NTSB Safety Recommendation P-78-079

NTSB safety recommendation P-78-079.

ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR GAS INDUSTRY SAFETY CLOTHING TO PROTECT WORKERS REPAIRING LEAKING GAS PIPELINES WHERE IGNITION OF THE GAS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS BURNS.

Priority: CLASS III

Overall Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Issued Date: 1978-12-29

Adopted Date: 1978-12-07

Overall Date Closed: 1989-08-29

Synopsis: ON JUNE 12, 1978, A 10-INCH NATURAL GAS PIPELINE OWNED BY THE GAS SERVICE COMPANY WAS STRUCK AND RUPTURED BY EXCAVATION EQUIPMENT DURING CONSTRUCTION OF A SEWER IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI. THE NATURAL GAS ESCAPED FROM A 5-INCH-LONG HOLE IN THE PIPELINE. THE GAS IGNITED WHILE TWO GAS COMPANY EMPLOYEES WERE CLEANING THE PIPE WITH HAND TOOLS BEFORE INSTALLING A PIPE REPAIR CLAMP. BOTH MEN WERE BURNED SERIOUSLY.

Ntsbnumber: DCA78MP020

Report Number: PAR-78-05

Addressee Name: United States Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Addressee Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1989-08-29

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1982-11-18

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: DEPARTMENT OF LABOR LETTER: IN ADDITION TO THE OSHA REVISION EFFORTS ON TRENCHING AND EXCAVATION, I HAVE STARTED A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE OSHA PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT STANDARDS. AS PART OF THIS REVIEW OSHA WILL BE DEVELOPING ADDITIONAL DATA AND RECOMMENDED PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR CLOTHING WORN BY WORKERS IN VARIOUS OCCUPATIONS.

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1983-05-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: OSHA LETTER: OSHA IS ALSO CONTINUING ITS COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT STANDARDS. THE AGENCY RECENTLY IDENTIFIED THESE STANDARDS IN THE TWELVE-MONTH LIST FOR REVIEW OF RULES (48 FR 6872, FEBRUARY 15, 1983). THIS NOTICE SETS FORTH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR'S TWELVE-MONTH LISTING FOR REVIEW OF EXISTING REGULATIONS PURSUANT TO THE REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ACT.

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1988-08-30

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: WITH REGARD TO RECOMMENDATION P-78-79 CONCERNING SAFETY CLOTHING TO PROTECT GAS INDUSTRY EMPLOYEES WHILE REPAIRING LEAKING GAS PIPELINES, OSHA IS MOVING FORWARD WITH A DRAFT PROPOSED RULE ON PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE ISSUED BY MARCH 1989. HOWEVER, THIS PROPOSED OSHA NOTES THAT THERE ARE NO VOLUNTARY STANDARDS, TEST PRO CEDURES, OR OTHER INFORMATION ON WHICH AN OSHA REGULATION CAN BE BASED AND SUPPORTED TO COVER PROTECTIVE CLOTHING FOR GAS LINE REPAIR EMPLOYEES IN A FLASH-FIRE SITUATION. IN THE ABSENCE OF EFFECTIVE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING DESIGNED FOR THIS TYPE OF REPAIR WORK, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT PROCEDURES TO ELIMINATE THE FLASH-FIRE HAZARD WOULD BE THE ALTERNATE SOLUTION. IF INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT A STANDARD FOR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING FROM THE HAZARDS OF GAS PIPELINE FLASH-FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS, OSHA WILL EVALUATE FURTHER THE NEED FOR SUCH A STANDARD.

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1989-03-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT A STATE MENT CONTAINED IN OUR LAST CORRESPONDNECE. OUR STATEMENT DID NOT SAY WE WERE UNAWARE OF STANDARDS AND TEST METHODS WITH RESPECT TO FLAMMABILITY OF CLOTHING MATERIALS. INSTEAD, OUR STATEMENT ASSERTED THAT OSHA WAS UNAWARE OF VOLUNTARY STANDARDS, TEST METHODS, AND OTHER INFORMATION ADDRESSING THIS TYPE OF CLOTHING FOR GAS LINE REPAIR EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION'S AND THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS' STANDARDS FOR FLAMMABIL ITY OF WORKERS' CLOTHING WITH RESPECT TO SPECIFIC OCCUPA TIONAL SITUATIONS (WORKERS AT GRAIN HANDLING FACILITIES, FIREWORKS PLANTS, ETC.) IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION CONCERNING THE FLAMMABILITY OF MATERIALS IN CLOTHING FOR, SPECIFICALLY, GAS LINE REPAIR EMPLOYEES, SUBMISSION OF SUCH INFORMATION TO THE RECORD FOR CONFINED SPACES WOULD BE HELPFUL AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. WE HOPE THIS INFORMATION WILL BE OF ASSISTANCE TO YOU.

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1989-06-23

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: WITH RESPECT TO RECOMMENDATION P-78-79, YOU ARE CORRECT IN NOTING THAT THE PROPOSED STANDARD FOR CONFINED SPACES ADDRESSES THE ISSUE OF FLAMMABILITY OF CLOTHING FOR GAS INDUSTRY WORKERS IN ONLY A LIMITED MANNER. HOWEVER, AS OSHA DEVELOPS AND REVISES STANDARDS FOR SPECIFIC WORK SITUATIONS AND OCCUPATIONS, ONE OF THE ISSUES AND THE AGENCY INTENDS TO ADDRESS IS THAT OF THE FLAMMABILITY OF WORKER CLOTHING.

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1983-03-28

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1983-06-01

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1988-08-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1989-02-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1989-05-22

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1989-08-29

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1982-10-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence