A key responsibility for Ergon is operating our facilities in a safe manner — a manner which protects our facility teams, the local community and the environment.
This is certainly true for Ergon Terminaling – Magnolia, which operates a 38-mile, 8” pipeline (Magnolia Pipeline) that begins at our terminal in Magnolia, Ohio, and ends at Ergon-West Virginia (EWV) in Newell. The pipeline delivers crude oil to EWV through Carroll and Columbiana counties in Ohio, as well as Hancock County in West Virginia. Because this pipeline runs through privately held land and near residential areas, it’s imperative that we maintain open lines of communication with the local landowners and residents.
Public Awareness
In order to accomplish this, we developed a Public Awareness Safety Program. Through this program, Ergon Terminaling – Magnolia conducts annual public safety campaigns to reach the affected public living and working along the pipeline. This is to ensure residents understand pipeline operations and are aware of who to notify in the event of a pipeline emergency. Helping the public understand their significant role in preventing accidents caused by third-party damage and right-of-way encroachment will decrease the amount of pipeline hazards each year.
The objectives of the Public Awareness Safety Program are to:
- Improve public safety, property and environmental protection through increased public awareness and knowledge.
- Make residents aware that pipelines are in their community.
- Ensure stakeholders know how to recognize, react and report pipeline emergencies.
- Educate emergency response agencies of the proper actions to take in response to a pipeline accident or emergency.
- To educate excavators of the steps they should take to prevent third-party damage and respond properly if they cause damage to a pipeline.
- To educate public officials of the presence of liquid pipelines in their community, hazards that they present and prevention measures to be taken in the event of a pipeline incident or emergency.
As part of the Public Awareness Safety Program, Ergon Terminaling – Magnolia also participates in the Ohio One Call Program, where landowners and residents can call to be notified of work along the pipeline.
Through our safety program, we are taking a proactive approach to minimizing accidents and third-party damage. This is an important part of our goal of doing right and protecting our family of employees and those in our communities.
