NTSB Safety Recommendation P-83-028

NTSB safety recommendation P-83-028.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS, GAS PIPING STANDARDS COMMITTEE: DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR MONITORING GAS PIPELINE SEGMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ISOLATED FROM GAS UNDER HIGH PRESSURE SOLELY THROUGH THE USE OF VALVES. ESTABLISH THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE MONITORING SHOULD INCLUDE AN AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR ALERTING EMPLOYEES TO THE PRESENCE OF GAS WITHIN THE ISOLATED SECTION AND THE TIMING AND FREQUENCY OF INSPECTIONS THAT SHOULD BE MADE TO DETERMINE THE PRESENCE OF GAS WHEN AN AUTOMATIC ALERTING MEANS IS NOT INCORPORATED WITHIN THE MONITORING EQUIPMENT.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1983-09-07

Adopted Date: 1983-07-26

Overall Date Closed: 1997-03-07

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 Society of Mechanical Engineers

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1997-03-07

Addressee Acronym: ASME

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1983-11-02

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: ASME GAS PIPING TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE MEMO: PURPOSE: REVIEW NTSB SAFETY RECOMMENDATION P-38-28 AND DETERMINE IF ADDITIONAL GUIDE MATERIAL IS NEEDED TO RESPOND TO THIS RECOMMENDATION. ACTION: APPROVED TRANSACTION. ASSIGNED TO O & M TASK GROUP.

Addressee Acronym: ASME

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1986-10-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: AS YOU ARE AWARE, THE COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED BY ASME TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL GUIDELINES WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN PORTIONS OF 49 CFR PART 192, TRANSPORTATION OF NATURAL AND OTHER GAS BY PIPELINE, MINIMUM FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS, TO ASSIST GAS TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OPERATORS IN THEIR EFFORTS OF COMPLIANCE. IN ADDITION, THE COMMITTEE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO COMMENT ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS OR OTHER MATTER WHICH AFFECT PART 192. THE COM MITTEE CONSISTS OF APPROXIMATELY THIRTY-FIVE (35) MEMBERS IN THE MAIN BODY, EACH HAVING TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS: GAS DISTRIBUTION, TRANSMISSION, GATHERING, DESIGN, RESEARCH, CONSTRUCTION AND TESTING. IT IS A BROAD BASED, BALANCED COMMITTEE DRAWING ITS MEMBERSHIP FROM THE GAS TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT REGULATORY AGENCIES, MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS, CONTRACTORS AND INDEPENDENT CONSULTANTS AND RESEARCH AGENCIES. AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE RECOMMENDATIONS, THE COMMITTEE HAS REVIEWED THE RELATED INCIDENTS AND NTSB'S COMMENTS. THIS REVIEW HAS LED THE COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR PART 192 WHICH CAN BE USED BY THE INDUSTRY TO PREVENT THE TYPES OF INCIDENTS WHICH OCCURED. THE THREE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM NTSB HAVE BEEN HANDLED TOGETHER SINCE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THEY DEAL WITH THE SAME PARAGRAPH WITHIN PART 192, NAMELY 192.751 PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTAL IGNITION. ATTACHED IS THE PROPOSED GUIDE MATERIAL DEVELOPED FOR 192.751 AS A RESULT OF THE NTSB RECOMMENDATIONS.

Addressee Acronym: ASME

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1996-03-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: GPTC HAS PUBLISHED GUIDE MATERIAL UNDER 192.751 AS ITS RESPOSE TO THIS RECOMMENDATION. THE GPTC RESPONDED WITH A COPY OF THE GUIDE MATERIAL ON 10-8-86. IF FURTHER RESPONSE IS NECESSARY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

Addressee Acronym: ASME

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1997-03-07

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: P-83-28 RECOMMENDED THAT THE COMMITTEE: DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR MONITORING GAS PIPELINE SEGMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ISOLATED FROM GAS UNDER HIGH PRESSURE SOLELY THROUGH THE USE OF VALVES, ESTABLISH THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE MONITORING SHOULD INCLUDE AN AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR ALERTING EMPLOYEES TO THE PRESENCE OF GAS WITHIN THE ISOLATED SECTION & THE TIMING & FREQUENCY OF INSPECTIONS THAT SHOULD BE MADE TO DETERMINE THE PRESENCE OF GAS WHEN AN AUTOMATIC ALERTING MEANS IS NOT INCORPORATED WITHIN THE MONITORING EQUIPMENT. BECAUSE PARAGRPH 192.751 OF THE GUIDE SATISFIES THE INTENT OF THE RECOMMENDATION, P-83-28 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."

Addressee Acronym: ASME

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1987-01-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: ASME

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1984-06-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence