NTSB Safety Recommendation P-82-013

NTSB safety recommendation P-82-013.

THE SAFETY BOARD IS CONCERNED THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A SIMILAR ACCIDENT AS COLUMBIA CONTINUES TO UPRATE ITS PIPE LINES TO ACCOMMODATE INCREASING DEMANDS. THEREFORE, THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE COLUMBIA GAS TRANSMISSION CORPORATION: DEVELOP DETAILED WRITTEN PROCEDURES THAT PRESCRIBE THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN WHILE HYDROSTATICALLY RETESTING PIPELINES, INCLUDING THE INITIAL AND CONTINUING TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PRESENCE OF NATURAL GAS, PARTICULARLY WHEN WORK IS BEING PERFORMED ON PIPELINES WHILE THEY REMAIN PHYSICALLY CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF GAS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1982-05-13

Adopted Date: 1982-04-26

Overall Date Closed: 1988-07-25

Synopsis: ON NOVEMBER 30, 1981, AT FLATWOODS, WEST VIRGINIA, GAS, LEAKING INTO A TEST SECTION OF A 26-INCH-DIAMETER GAS TRANSMISSION PIPELINE OWNED AND OPERATED BY COLUMBIA GAS TRANSMISSION CORPORATION (COLUMBIA), IGNITED AS A WELDER ENGAGED IN INSTALLING AN END CAP PLACED A TACK WELD ON THE EAST END OF A 180-FOOT-LONG SECTION OF PIPE. THE RESULTANT EXPLOSION BLEW OFF THE EAST END CAP, WHICH STRUCK AND KILLED THE WELDER'S HELPER.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA82FP001

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: NiSource, Inc. (formerly Columbia Gas)

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1988-07-25

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1982-06-30

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: COLUMBIA GAS TRANSMISSION CORPORATION: COLUMBIA, IN REVIEWING ITS PROCEDURES CONCERNING THE HYDROSTATIC RETEST ING OF PIPELINES, IS CONSIDERING YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND WHERE CHANGES WILL ASSURE GREATER SAFETY, WILL IMPLEMENT SUCH CHANGES INTO OUR PROCEDURES.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-05-25

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: I AM ENCLOSING A COPY OF COLUMBIA'S CURRENT OPERATING POLICY ON "SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR ISOLATION OF GAS HANDLING FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND TESTING" (ATTACHMENT 1). THIS POLICY INCLUDES REQUIREMENTS WHICH WE BELIEVE ARE RESPONSIVE TO NTSB SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS P-82-13 THROUGH P-82-15. SPECIFICALLY, THE ENTIRE POLICY IS RESPONSIVE TO P-82-13 IN THAT IT DESCRIBES, IN DETAIL, THE PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED FOR REMOVING ANY GAS HANDLING FACILITY FROM SERVICE FOR MAINTENANCE, REPAIR OR TESTING. THESE PROCEDURES INCLUDE STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED BEFORE REMOVING THE FACILITY FROM SERVICE, WHILE THE FACILITY IS OUT OF SERVICE AND WHEN RETURNING THE FACILITY TO SERVICE. RECOMMENDATION P-82-14 IS COVERED BY PROCEDURES IN SECTION III AND IN SECTION V.A. 1, 2, AND 3. RECOMMENDATION P-82-15 IS ADDRESSED IN SECTION IV.B. COLUMBIA'S POLICY ON "PIPELINE TESTING REQUIREMENTS" ALSO INCLUDES SPECIFIC PROCEDURES RELATED TO CONTRACTORS WHO MAY BE USED TO CONDUCT TESTING ACTIVITIES ON COLUMBIA FACILITIES. THIS POLICY IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING AN EXTENSIVE REVISION TO COMBINE REQUIREMENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN OTHER PROCEDURES. A COPY OF THAT PORTION OF THE POLICY RELATED TO CONTRACTORS IS ALSO ENCLOSED (ATTACHMENT 2). WE WISH TO APOLOGIZE FOR OUR FAILURE TO RESPOND TO NTSB IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER. AT THE TIME THE ENCLOSED POLICY WAS PUBLISHED, COLUMBIA WAS UNDERGOING MAJOR REORGANIZATION AND REDUCTION IN WORK FORCE. IN THE RESULTING REALIGNMENT OF PERSONNEL AND RESPONSIBILITIES, THE NEED TO RESPOND WAS OVERLOOKED. WE TRUST THIS RESPONSE WILL ENABLE NTSB TO PLACE THESE SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS IN A "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION" STATUS.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1982-08-31

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-07-25

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-04-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence