# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-72-028

**Citation:** P-72-028  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board  
**Effective:** 1972-06-08  
**Published:** 1972-06-08

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE EQUITABLE GAS COMPANY: DISTRIBUTE ITS "STANDARD SAFETY PRACTICES" MANUAL TO ALL EMPLOYEES AFFECTED BY ITS CONTENTS.

## Document text

NTSB safety recommendation P-72-028.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE EQUITABLE GAS COMPANY: DISTRIBUTE ITS "STANDARD SAFETY PRACTICES" MANUAL TO ALL EMPLOYEES AFFECTED BY ITS CONTENTS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1972-06-08

Adopted Date: 1972-05-25

Overall Date Closed: 1975-12-30

Synopsis: ON NOVEMBER 17, 1971, WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF REVAMPING A REGULATOR STATION, EMPLOYEES OF THE EQUITABLE GAS COMPANY WERE ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE A VALVE ON THE LOW-PRESSURE SIDE OF A REGULATOR IN A VAULT WITHOUT FIRST STOPPING THE FLOW OF GAS. TWO MEN WORKING IN THE VAULT WERE OVERCOME BY GAS LEAKING INTO THE VAULT. FOUR OTHERS ALSO WERE OVERCOME ATTEMPTING TO RESCUE THE FIRST TWO. ALL SIX MEN DIED OF ASPHYXIATION. THREE OTHER MEN ALSO WERE INJURED.

Probable Cause: Inhalation of natural gas released into a vault where two men were attempting to change a valve in the vault without first stopping the flow of gas.

Ntsbnumber: PLD72XR004

Report Number: PAR-72-02

Addressee Name: Equitable Gas Company

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1975-12-30

Addressee Acronym: EQT

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1972-12-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: LETTER FROM EQUITABLE: EQUITABLE GAS COMPANY'S STANDARD SAFETY PRACTICE MANUAL HAS BEEN PRINTED IN BOOKLET FORM AND DISTRIBUTED TO ALL EMPLOYEES IN THE EQUITABLE GAS SYSTEM.

Addressee Acronym: EQT

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1978-06-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-72-028>
- Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline`
- SHA-256: `92155c702510376cf97d6f9968994c9f5d151a511ae9cc4d3fadacbe2a723775`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T19:09:34.967Z
- Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-72-028`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation",
  "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-72-028",
  "recommendationMode": "Pipeline",
  "topicMode": "Pipeline",
  "ntsbNumber": "PLD72XR004",
  "priority": "CLASS II",
  "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
  "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA",
  "overallDateClosed": "1975-12-30",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2016-11-15",
  "reportNumber": "PAR-72-02",
  "reportUrl": "https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/PLD72XR004.aspx",
  "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P72_25_33.pdf",
  "addressees": [
    {
      "addresseeName": "Equitable Gas Company",
      "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CNLA",
      "addresseeStatus": "Closed--No Longer Applicable",
      "addresseeDateClosed": "1975-12-30",
      "addresseeDetails": [
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "EQT",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": false,
          "communicationDate": "1972-12-21",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": "LETTER FROM EQUITABLE: EQUITABLE GAS COMPANY'S STANDARD SAFETY PRACTICE MANUAL HAS BEEN PRINTED IN BOOKLET FORM AND DISTRIBUTED TO ALL EMPLOYEES IN THE EQUITABLE GAS SYSTEM."
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "EQT",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1978-06-09",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```