NTSB Safety Recommendation P-79-032

NTSB safety recommendation P-79-032.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE LONE STAR GAS COMPANY: CHANGE ITS OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE PLAN TO INCLUDE SPECIFIC PROCEDURES TO COVER THE PART OF THE SERVICE LINES IDENTIFIED UNDER COMPANY POLICY AS YARD LINES TO BE THE SAME AS FOR COMPANY-OWNED SERVICE LINES.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1979-10-29

Adopted Date: 1979-10-29

Overall Date Closed: 1981-06-29

Synopsis: ON MAY 29, 1978, AN EXPLOSION DESTROYED A ONE-STORY BRICK HOUSE IN ARLINGTON, TEXAS, AND DAMAGED ADJACENT HOUSES; THERE WERE NO FATALITIES OR INJURIES. THE NTSB INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT NATURAL GAS HAD LEAKED FROM TWO CORROSION HOLES IN THE 1-INCH BARE STEEL GAS CUSTOMER YARD LINE LOCATED ABOUT 12 FEET FROM THE WALL OF THE HOUSE AND HAD ACCUMULATED UNDER THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE.

Ntsbnumber: FTW78FP009

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: Lone Star Gas Company

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1981-06-29

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1980-04-30

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: LONE STAR GAS COMPANY LTR: LONE STAR'S REVIEW OF ITS OPERATING PROCEDURES INDICATES THAT THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN THE TREATMENT OF CUSTOMER-OWNED AND COMPANY-OWNED SERVICES LINES. IN EARLY 1979, LONE STAR BEGAN REMOVING REFERENCES TO CUSTOMER-OWNED SERVICE LINES FROM ITS PROCEDURES IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE ANY MISUNDERSTANDING BY ITS OPERATING PERSONNEL CONCERNING THE TREATMENT OF SUCH LINES. LONE STAR IS ATTEMPTING TO THE BEST OF ITS ABILITY TO OPERATE ITS SYSTEM IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS AND BELIEVES THAT ITS OPERATING PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES ARE IN COMPLIANCE. THEREFORE, LONE STAR FEELS THAT THERE IS NO NEED TO CHANGE ITS OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE PLAN TO INCLUDE SPECIFIC PROCEDURES TO COVER CUSTOMER-OWNED SERVICE LINES. THESE LINES ARE ALREADY COVERED BY THE OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE PLAN TO THE EXTENT REQUIRED BY REGULATIONS.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1981-05-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: LONE STAR GAS COMPANY LTR: UPON RECEIPT OF THE SEPTEMBER 29, 1980, NTSB LETTER, LONE STAR GAS COMPANY REVIEWED ITS POSITION CONCERNING SAFETY RECOMMENDATION P-79-32. LONE STAR GAS COMPANY HAS CHANGED ITS POLICY ON CUSTOMER-OWNED SERVICE LINES AND IS PRESENTLY SEEKING THE REGULATORY APPROVALS NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW POLICY. UNDER LONE STAR GAS COMPANY'S REVISED POLICY, THE COMPANY WILL INSTALL ALL NEW SERVICE LINES UP TO THE POINT OF MEASUREMENT AND REPLACE EXISTING SERVICE LINES UP TO THE POINT OF MEASUREMENT AS THE NEED FOR REPLACEMENT ARISES. LONE STAR GAS COMPANY IS IMPLEMENTING ITS REVISED POLICY BY FILING FOR FRANCHISE AMENDMENTS. WHILE THE IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS ARE JUST BEGINNING, THE INITIAL RESPONSE TO THE REVISED POLICY HAS BEEN FAVORABLE. IN ADDITION, LONE STAR GAS COMPANY IS SUPPORTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE REAUTHORIZATION BILL FOR THE STATE PLUMBING BOARD WHICH WOULD CLARIFY THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY TO WORK ON CUSTOMER-OWNED SERVICE LINES WITHOUT A MASTER PLUMBER'S LICENSE. THIS AMENDMENT WOULD ELIMINATE ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS PRESENTLY RAISED IN OPPOSITION TO LONE STAR GAS COMPANY'S REVISED POLICY ON CUSTOMER-OWNED SERVICE LINES.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1980-09-29

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1981-06-29

Communication Type: Official Correspondence