil the requirement for pipeline operators to have established policies, procedures and personnel in place to respond and manage potential incidents to pipelines transporting oil or gas.
Under Donal Cullen’s chairmanship of the UKOPA Emergency Planning Work Group in the mid 2000’s, the group tasked themselves to build and develop a better and more fit for purpose course. The course took a couple of years to create and be approved by the UKOPA members before being rolled out in the Spring of 2009.
The course is targeted towards anyone designated as having a front line role in responding to a pipeline incident and is a means of showing a company has suitably trained and competent person(s) to attend and manage a pipeline incident if needed.
The intensive two day PERO training is delivered in partnership with industry experts as well as the Fire Service and Police. The course is encouraged by the HSE Pipeline Inspectorate and offers UKOPA members thorough and fully interactive training that equips potential and current PERO’s with the skills and scenario-based experience to deal with pipeline incidents and the emergency services.
Pipeline incidents can be exceptionally challenging to manage due to the dynamic and potentially dangerous nature of the incidents. The course contains information on incident assessments, hazards, safety cordons, public safety, worst case scenarios and working with agencies including the Fire Service, Police, Environment Agency and Local Authorities. This is followed up by a series of practical exercises to expose attendees to the sights and sounds of a real incident, to onsite meetings with the emergency services at the bronze and then silver level meetings in a Command unit.
In their role, the person assigned as PERO will understand the detailed responsibilities of on-site liaison with the Emergency Services and keeping the Pipeline Operator’s management and the staff at Pipeline Incident Control Room (PICR) fully informed about the situation at the scene. They will also take action to minimise the consequences of the incident and make the scene safe. In addition, depending upon individual operator company policy, the PERO may be responsible for press briefings in the absence of a press representative.
Importantly, the course will arm the PERO with the operational or supervisory confidence to manage pipeline incidents and support their parent pipeline operating company at the point of need. UKOPA’s Emergency Planning Working Group recommends the maximum interval for PERO training should not exceed 5 years.
Donal Cullen, facilitator on the PERO course for 15 years, comments: “The course was developed by and for the pipeline industry and contains knowledge and experience that can only be found outside of a real incident. We’re delighted with the course’s popularity as it’s the best preparation pipeline people can have should they ever have to respond to a pipeline emergency.”
The courses are run seven or eight times a year and it’s estimated that nearly 1000 attendees have received PERO training since 2009. The course remains hugely popular and a critical element in how operators plan and prepare to mitigate potential incidents.
The next PERO courses are scheduled for 3-4th July and the 23-24th July, however all spaces are currently full. Keep an eye out on the UKOPA website for future training dates to ensure all UKOPA members have a designated PERO with up to date industry training.
UKOPA would also like to offer a special word of thanks to Donal Cullen who has helped deliver the courses, since their inception, but who has now retired after 30+ years’ service to the pipeline industry. PERO will continue to be delivered by Donal’s co-trainer of many years Tony Taylor, who will be supported by Andy Fuller.