NTSB Safety Recommendation P-83-017

NTSB safety recommendation P-83-017.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE TRUNKLINE GAS COMPANY: IDENTIFY COMPRESSOR STATION BUILDING VENTILATION SYSTEMS THAT HAVE RESTRICTIVE DEVICES THAT IF FULLY OR PARTIALLY CLOSED WOULD ALLOW ACCUMULATIONS OF GAS LEAKING FROM FACILITIES WITHIN THE BUILDING, AND INSTALL A GAS DETECTION SYSTEM THAT WILL ALERT EMPLOYEES TO HAZARDOUS GAS ACCUMULATIONS AND AUTOMATICALLY OPEN FULLY ALL RESTRICTIVE DEVICES WHEN ACCUMULATIONS OF GAS ARE DETECTED.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1983-07-14

Adopted Date: 1983-06-30

Overall Date Closed: 1985-03-13

Synopsis: ON DECEMBER 8, 1982, A FIVE-MEMBER CREW OF THE TRUNKLINE GAS COMPANY FOUND TWO LEAKS IN THE GASKETED VALVE COVERS OF A 10,000-HORSEPOWER COOPER-BESSEMER ENGINE, WHICH WAS HOUSED IN COMPRESSOR BUILDING B AT THE GAS COMPANY'S BONICORD, TENNESEE, FACILITY. AFTER TIGHTENING THE BOLTS ON THE COVERS, THE CREW STARTED THE ENGINE AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS. AT THE TIME, ONE CREWMEMBER WAS ON THE NORTH SIDE PLATFORM, AND THE OTHER CREWMEMBERS WERE NEAR THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE AT FLOOR LEVEL. ABOUT 2 OR 3 MINUTES LATER, AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED, FOLLOWED BY A FLASH FIRE. ALL FIVE CREWMEMBERS WERE INJURED SERIOUSLY, BUT WERE ABLE TO EVACUATE THE BUILDING. ONE CREWMEMBER DIED LATER THAT DAY, AND TWO OTHERS DIED A FEW DAYS LATER. THE BUILDING WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED.

Probable Cause: None

Keywords: Hazmat

Ntsbnumber: DCA83FP007

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: Trunkline Gas Company

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1985-03-13

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1983-08-01

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: TRUNKLINE GAS COMPANY LETTER: INSTRUCTIONS HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO BLOCK ALL COMPRESSOR BUILDING LOUVERS 100% OPEN. THIS IS A TEMPORARY FIX AND WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL A STUDY OF BUILDING MINIMUM VENTILATION REQUIREMENTS HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND IMPLEMENTED BY PROPER ADJUSTMENT OF LOUVERS. GAS DETECTION SYSTEMS ARE INSTALLED IN MOST COMPRESSOR BUILDINGS AND ARE SCHEDULED FOR INSTALLATION IN THE REMAINING COMPRESSOR BUILDINGS. EXISTING GAS DETECTION SYSTEMS ACTIVATE A WARNING AT A LOW GAS CONCENTRATION LEVEL TO ALERT EMPLOYEES OF GAS ACCUMULATIONS. AT A HIGHER GAS CONCENTRATION LEVEL, THEY ACTIVATE AN EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN SYSTEM TO DEACTIVATE ENGINES AND DEPRESSURIZE THE GAS PIPING. A VENTILATION PROCEDURE FOR ALL BUILDINGS CONTAINING GAS PRESSURIZED PIPING IS BEING DEVELOPED AND WILL BE INCORPORATED IN OUR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLAN.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1984-11-06

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: TRUNKLINE GAS COMPANY LETTER: THIS IS TO ADVISE THAT ALL COMPRESSOR BUILDINGS NOW HAVE GAS DETECTION SYSTEMS INSTALLED.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1983-09-07

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1985-03-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence