NTSB Safety Recommendation P-81-035

NTSB safety recommendation P-81-035.

AS A RESULT OF SPECIAL STUDY PSS-81-1, THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE GAS RESEARCH INSTITUTE: PLAN AND CONDUCT A TEST AND EVALUATION OF EXISTING EXCESS FLOW VALVES TO DETERMINE AND DOCUMENT, ON A COMPARABLE BASIS, THEIR OPERATING AND DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS RELIABILITY, SERVICE PIPE SIZE AND LENGTH, OPERATING PRESSURE RANGE, MAXIMUM SERVICE LOAD, AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CONTAMINATION.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Issued Date: 1981-09-24

Adopted Date: 1981-09-09

Overall Date Closed: 1988-09-27

Synopsis: THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD HAS CONDUCTED A STUDY OF EXCESS FLOW VALVES DESIGNED FOR USE IN GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS (SPECIAL STUDY--PIPELINE EXCESS FLOW VALVES, NTSB-PSS-81-1). THESE DEVICES, INTENDED TO STOP THE FLOW OF GAS TO A CUSTOMER IN THE EVENT OF A MAJOR LEAK IN THE GAS SERVICE, HAVE BEEN THE SUBJECT OF CONSIDERABLE CONTROVERSY IN RECENT YEARS.

Keywords: Excess Flow Valves

Ntsbnumber: 80564

Report Number: PSS-81-01

Addressee Name: Gas Research Institute

Addressee Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1988-09-27

Addressee Acronym: GRI

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1981-10-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: GAS RESEARCH INSTITUTE (GRI) LTR: THE GAS RESEARCH INSTITUTE HAD PLANNED A RESEARCH PROJECT ON THIS SUBJECT BEGINNING IN 1981, AND WILL INCLUDE THE RESEARCH RECOMMENDED BY THE NTSB AS A PART OF OUR PROJECT TITLED "DEVELOPMENT OF RELIABLE EXCESS FLOW VALVES IN GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINS AND SERVICES." THE PROJECT WILL BEGIN IN 1981 AND WILL REQUIRE ABOUT TEN MONTHS TO COMPLETE AND ISSUE A FINAL REPORT. MR. BARRY SWEEDLER OF THE NTSB, WITH WHOM THE GRI STAFF HAS DISCUSSED THE PROJECT EXTENSIVELY, WILL RECEIVE QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORTS AS WELL AS THE FINAL REPORT ON THE PROJECT.

Addressee Acronym: GRI

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1987-10-26

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: NO RESPONSE--FOLLOWUP LETTER.

Addressee Acronym: GRI

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1988-06-29

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE RECOMMENDATION WAS FULLY IMPLEMENTED IN A GRI CONTRACT REPORTED IN CHAPTER 7 (PP. 85-248) OF REPORT NO. GRI 85/0150. ALL MODELS OF EFVS COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE AT THE TIME THE TESTS WERE INITIATED WERE TESTED. THESE INCLUDED SEVEN EFVS FROM FOUR DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS. THE TESTING ADDRESSED ALL ITEMS IDENTIFIED IN THE RECOMMENDATION. THE TEST PLAN WAS WIDELY REVIEWED. A COMMITTEE OF THREE TECHNICAL EXPERTS WAS ESTABLISHED TO REVIEW THE TEST PLAN, OBSERVE THE TEST PROCEDURE, AND REVIEW THE ANALYSIS OF THE DATA TO HELP ENSURE OBJECTIVITY. [COMMITTE MEMBER NAMES FOLLOW] IT WAS PARTICULARLY DISAPPOINTING THAT THE NTSB FOUND GRI'S RESPONSE TO P-81-35 TO BE UNACCEPTABLE AS THE RECOMMENDATION APPEARS TO BE STRAIGHTFORWARD AND IN OUR OPINION GRI FULLY COMPLIES WITH THE NTSB RECOMMENDATION. NTSB STAFF EXPRESSED A CONCERN AT A MARCH 21, 1988 MEETING WITH GRI STAFF THAT THE RESEARCH ADDRESSING NON-NTSB RECOMMENDATIONS SOMEWHAT OVERSHADOWED THE REPORTED RESULTS ADDRESSING NTSB RECOMMENDATIONS. WHILE THIS MAY BE TRUE, THE REPORT DOES FULLY ADDRESS THE NTSB RECOMMENDATION IN AN OBJECTIVE MANNER AND THE PROJECT IMPLICATIONS SECTION OF THE RESEARCH SUMMARY OF THE REPORT CLEARLY IDENTIFIES WHAT HAS BEEN ADDDRESSED IN THE REPORT.

Addressee Acronym: GRI

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1987-10-26

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: AFTER MUCH STUDY OF THE GAS RESEARCH INSTITUTE (GRI) REPORTS AND MANY DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN GRI AND THE SAFETY BOARD MANAGEMENT DURING DEVELOPMENTS OF THE REPORTS, THE SAFETY BOARD TOLD THE GRI THAT THE BOARD HAD REJECTED THE GRI REPORTS AS BIASED. THE BOARD SAID P-81-35 AND -36 WERE CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--UNACCEPTABLE ACTION." IN THE GRI'S 11/13/87 RESPONSE, THE PRESIDENT (OF GRI) SUGGESTED THAT THE BOARD HAD NOT BEEN FAIR WHEN IT CLASSIFIED THE SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS AND THAT THE SAFETY BOARD AND THE GRI HAVE A MEETING.

Addressee Acronym: GRI

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1988-09-27

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: ON 3/21/88, GRI MANAGEMENT MET WITH SAFETY BOARD MANAGEMENT TO DISCUSS THE SAFETY BOARD'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE GRI'S LACK OF OBJECTIVITY AND ACCURACY. ALTHOUGH GRI MANAGEMENT ACKNOWLEDGED THE MERITS OF MANY SAFETY BOARD CONCERNS, IT STATED THAT FURTHER WORK TO CORRECT DEFICIENCIES WOULD NOT BE PERFORMED BECAUSE THE GRI HAD ALREADY DEVOTED TOO MUCH TIME AND MONEY TO THE PROJECT. AFTER RECONSIDERING THE GRI'S WORK, ON 9/27/88, THE SAFETY BOARD CHAIRMAN ADVISED THE GRI THAT THE BOARD HAD CONCLUDED THAT THE GRI HAD NOT MET THE OBJECTIVE OF P-81-36 AND THAT THE REPORT WAS BIASED AND NOT AT ALL OBJECTIVE REGARDING EFV'S COULD BE USED TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND PREVENT DEATH, INJURY, AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE STATUS OF P-81-36 REMAINED "CLOSED--UNACCEPTABLE ACTION." (THE STATUS OF P-81-35 WAS ALSO NOT CHANGED AS A RESULT OF THE MEETING AND REMAINED CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--UNACCEPTABLE ACTION."

Addressee Acronym: GRI

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1987-11-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: GRI

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1988-10-27

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: GRI

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1981-12-16

Communication Type: Official Correspondence