Leading indicators are precursors that may lead to an accident or injury. They can be used to monitor the effectiveness of integrity programs and safety management systems before accidents, damages, or failures happen. As leading indicators focus on enhancing performance and reducing the probability of serious accidents, they can compensate for any shortcomings of lagging performance indicators.

• Safety-Related Condition Reports (SRCR) PHMSA regulations require operators to submit reports for certain conditions before a leak has actually occurred. However, the regulations include numerous exemptions from reporting. These exemptions reduce the value of SRCR as a performance measure. Pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility operators must submit a SRCR if certain conditions are discovered on a pipeline facility, including:
  • general corrosion that has reduced wall thickness beyond acceptable tolerances;
  • unintended movement or abnormal loading by environmental causes such as a landslide or earthquake;
  • a material defect that impairs the structural integrity or reliability of a LNG facility; or
  • any safety-related condition that could cause an imminent hazard.

A full list of the conditions can be found in Part 191.23 and Part 195.55. The .zip file in the related links section of this page includes SRCR data for reports submitted since 2002.

• Integrity Assurance Notifications (formerly IM) As gas transmission and hazardous liquid pipeline operators implement Integrity Management programs, they may encounter delays completing defect repairs. Operators may wish to modify assessment intervals or use emerging technology not yet recognized in PHMSA regulations. Also, during MAOP reconfirmation and material verification of gas transmission pipelines operators may propose methods not recognized in PHMSA regulations. In these situations, operators are required to submit Integrity Assurance (formerly IM) notifications to PHMSA. Rulemakings during 2022 added requirements for gas gathering notifications and remote controlled valve notifications.

For details about the notification types:

Gas Gathering               Gas Transmission              Hazardous Liquid

The .zip file in the related links section of this page includes Hazardous Liquid data submitted since 2002 and Gas Transmission data submitted since 2004.