NTSB Safety Recommendation P-79-023

NTSB safety recommendation P-79-023.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE COMPANY OF AMERICA: REVIEW WITH ITS CONSTRUCTION CREW AND OTHERS THE HAZARDS OF EXPOSING ANY PIPELINE INSTALLED WITH COMPRESSION COUPLINGS WITHOUT MONITORING THE PRESSURE IN THE LINE, ESPECIALLY AT LOCATIONS WHERE OVERBENDS OR SIDEBENDS EXIST. (URGENT)

Priority: CLASS I

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1979-08-08

Adopted Date: 1979-07-19

Overall Date Closed: 1979-09-19

Synopsis: ON APRIL 18, 1979, A 24-INCH NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION PIPELINE OWNED BY THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE COMPANY OF AMERICA (GAS COMPANY) PULLED OUT OF A COMPRESSION COUPLING DURING A LINE-LOWERING PROJECT UNDER IOWA STATE HIGHWAY 181 IN A RURAL AREA NEAR DALLAS, IOWA. WITHIN SECONDS, THE NATURAL GAS IGINITED AND BURNED A 900-FOOT BY 400-FOOT AREA. FIVE OF THE EIGHT INJURED WORKERS WERE HOSPITALIZED. TWO CARS, A PICKUP TRUCK, AND A TRAILER HOUSING CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT WERE DESTROYED. A BACKHOE WAS PARTLY DAMAGED, AND WINDOWS WERE BROKEN IN A NEARBY FARMHOUSE.

Ntsbnumber: DCA79FP013

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1979-09-19

Addressee Acronym: NGPL

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1979-08-23

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: NATURAL GAS PIPELINE COMPANY OF AMERICA LTR: AT OUR FUTURE SAFETY RECOGNITION MEETINGS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW WITH OUR EMPLOYEES THE HAZARDS OF EXPOSING A COMPRESSION-COUPLED PIPELINE WHICH IS PRESSURED. THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE AT THE 1979 SERIES OF MEETINGS WHICH WERE COMPLETED IN JUNE. FURTHER, OUR FIELD CONSTRUCTION MANUAL AND OUR STANDARD CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS WILL BE REVISED TO INCLUDE SUCH INFOR MATION. THESE ACTIONS WILL PROVIDE AN AWARENESS OF THE POSSIBLE HAZARDS TO OUR OLDER EMPLOYEES, NEW EMPLOYEES, TRANSFERRED EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTOR'S PERSONNEL.

Addressee Acronym: NGPL

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1979-09-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence