Background
NiSource Inc. is one the largest fully regulated utility companies in the United States. It serves approximately 3.3 million natural gas customers and 500,000 electric customers across six states through its local Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands.
NiSource and its local operations companies are focused on delivering safe, reliable energy that drives value to their customers each day. The company’s business plan is focused on proactively investing in its energy infrastructure – approximately $1.4 billion annually.
Customer challenge
For NiSource, Management System implementation is a journey that matures over time and can be influenced by many factors. The company intentionally sought LRQA as a partner based upon LRQA’s enthusiasm to learn the organization and connect with key stakeholders – subsequently providing a constructive assessment to support NiSource’s goal of achieving a mature Safety Management System.
How we helped
LRQA is recognized as a leading global provider of conformance certification services in accordance with the American Petroleum Institute's Recommended Practice 1173 for Pipeline Safety Management Systems (PSMS). Our experts conducted a comprehensive assessment review of NiSource’s PSMS against the API standard, utilizing a multi-stage approach to yield the most valuable feedback.
API RP 1173 certification is very important to NiSource as it recognizes the company’s commitment to keeping its customers, communities and employees safe each day. This achievement marks an important step in NiSource’s plans to operational excellence.
Powerful results
While NiSource’s safety journey is on a continuous improvement journey, the API 1173 assessment helps provide NiSource with key indicators of its progress thus far and signals that the organization is on the right track.
NiSource’s Director of Operational Excellence, recently recognized LRQA, noting that “The assessment experience has been very professional and beneficial. From the engagement with the auditors to the initial planning and preparations through execution of the assessments – including their suggestions and recommendations of best practices – LRQA has proven to be a true partner in our journey of driving operational excellence here at NiSource.”