NTSB Safety Recommendation P-77-011

NTSB safety recommendation P-77-011.

COORDINATE WITH LOCAL ELECTRIC COMPANIES, TELEPHONE COMPANIES, WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENTS, AND OTHER STREET FACILITY OWNERS TO INSTALL SIGNS AT MANHOLES ALERTING PERSONS TO THE HAZARDS OF ENTERING BEFORE CHECKING FOR GAS CONTENT AND OXYGEN DEFICIENCY ALONG THE ROUTE OF THIS MANUFACTURED GAS PIPELINE.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action

Issued Date: 1977-06-24

Adopted Date: 1977-06-10

Overall Date Closed: 1977-11-23

Synopsis: ON MARCH 26, 1977, THE BUFFALO POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED GAS ODORS IN A TELEPHONE COMPANY MANHOLE NEAR 1446 SOUTH PARK AVENUE. NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY CHECKED THE VAULT BELOW THE MANHOLE FOR GAS. HIS COMBUSTIBLE GAS INDICATOR (CGI) INDICATED A FULL-SCALE READING ON ITS SINGLE, LOWER-EXPLOSIVE LIMIT SCALE, HE RADIOED FOR ADDITIONAL HELP. A THREE-MAN, EMERGENCY REPAIR CREW ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND REMOVED THE MANHOLE COVER TO VENT THE GAS FROM THE VAULT. THE REPAIR CREW WAS COMPOSED OF SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL BECAUSE REGULAR GAS COMPANY EMPLOYEES WERE ON STRIKE. THE CREW FOREMAN WALKED DOWN THE STREET TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION OF THE GAS MAIN BY EXAMINING PAVING PATCHES OVER PREVIOUS REPAIRS, WHILE THE OTHER TWO MEN REMAINED AT THE MANHOLE. THE FOREMAN HEARD ONE OF THE MEN CALL FOR HELP. HE FOUND ONE MAN ON A LADDER IN THE MANHOLE HOLDING THE OTHER MAN, WHO WAS UNCONSCIOUS. THE MAN ON THE LADDER THEN LOST CONSCIOUSNESS AND BOTH FELL BACK INTO THE MANHOLE. FIREMEN, WEARING OXYGEN MASKS, REMOVED THE BODIES FROM THE MANHOLE. THE REPAIRMEN HAD NOT USED THE RESPIRATORY DEVICES WHICH WERE ON THE GAS COMPANY TRUCK.

Ntsbnumber: DCA77FP020

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: National Fuel Gas Company

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1977-11-23

Addressee Acronym: NFG

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1977-08-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: NATIONAL FUEL GAS DISTRIBUTION CORP. LTR: THE 12" DIAMETER GAS MAIN INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT WAS SHUT DOWN ON THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT AND HAS REMAINED OUT OF SERVICE. RECENTLY A DECISION WAS REACHED TO PERMANENTLY ABANDON THIS LINE.