NTSB Safety Recommendation P-83-027

NTSB safety recommendation P-83-027.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION AND THE NATURAL GAS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA: URGE ITS MEMBER COMPANIES TO PROVIDE CHECKLISTS TO SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL FOR MAJOR WORK PROJECTS TO IDENTIFY THE ESSENTIAL ACTIONS TO BE PERFORMED, BEFORE STARTING WORK AND WHILE WORK IS IN PROGRESS, TO ENSURE EMPLOYEE AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1983-09-07

Adopted Date: 1983-07-26

Overall Date Closed: 1984-04-30

Synopsis: ON OCTOBER 1, 1982, A 1/4-INCH-THICK STEEL PLATE, WHICH HAD BEEN WELDED BY A WORK CREW TO CAP TEMPORARILY THE OPEN END OF A SECTION OF A 22-INCH-DIAMETER GAS TRANSMISSION PIPELINE WHICH HAD BEEN ISOLATED BY CLOSING A GATE VALVE AND THEN GAS FREED, BLEW OFF UNDER AN INITIAL PRESSURE OF POSSIBLY 260 PSIG. RAPIDLY ESCAPING NATURAL GAS FROM THE PIPELINE, WHICH HAD ACCUMULATED DUE TO A LEAK IN THE GATE VALVE, IGNITED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AND THE ENTIRE WORK AREA AND A PORTION OF U.S. ROUTE 65 WERE MOMENTARILY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. SEVEN PERSONS WHO WERE WORKING TO REPLACE A SECTION OF THE PIPELINE UNDER THE ROAD ABOUT 2 MILES SOUTH OF PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS, WERE BURNED AND HOSPITALIZED. RESULTANT PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL.

Ntsbnumber: FTW83LA007

Report Number: PAR-83-03

Addressee Name: American Gas Association

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1984-04-30

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1984-02-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: AGA LETTER: CHECKLISTS ARE FREQUENTLY USED FOR CERTAIN SITUATIONS IN THE GAS INDUSTRY. THEY SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED ONLY WHERE THEIR USE WOULD BE PRACTICAL AND APPROPRIATE FOR A SPECIFIC JOB. THEY SHOULD NOT BE MANDATED FOR EVERY MAJOR WORK PROJECT.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1984-04-30

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Name: Interstate Natural Gas Association of America

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1984-04-30

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1983-09-14

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: INTERSTATE NATURAL GAS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA (INGAA) LETTER: A MEMORANDUM DATED 9/13/83 TO INGAA'S MEMBERSIP NOTIFIED THEM OF NTSB'S RECOMMENDATIONS P-83-26 AND P-83-27.

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1983-11-10

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: INTERSTATE NATURAL GAS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA LETTER: IN ADDITION TO OUR SEPTEMBER 13, 1983 MEMORANDUM TO ALL OF OUR MEMBER COMPANIES, A COPY OF WHICH WE FORWARDED TO YOU WITH OUR LETTER OF SEPTEMBER 14, 1983, MEMBERS OF MY CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS STAFF REVIEWED THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACCIDENT AND YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON P-83-27, WITH THE INGAA CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AT THEIR SEPTEMBER 13-14, 1983 MEETING. THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE IS COMPOSED OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR MEMBER COMPANIES, MOST OF WHOM ARE SENIOR ENGINEERING OPERATIONAL EXECUTIVES OF THEIR COMPANIES. THEY MEET AT LEAST TWICE EACH YEAR AND THE SUBJECT OF PIPELINE SAFETY IS A PRIORITY AGENDA ITEM AT EACH MEETING. NTSB ACCIDENT REPORTS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NTSB RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ALWAYS DISCUSSED AT LENGTH AT EVERY MEETING.

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1983-10-31

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1984-01-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence