Occupational
Health & Safety

Approach to Occupational
Health & Safety

Equitrans holds safety as our top priority and believes that execution is not successful unless Zero Is Possible. All Equitrans employees and contractors are entitled to work in a safe environment. We empower employees to identify risks and hazards and provide resolution strategies to minimize the potential for incidents throughout our organization. Equitrans’ Health, Safety, Security, and Environmental (HSSE) Policy enforces our commitment to a world-class safety culture—above all else.

Suppliers and vendors are no exception to Equitrans’ safety focus. We require all affiliated Equitrans partners to have robust safety programs in place. Equitrans believes safety not only protects the well-being of our workers but also assists in managing costs, maintaining efficiency, and increasing employee productivity.

We are all held accountable for following safety procedures, and employees and contractors are encouraged to demonstrate safety leadership. Each Equitrans employee has a responsibility to protect themselves and their co-workers every day. All employees and contractors have the authorization to stop work when unsafe conditions or unexpected hazards arise, no matter their position or responsibilities. We conduct our business operations in accordance with all applicable health and safety requirements established by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other regulatory bodies, as well as industry best practices. Regulatory compliance is the first layer of our safety practices but is by no means our only safety focus.

ZIP Today

We manage safety at Equitrans through our safety platform ZIP Today, or Zero Is Possible – Today. In mid-2020, we expanded our ZIP program to include our Environmental efforts and to visually connect this merging of disciplines, we revised our ZIP logo to incorporate a symbol of the value we place on Environmental Stewardship. The concept of Zero Is Possible remains the same; however, we now have a visual reminder that ZIP also applies to our environmental efforts, such as minimizing methane releases, preventing spills, and working in compliance with permits. Similar to Safety, while we may not be able to achieve Zero overnight, it is more of an aspirational goal that we will actively plan for, work toward, and achieve by taking it one day at a time.

Driven by our HSSE team and with oversight by the Board’s HSSE Committee, ZIP Today is the manifestation of our overriding belief that success is only realized when every contributor is safe and unharmed, and when we consistently strive for environmental excellence. As we continue to build a robust safety and environmental stewardship culture, it is important that our employees and contractors remember that their safety takes precedence above all else, a point that ZIP Today helps foster.

Since 2018, our commitment to the Zero Is Possible—Today platform has been transformed into a way of life at Equitrans. Three safety subcommittees within our HSSE team—representing operations, construction, and office employees—developed an enhanced “way-of-life mentality” that is exhibited throughout our operations. In line with our corporate safety objectives, each committee developed and tailored safety target assignments for implementation across their respective areas. The basis for the transformation was our Incident with Serious Potential (ISP) concept, a risk-based system focused on precursors of incidents, near-misses, and observations. Identifying precursors enables us to build safety practices that help prevent accidents from occurring.

In accordance with ZIP Today, Equitrans also offers contractor awards. Our rewards extend to individuals, crews, and companies who demonstrate exceptional safety performance.

Hazard Identification

Equitrans requires all employees to receive training on hazard and potential hazard identification in relation to their specific job requirements. Managers work with employees to keep safety a top priority and mitigate potential hazards. Prior to starting a job, Equitrans releases a work order which includes applicable operating procedures on how to complete the work safely.

Field employees begin every task with a Tailgate Safety Meeting (TSM). During TSMs, the team discusses job requirements for the day and any potential hazards that may arise from crews or personnel working in proximity to each other. After the meeting, relevant employees and contractors dispatch to identify potential hazards, discuss safety control measures, and mitigate any hazards found prior to starting work. If a hazard is found, employees and contractors must notify supervisors to discuss how to best resolve the hazard. Additionally, all employees and contractors have the responsibility to exercise their stop work authority. Our stop work authority ensures every worker operates with safety at the forefront of our operations.

Risk Assessment

Equitrans developed our Standard Operating Procedures with safety in mind. These procedures explain the actions required to assess risks and perform a job safely and correctly. In addition, our Engineering Department designs our systems and facilities under applicable regulatory guidelines. We also implemented a design review process that involves several departments and employees who collectively review facility layouts and designs to mitigate potential risks and ensure safety. In addition to our Safety and Engineering Departments, our Pipeline Integrity and Environmental Departments are fully integrated into our safety culture and risk assessment processes.

