# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-78-054

**Citation:** P-78-054  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board  
**Effective:** 1978-08-28  
**Published:** 1978-08-28

IN TRAINING BOTH NEW AND LONG TERM EMPLOYEES, EMPHASIZE THE NEED TO HAVE AVAILABLE SAFETY EQUIPMENT WHILE PERFORMING CERTAIN HAZARDOUS WORK IN CONFINED SPACES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING THE ATMOSPHERE, THE USE OF SAFETY DEVICES, AND THE USE OF SAFE PROCEDURES. (URGENT)

## Document text

NTSB safety recommendation P-78-054.

IN TRAINING BOTH NEW AND LONG TERM EMPLOYEES, EMPHASIZE THE NEED TO HAVE AVAILABLE SAFETY EQUIPMENT WHILE PERFORMING CERTAIN HAZARDOUS WORK IN CONFINED SPACES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING THE ATMOSPHERE, THE USE OF SAFETY DEVICES, AND THE USE OF SAFE PROCEDURES. (URGENT)

Priority: CLASS I

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1978-08-28

Adopted Date: 1978-09-09

Overall Date Closed: 1978-12-19

Synopsis: ON MARCH 29, 1978, THE OKLAHOMA NATURAL GAS COMPANY (ONG) DISPATCHED A CREW TO SHUT OFF GAS SERVICE TO A SHOPPING CENTER IN OKLAHOMA CITY. THE CREW WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE A VALVE, SO THEY DISCONNECTED THE LINE ON THE LOW-PRESSURE SIDE OF THE REGULATOR AT A 2-INCH UNION AND PLUGGED THE LINE WITHOUT FIRST STOPPING THE FLOW OF GAS. ON APRIL 24, 1978, ONG ASSIGNED A DIFFERENT CREW TO RESTORE GAS SERVICE TO THE SHOPPING CENTER. TWO EMPLOYEES WERE OVERCOME BY GAS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RECONNECT THE 2-INCH UNION WITHOUT FIRST STOPPING THE FLOW OF GAS INSIDE THE VAULT. THREE OTHER ONG EMPLOYEES ENTERED THE VAULT THROUGH THE 19-INCH OPENING TO RESCUE THE MEN AND WERE ALSO OVERCOME; THE CREW DID NOT HAVE A RESPIRATOR AT THE JOB SITE. ONE MAN WAS PULLED OUT OF THE VAULT BY OTHER ONG WORKERS AND WAS REVIVED AT THE SCENE; HOWEVER, THE OTHER FOUR MEN DIED OF ASPHYXIATION.

Keywords: Training and Education

Ntsbnumber: FTW78FP008

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: Oklahoma Natural Gas Corporation

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1978-12-19

Addressee Acronym: Oneok

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1978-09-06

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: OKLAHOMA NATURAL GAS COMPANY LTR: OUR CURRENT TRAINING FOR BOTH NEW AND LONG TERM EMPLOYEES EMPHASIZES THE NEED TO HAVE SAFETY EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE WHILE PERFORMING CERTAIN HAZARDOUS WORK IN CONFINED SPACES AS WELL AS THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING THE ATMOSPHERE, THE USE OF SAFETY DEVICES, AND THE USE OF SAFE PROCEDURES.

Addressee Acronym: Oneok

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1978-12-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-78-054>
- Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline`
- SHA-256: `c8916e776585462bc8f9667f3bb68d030a300843038dcb4645cbfd86be2836e8`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z
- Exported: 2026-08-26T15:45:49.194Z
- Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-78-054`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation",
  "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-78-054",
  "recommendationMode": "Pipeline",
  "topicMode": "Pipeline",
  "ntsbNumber": "FTW78FP008",
  "priority": "CLASS I",
  "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
  "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA",
  "overallDateClosed": "1978-12-19",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2017-09-06",
  "reportNumber": "None",
  "reportUrl": null,
  "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P78_53_55.pdf",
  "addressees": [
    {
      "addresseeName": "Oklahoma Natural Gas Corporation",
      "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CNLA",
      "addresseeStatus": "Closed--No Longer Applicable",
      "addresseeDateClosed": "1978-12-19",
      "addresseeDetails": [
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "Oneok",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": false,
          "communicationDate": "1978-09-06",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": "OKLAHOMA NATURAL GAS COMPANY LTR: OUR CURRENT TRAINING FOR BOTH NEW AND LONG TERM EMPLOYEES EMPHASIZES THE NEED TO HAVE SAFETY EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE WHILE PERFORMING CERTAIN HAZARDOUS WORK IN CONFINED SPACES AS WELL AS THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING THE ATMOSPHERE, THE USE OF SAFETY DEVICES, AND THE USE OF SAFE PROCEDURES."
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "Oneok",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1978-12-19",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```