Alyeska’s response yields many improvements although concerns remain
A 2023 Council report identified some serious safety risks at Alyeska’s Valdez Marine Terminal. Since that time, the Council has been monitoring the actions taken by Alyeska to improve the work culture and more effectively promote an atmosphere of safety. Many areas have improved over the last two years. Some improvements are still in process and some areas of concern remain.
The 2023 report raised concerns about whether the terminal was operating safely and in compliance with regulations. The report was authored by Billie Pirner Garde, a national expert on safety culture for work environments in energy industries. In the report, Garde made a series of recommendations aimed at improving the situation.
Alyeska’s efforts to improve
When the report was first released, the Council was encouraged by its reception. Alyeska President John Kurz spoke to the Council and said that he and Alyeska’s executive team were taking the report seriously.
Alyeska formed an internal team to follow up and develop a plan to address the issues.
“Alyeska has engaged in a substantial amount of work to address the recommendations directed towards them,” says Donna Schantz, executive director for the Council.
Auditors reviewed worker safety and processes at the Valdez Marine Terminal
Alyeska conducted internal reviews and contracted with a third party to audit various factors that affect safety at the terminal.
Auditors compared the current safety system with federal requirements for “process safety management.” OSHA developed this set of standards to help industries safely manage the hazards of working with highly hazardous chemicals. This guidance helps recognize, evaluate, and control risks that could occur while working with hazardous materials.
The auditors identified some areas of improvement in Alyeska’s systems. Alyeska reported that corrective actions have been taken, and there are currently no outstanding audit findings. They also worked on better aligning their documentation regarding process safety management, including the creation of a compliance manual, and conducted additional training.
Alyeska also reviewed their deferred maintenance backlog. Among other issues, Alyeska improved how they evaluate risks associated with work orders. This ensures that higher-risk orders are identified appropriately. Alyeska has prioritized existing work orders and is monitoring any past due and upcoming commitments.
A few issues still remain. A review of human factors was conducted, and a program to help address and mitigate human-related accidents is still being developed. Alyeska also continues to review and assess recommended practices for establishing safety systems.
Alyeska working to encourage culture of safety
Garde’s report recommended mandatory training for supervisors to encourage a stronger safety culture. Alyeska has completed that training.
Alyeska also reported that they continue to develop and improve their employee concerns program. The success of that effort is yet to be determined.
Updated recommendations
Garde recently developed some additional recommendations. Among those, she recommended the Council develop a set of performance indicators that would serve as an objective measure for comparison when talking to Alyeska about concerns.
Remaining concerns
Though many of the safety issues have been addressed, the Council still has concerns: Alyeska has lost key staff with extensive institutional knowledge in recent months; gaps in regulatory oversight and monitoring remain unaddressed; and the Council and contractor Billie Garde continue to receive reports from employees concerned about safety issues.