Incident Investigations

For every safety-related incident or observation that transpires, regardless of whether an injury occurred, we carry out a comprehensive incident investigation – the results of which help us to learn and improve. Our investigation process starts with the identification of the incident or observation root cause and what precursors may have led to the incident’s occurrence. The front-line supervisor leads the investigation, with assistance from the HSSE team and experts familiar with the associated incident or observation. Next, we evaluate and identify solutions to prevent a similar incident from occurring again. This process may involve multiple departments within Equitrans, as the corrective actions identified may encompass multiple functions within the work processes. For each incident in which an injury does occur, we record the nature of the incident, as prescribed by the OSHA Injury/Illness Recordkeeping Guidelines. This record serves as another source of information for our incident investigations. We actively communicate each incident or observation across Equitrans along with the identified corrective actions. Safety bulletins, alerts, and training materials also may be available to supplement this communication.

Safety Education & Training

An informed employee who is able to identify safety risks and can take action to mitigate hazards is less likely to be injured. We place considerable emphasis on safety education and training, and we are committed to providing our employees the resources they need to work safely and successfully. In 2020, Equitrans employees completed 6,732 hours of safety education and training.

Every Equitrans employee participates in the Equitrans general orientation upon their hiring which includes information on our safety culture. Each employee also receives an in-depth safety orientation upon arrival at their work location. Employees attend core safety training annually, in addition to monthly specialized OSHA and Equitrans education tailored to an employee’s applicable work responsibilities. Examples of these tailored trainings include how to investigate incidents, safe driving practices, and how to recognize and control hazards. Employees are required to complete Equitrans-specific Operator Qualification (OQ) training specific to their job responsibilities. Lastly, employees receive extensive on-the-job training from their supervisors and peers.

In 2020, Equitrans noticed an increase in preventable vehicle accidents (PVAs). In response, our Safety Department created a Safe Driving Stand-Up that focused on the importance of safe driving. Supervisors were tasked with cascading the stand-up to their teams and encouraged their employees to focus on how to change their driving behaviors to better ensure their safety, the safety of their passengers, as well as the safety of everyone on the road. In 2021, we are placing additional emphasis on vehicle driving safety through our Company-wide Distracted Driving Awareness Initiative. We believe that having a ‘safe-driving mindset’ should extend beyond the workplace. We want our employees to be equipped to prevent distractions while driving for both work and personal travel.

Equitrans also has specific safety education expectations for our contractors. At the start of an Equitrans project, contractors are required to attend a kick-off meeting that establishes our expectations and defines roles and responsibilities, the project’s emergency action plan, and any potential hazards that may be present at the job site. In 2020, Equitrans implemented a comprehensive safety orientation video for contractors. Prior to starting work on any Equitrans site, all contractors and suppliers are required to watch our Contractor Safety Orientation video, which complements our overall safety practices, processes, and procedures and refreshes contractors on Equitrans safety practices, including hazard identification, risk management, and the process for mitigating potential site hazards.

Our Safety Performance

Employee Safety

*Includes information for 100% of the Eureka Midstream assets; excludes MVP and MVP Southgate projects.

Equitrans diligently tracks numerous safety-related metrics to evaluate our safety performance. We track all safety data metrics through Intelex, our health and safety and quality management software application. Data includes relevant OSHA injury metrics, as well as Equitrans-specific metrics. These metrics include:

• Incidents with Serious Potential (ISP), which includes events or situations where a behavior or activity may have the potential to cause serious injury or significant property damage.
• Observations with Serious Potential (OSP), which includes observations of behaviors, actions or situations that, if allowed to continue, have the potential to cause serious injury or significant property damage.
• Corrected Safety Opportunities (CSO), which reflect non-serious hazard reports, deficient procedures or processes, or improvement suggestions that have been corrected and incorporated into our business and operations. The CSO metric encourages employees to report all safety observations and opportunities for improvement to help increase safety awareness across Equitrans.

As a result of our collective ISP, OSP, and CSO efforts, we saw a 181% increase in total reported safety observations during 2020, as compared 2019. This significant increase resulted in opportunities for Equitrans to reduce risk and enhance the safety of our work environment.

