NTSB Safety Recommendation P-76-091

NTSB safety recommendation P-76-091.

DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR PRECONSTRUCTION MEETINGS, WHICH SHOULD INCLUDE METHODS OF PREVENTING DAMAGE TO UNDERGROUND UTILITIES TO BE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION WORK. SUCH PRECONSTRUCTION MEETINGS SHOULD BE ATTENDED BY ALL OPERATORS WHOSE FACILITIES ARE INVOLVED.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1977-01-31

Adopted Date: 1976-12-09

Overall Date Closed: 1987-05-14

Synopsis: ON JUNE 16, 1976, A PIECE OF CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT EXCAVATING FOR A STREET WIDENING PROJECT ON VENICE BOULEVARD IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA STRUCK AND PUNCTURED AN 8-INCH PETROLEUM PRODUCTS PIPELINE OWNED BY THE STANDARD OIL COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA. THE ESCAPING GASOLINE SPRAYED ON NEARBY BUILDINGS AND IGNITED. 9 PERSONS WERE KILLED, 14 PERSONS WERE INJURED, 7 BUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED, OTHER BUILDINGS WERE DAMAGED BY FIRE AND HEAT, AND 15 VEHICLES WERE DESTROYED.

Ntsbnumber: DCA76MP021

Report Number: PAR-76-08

Addressee Name: State of California, Department of Transportation

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1987-05-14

Addressee Acronym: Caltrans

Addressee Organization Type: S-State Government

Communication Date: 1987-02-26

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THIS IS ACTUALLY A FOLLOWUP LETTER DATED 2/26/87. THE FOLLOWING IS A HISTORY OF PREVIOUS CORRESPONDENCE: NTSB'S LETTER OF 8/29/78, INQUIRING AS TO WHY CALTRANS HAS DECIDED NOT TO JOIN THE UNDERGROUND SERVICE ALERT ("ONE-CALL") SYSTEM IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, ATTACHED. CALTRAN'S RESPONSE OF 9/13/78, REGARDING "ONE-CALL" SYSTEM. UNDERGROUND SERVICE ALERT'S 9/29/78, LETTER REGARDING CALTRANS DECISION NOT TO JOIN THE ONE-CALL SYSTEM AND RELATED CORRESPONDENCE.

Addressee Acronym: Caltrans

Addressee Organization Type: S-State Government

Communication Date: 1987-04-02

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: IN 1969, THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE ENACTED SECTION 4215 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT CODE WHICH REQUIRES PUBLIC AGENCIES TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL RELOCATION AND PROTECTION OF UNDERGROUND UTILITY FACILITY NOT SHOWN ON THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT PLANS OF PUBLIC PROJECT. BASED ON THIS LAW, CALTRANS PLOTS ALL UTILITY SUBSTRUCTURES ITS CONTRACT PLANS AND PROVIDES SPECIAL UTILITY AS BUILT PLANS FOR THE RELO CATED FACILITIES FOR INCLUSION IN THE CONTRACT PLANS. ALL CONTRACTS HAVE A PRECONSTRUCTION MEETING AS REQUIRED BY SECTIONS 1-10-7 AND 2-80 OF OUR CONSTRUCTION MANUAL. ALL UTILITY AND SUBSTRUCTURE OWNERS ARE REQUESTED TO ATTEND THIS MEETING WITH THE STATE'S RESIDENT ENGINEER AND CONTRACTOR TO ESTABLISH LIAISON CONTRACTS AND DISCUSS THE FACILITIES WITH IN THE LIMITS OF THE CONTRACT. THE UTILITY PLAN SHEETS IN THE HIGHWAY CONTRACT PLANS AND ANY SPECIAL HANDLING OF UTI LITY FACILITIES OUTLINED IN THE CONTRACT SPECIAL PROVISIONS ARE THE ITEMS REVIEWED. THOSE ATTENDING ACTION MEETING ARE: THE UTILITY OWNER, THE CONTRACTOR, THE RESIDENT ENGINEER AND THE STATE'S UTILITY RELOCATION COORDINATOR FOR THE PROJECT. WE BELIEVE OUR PROCEDURE MEETS YOUR NO. P-76-91. AFTER THE ACCIDENT OUTLINED IN PAR-76-08 ON JUNE 16, 1979, THE DEPART MENT ESTABLISHED THE "MANUAL ON HIGH AND LOW RISK UNDER GROUND FACILITIES WITHIN HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY" TO ELIMINATE ANY EXCAVATION WITHIN SPECIFIC DIMENSIONED CLEARANCES FROM ANY HAZARDOUS FACILITY BY ANYONE EXCEPT THE OWNER OF THE FACILITY BY THE OWNER TO WITHIN 0.1 FT. BOTH HORIZONTALLY AND VERTICALLY ON HIGH HAZARD FACILITIES AND THEY ARE PLOTTED ON THE DEPARTMENT'S CONSTRUCTION PLANS. THE LOW HAZARD FACILITIES REQUIRE PLAN PLOTTING HORIZONTALLY ONLY. THE FACILITIES ARE IDENTIFIED ANS SURVEYED FOR LOCATION BY THE STATE'S SURVEY PERSONNEL DURING THE PLAN PREPARATION PROCESS.

Addressee Acronym: Caltrans

Addressee Organization Type: S-State Government

Communication Date: 1987-02-26

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: Caltrans

Addressee Organization Type: S-State Government

Communication Date: 1987-05-14

Communication Type: Official Correspondence