Moose Handrails
Heard about
the clash between the EPA, OSHA, and the oil companies in Alaska?
The U.S. needed more oil, so the oil companies got together to build a pipeline to bring
oil down from the North Slope of Alaska. During the building of the line, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) watched very closely what the oil companies were
doing, since most of Alaska was part of some national protected land.
One of the stipulations that the EPA made was that the pipeline could not in any way
interfere with the wildlife. In this vein, the moose caused a great many problems for the
oil companies. Since the moose are migratory animals, and the pipeline lay between where
they were, and where they were going, the EPA told the oil companies that they had to make
provisions for the moose getting past the pipeline.
They raised the pipeline in some locations so that the migrating moose could pass under
it. The oil companies were happy, the EPA was happy, and the moose were happy. But the oil
flowing through the pipeline was warmer than the surrounding ground, and the support
structures for the pipeline heated up the ground and melted the (formerly) perma-frost.
This caused the pipeline to settle.
The oil companies did not mind, as the line had been designed to take some stress, and the
breaks that occurred were minor. But the EPA was angry, because now the moose could not
get through under the elevated pipeline, so their migratory pattern was disrupted, which
was a no-no.
The oil companies solved this problem by throwing dirt against the pipeline, and building
up a ramp over the pipeline. This was again OK'd by the EPA, who also appreciated the fact
that the ramps were landscaped naturally.
But now the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was upset. It seems they
have a rule about elevated structures around oil producing facilities, and that such
structures have to have handrails. The oil companies thought it was silly, but they agreed
to build handrails for the moose.
This upset the EPA, who thought the moose would not use the ramp with the handrails
present. Eventually, the EPA agreed, and the oil companies built handrails for the moose.
Which left them with another problem...
OSHA says that all handrails must be painted in a colour scheme that depends on the use of
the handrail. (i.e. Handrails on stairs are red, those on the edge of drilling platforms
are black and yellow, etc.)
So, WHAT COLOUR DO YOU PAINT HANDRAILS FOR MIGRATORY MOOSE?