Our internal safety metrics are incorporated into employee bonuses as part of our Short-Term Incentive Program (STIP), which aligns employee interests with those of our shareholders and the strategic objectives of our Company. By tracking and evaluating both safety and environmental metrics, and linking them to compensation, we can more effectively address any safety issues that may arise, increase the safety of our worksites and offices, identify opportunities for improvement, improve our environmental performance, and achieve employee buy-in. In 2020, we incorporated CSOs into our STIP reporting for the first time; and in 2021, we reinforced our commitment to environmental stewardship by incorporating metrics related to our methane reduction initiatives. Equitrans’ 2021 short-term incentive plan includes annualized reduction targets as related to pneumatic methane emissions.

In 2020, we incorporated CSOs into our STIP reporting for the first time and in 2021 we reinforced our commitment to methane reduction by expanding our environmental metrics to include methane reduction initiatives. Equitrans’ 2021 short-term incentive plan includes annualized reduction targets as related to pneumatic methane emissions.

In 2020, the injury and incident types most frequently recorded were related to finger and leg injuries. The most frequently observed safety opportunities were associated with process safety (how a job-task can be changed to make it safer) and hazardous energy exposure. These observations were positive examples of our employees proactively identifying potentially hazardous situations at the worksite. All safety opportunities help Equitrans amend and update our work policies and procedures, contributing to our objective of maintaining a safe work environment for our employees and contractors, at all times.

Safety At Home

With the onset of the pandemic during 2020, Equitrans eased the transition of working from home for our office-based employees with the introduction of COVID Communications. Through routine emails and information on our Company intranet, COVID Communications provided tips and information regarding home office safety, overall well-being, mental health, and ergonomics. The emails also reinforced Centers for Disease Control recommendations and provided relevant state guidelines related to the pandemic. We published and maintained Company-wide working protocols that provided guidance to our employees on how to work safely in these trying times. All employees and Board members also received a “COVID Care Package,” which included masks, hand sanitizer, hand soap, and a few healthy snacks to keep them going throughout the day. As a means of staying connected and engaged, Equitrans also provided employees with an opportunity to select a personal safety gift for use at home, reinforcing the importance of safety both on the job and while on personal time, and reaffirming our belief that Zero Is Possible.

Contractor Safety

The safety and well-being of our contractors, both in the field and in the office, is tremendously important. By focusing on contractor safety, we help foster a safer and more efficient work environment while also strengthening our contractor relationships. We hold our contractors to the same standards as our employees to ensure that our job sites and the people working at them stay safe. To do this, every company that provides contractors for our projects must hold our steadfast commitment to safety. We expect all contractors, including their subcontractors and agents, to adhere to all applicable U.S. laws and regulatory requirements related to health, safety, and employment, as well as to Equitrans’ Safety Management System, Company policies, and best practices

Before a contractor can begin working on any Equitrans project, they must first comply with all requirements of their Master Construction Services Agreement (MCSA) and be authorized by our Construction team. The MCSA requires contractors to comply with all Company-specific health and safety standards, as well as any applicable site-specific safety plans, including any Company-published Contractor Safety Programs provided to the contractor. Our HSSE team evaluates a contractor’s safety record to ensure its alignment with Equitrans’ safety focus by using the ISNetworld database, an industry recognized platform for the monitoring and evaluation of contractor safety performance and documentation. Our HSSE team utilizes the ISNetworld database to evaluate all contractors in the following areas:

• Safety Management Systems
• Injury and Illness Statistics
• Written Safety Programs and Safety Training
• Experience Modification Rating
• Fatality History

In 2020, we fully integrated the ISP concept that supports ZIP Today into ISNetworld criteria by requiring contractors to maintain a proactive safety culture focused on ISP precursors. This addition of ISPs into our reporting system is aimed at increasing contractor accountability and safety awareness to align with our safety-above-all-else culture.

To further our commitment to contractor safety, Equitrans’ Contractor Safety Program and Contractor Safe Work Rules were expanded in 2020 to include and outline contractor qualifications and management regarding health and safety. All affiliated Equitrans contractors must undergo an ISNetworld rating, which is continuously reviewed and updated throughout the year. Contractors with a rating greater than ‘C’ are permitted to work on Equitrans job sites and facilities. If a contractor has a rating of ‘C’ or below, the contractor has 90 days to improve their rating to an ‘A’ or ‘B’ or submit an Improvement Plan. The Improvement Plan is based on deficiencies identified in their ISNetworld rating. If a rating is not improved to an ‘A’ or ‘B’ or an Improvement Plan is not submitted within 90 days, they are no longer permitted to work on any Equitrans job site or facility.

