811 Day – Our people behind the pipelines
Each year on August 11, 811 Day reminds communities to “Call Before You Dig.” The free service helps prevent damage to underground utilities. For the LyondellBasell (LYB) Equistar Pipeline Operations team (EPO), 811 Day represents their everyday commitment to safety and community.
Across Texas, EPO employees like Tommy Garcia, Ryan Sims and Danielle Lawrence embody a continuous improvement mindset and a strong sense of responsibility to protect people, pipelines and the environment.
Ryan Sims: Bringing safety home
Ryan, a senior health and safety engineer, sees 811 Day through a personal lens. “My kids love big digging equipment,” he said. “In our work, we have to think about the curious child who might wander over and how we can keep them safe.”
With experience in corporate HSE and manufacturing, Ryan understands the unique risks of working across long stretches of land. “Our assets are only protected by dirt, and dirt can be moved pretty easily,” he said. “Something as simple as digging a hole could lead to a catastrophic event if we don’t work together.”
He views calling 811 as an extension of the LYB GoalZERO culture. “Just like we plan for personal safety, we have to plan for public safety,” he said. “Calling 811 should be second nature, like calling 911 or poison control.”
In the field, Tommy and his team are often the first to put that mindset into action.
Tommy Garcia: Protecting what’s below the surface
Ten years ago, Tommy did not realize what 811 was. Today, he leads a team of 11 contractors from Mont Belvieu to Corpus Christi, responding to 811 calls and ensuring safe digging.
“When people call 811, our team marks the lines to make sure everybody works safely around them,” he said. “If there’s a major issue, I’m the one who goes out and helps resolve it.”
One day, he stopped a landowner preparing to install a fence without calling 811. “He didn’t realize our pipeline was in his yard,” Tommy said. “I marked the line and explained the risk. We avoided a serious accident that day.”
811 Day is a reminder of the impact his team makes every day. “It shows we care about safety, protecting pipes and protecting people.”
As Tommy is responding in real time, Danielle ensures the groundwork is safe before any project begins.
Danielle Lawrence: Engineering every step ahead
As an area engineer, Danielle’s role is highly technical and deeply collaborative, focused on evaluating risks, running calculations and coordinating across teams to prevent incidents before they happen.
When a 130,000-pound crane needed to cross a pipeline, Danielle assessed whether it could be done safely. “We look at pressures, depths, pipe materials… everything,” she said. “We’re behind the scenes to make sure work can happen safely.”
She also helps connect engineering, compliance, land management and field teams. “It’s like a puzzle,” she said. “Everyone brings a piece, and when we work together, we protect entire neighborhoods.”
Every day, not just 811 Day
EPO’s work may not always be visible, but its impact is far-reaching. From marking lines and educating landowners to engineering safe solutions and building trust, their efforts are essential to how we grow, perform and lead responsibly. Like the LYB GoalZERO culture, safe digging is not a one-time focus on 811 Day, it is a daily discipline.
