The monitoring and controlling of pipeline operations from a remote control room is similar to system operations in several other complex process control industries, such as nuclear power, petroleum refinery, and air transportation. The operators are required to maintain awareness of the status of a complex system as they control an ongoing process so that it remains within prescribed limits of safety and efficiency. In most cases, these monitoring and control operations are performed with the aid of remote sensors, automated display and control systems, and communications with other individuals who monitor and control interacting elements of the larger, integrated system.
Research in process control safety and efficiency has resulted in an increasing awareness of the many “human factors” in the operational environment that directly affect the monitoring and control performance of the system operator. Since operator performance is often critical in maintaining a process within limits and responding to abnormal conditions, these human factors can have a substantial effect on the ultimate safety and operational effectiveness of an entire system. As a result, systematic and long-term efforts have been undertaken in several high-risk process control industries to mitigate the risks associated with human factors by modifying the operator’s job, tasks, and work environment to better support operator performance; as well as to introduce additional system defenses to reduce the consequences of human error.
Investigations of severe pipeline accidents conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have identified human factors as contributors to some of those accidents. However, prior to the present project, a comprehensive investigation of the human factors that affect pipeline monitoring and control operations had not been conducted. Consequently, pipeline operators have had limited empirical evidence to guide their efforts to reduce operational risks resulting from human factors that adversely affect pipeline Controller monitoring and control performance.
Source: McCallum, M. & Richard. C. (2008). Human Factors Analysis of Pipeline Monitoring and Control Operations: Final Technical Report.
First-generation “Liquid Pipeline Operator’s Control Room Human Factors Risk Assessment and Management Guide,” resulting in a comprehensive methodology that could be applied by pipeline operators to assess and manage human factors risks in their operations.