Contractors are also required to complete a federal Operational Qualification (OQ) plan. The OQ plan establishes qualification requirements for contractors performing work for our operations

Evaluating Our Safety Performance

It is critical that we continually evaluate our safety performance so that we can identify what we are doing well, what we can improve, and most importantly, where we are able to develop strategies to keep our employees and contractors safe. Accordingly, we continuously strive for improvement by evaluating and reviewing our policies and standard operating procedures. As part of our enterprise risk management process, we utilize a third party to annually audit our safety program and related procedures and recommend corrective actions based on our identified safety risks. In addition, we actively engage workers to evaluate opportunities to improve upon established safety processes. If an incident or observation does occur, we utilize our investigation process to identify the root cause. Our policies and procedures are then amended, and educational training is provided to our workforce based on the discoveries.

We empower our employees to provide feedback on issues regarding occupational health and safety and the development of management methods, including recommendations on safety policies and standard operating procedures based upon their own work experiences. Employees also engage in safety audits and assessments where they provide insight based upon their first-hand knowledge of our operations. To read more about our health and safety culture, please visit the sustainability webpages on our corporate site.

Year-Over-Year Safety Metrics Summary⁽¹⁾

(1) Includes information for 100% of the Eureka Midstream assets; excludes MVP and MVP Southgate projects.

(2) In 2019, all safety observations were reported as “near misses.” Our Intelex app now classifies near misses and observations separately, and our 2019 totals for near misses have been restated.

In 2020, we made significant improvements in our safety performance due to our expansion of key programs and our heightened focus on our ISP, OSP, and CSO initiatives. For example, in 2020 we began including CSOs as part of our Short-Term Incentive Program (STIP) for all of our employees and initiated new education, awareness, and supervisor inspection protocols. We believe that our safety efforts contribute to Equitrans’ culture where every employee plays a key role in keeping one another safe.

Health & Wellness

Equitrans provides comprehensive health and wellness benefits to its employees and facilitates employee access to healthcare through the offering of a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), which includes an annual deductible for each participating employee. Once the deductible is met, the plan pays 95 percent of eligible expenses in-network or 80 percent for out-of-network expenses. Additionally, the plan pays 100 percent of eligible preventive care expenses even if the deductible has not been met. The healthcare program covers all full-time employees, as well as part-time employees who work between 20 and 35 hours each week, and their eligible dependents. Coverage is effective on the first day of employment.

Employees enrolled in the healthcare program can also establish and contribute to a tax-effective Health Savings Account (HSA) to assist with part of the annual deductible or save for future healthcare expenses. Equitrans contributes to employee HSAs during their first year of employment with the Company. In subsequent years, employees can continue to receive HSA contributions from Equitrans, based on completion of annual wellness requirements.

Equitrans also offers dental and vision insurance for employees and their eligible dependents. For dental insurance, coverage provides comprehensive dental care services with in-network preventive services covered at 100 percent. For vision insurance, an eye exam once every calendar year is included along with specific allowances for lenses and contacts once every calendar year and eyeglass frames once every other calendar year.

Our Take Charge Wellness Program, managed in conjunction with an external wellness partner, offers wellness information, education, and special programs to employees and their family members on topics such as nutrition, fitness, safety, and disease prevention. The voluntary program also includes access to online wellness programs and resources as well as health coaching.

Equitrans offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides employees and their families with counseling and guidance in a variety of areas including behavioral health concerns, personal and family issues, and legal assistance. Full-time employees and part-time employees who work between 20 and 35 hours each week are eligible for the EAP.

Full-time employees receive basic group term life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance coverage. Additional contributory life insurance equal to one-, two-, three-, four-, or five-times base salary is available to employees at group rates. In addition, full-time employees are eligible for contributory spouse and child life insurance coverage, and Company-paid business travel accident insurance.

Short-term and long-term disability insurance is available to full-time employees. The duration and amount of the short-term disability payment is determined by the employee’s years of service. The long-term policy provides continuing income at a percentage of salary in effect at the time of disability and is offset by other benefits received due to disability. There is a buy-up option under the long-term disability policy.