NTSB Safety Recommendation P-84-002

NTSB safety recommendation P-84-002.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT YOU, AS GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: REQUEST THE ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE TO ENACT LEGISLATION REQUIRING PERSONS EXCAVATING OR DISCHARGING EXPLOSIVES NEAR UNDERGROUND UTILITIES TO NOTIFY OPERATORS OF PUBLIC UTILITIES IN ADVANCE USING A ONE-CALL NOTIFICATION SYSTEM WHERE IT IS ESTABLISHED.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1984-01-20

Adopted Date: 1984-01-10

Overall Date Closed: 1999-01-13

Synopsis: ON OCTOBER 7, 1982, A CONTRACTOR PUNCTURED THE ENSTAR NATURAL GAS COMPANY'S (GAS COMPANY) 5/8-INCH DIAMETER PLASTIC GAS SERVICE LINE TO A HOUSE AT 8520 EAST 17TH AVENUE IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA; THE CONTRACTOR HAD BEEN AUGERING HOLES FOR THE INSTALLATION OF PILING AROUND THE HOUSE. NATURAL GAS ESCAPING FROM THE RUPTURED SERVICE LINE AT 50 PSIG MIGRATED UNDERGROUND, ENTERED THE HOUSE, ACCUMULATED, AND IGNITED. ON JULY 20, 1982, SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE THIS ACCIDENT, AN ENGINEERING COMPANY HAD REQUESTED THE GAS COMPANY TO MARK THE LOCATION OF ITS GAS SERVICE LINE TO THE HOUSE ON EAST 17TH AVENUE. HOWEVER, A DIFFERENT CONTRACTOR WAS ENGAGED FOR THE WORK ON OCTOBER 7 AND THIS CONTRACTOR HAD NEITHER REQUESTED THE GAS COMPANY TO LOCATE ITS SERVICE LINE NOR GIVEN THE GAS COMPANY ADVANCE NOTICE OF THE EXCAVATION WORK. EIGHT MONTHS LATER, ON JUNE 15, 1983, ANOTHER ACCIDENT OCCURRED THIS TIME INVOLVING THE GAS COMPANY'S 12-INCH DIAMETER, HIGH-PRESSURE GAS PIPELINE. THE GAS COMPANY SERVES ABOUT 50,000 CUSTOMERS IN THE ANCHORAGE AREA AND RECEIVES ABOUT 1,100 REQUESTS FROM CONTRACTORS EACH MONTH TO LOCATE ITS GAS LINES. IN SPITE OF THIS EXTENSIVE LINE LOCATION ACTIVITY, NATURAL GAS PIPELINES IN THE ANCHORAGE AREA WERE STRUCK 410 TIMES IN THE COURSE OF EXCAVATION OPERATIONS IN THE 6-MONTH PERIOD FROM JANUARY TO JUNE 1983, ACCORDING TO THE GAS COMPANY STATISTICS.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA83FP002

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: State of Alaska

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1999-01-13

Addressee Acronym: AK

Addressee Organization Type: S-State Government

Communication Date: 1998-10-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 10/23/98 3:16:17 PM MC# 981284 THE ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED AND THE GOVERNOR SIGNED INTO LAW SB 330, AN ACT RELATING TO LOCATIONS OF UNDERGROUND FACILITIES AND EXCAVATIONS IN THE AREA OF UNDERGROUND FACILITIES, EFFECTIVE 9/1/98. THE ACT MANDATES A ONE-CALL SYSTEM FOR LOCATING UNDERGROUND FACILITIES OF ALASKAN UTILITIES WHICH IS INTENDED TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ACCIDENTAL EXPLOSION OF PIPELINES AND THE DANGER OF ELECTROCUTION THAT COULD RESULT FROM SOMEONE DIGGING WITHOUT FIRST KNOWING WHERE UTILITY LINES ARE BURIED.

Addressee Acronym: AK

Addressee Organization Type: S-State Government

Communication Date: 1984-03-01

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: STATE OF ALASKA LETTER: THE ONE-CALL SYSTEM IS EFFECTIVE, ONLY IF EXCAVATORS ARE REQUIRED TO USE IT. THEREFORE, THE COMMISSION WOULD SUPPORT LEGISLATION REQUIRING PERSONS EXCAVATING NEAR UNDERGROUND UTILITIES TO CONTACT THE ONE-CALL SYSTEM OPERATOR.

Addressee Acronym: AK

Addressee Organization Type: S-State Government

Communication Date: 1996-07-18

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE GOVERNOR OF ALASKA HAS NOT RESPONDED TO P-84-02 & THE STATE ALASKA HAS NEVER PASSED LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRES CONTRACTORS TO CALL THE ONE-CALL PRIOR TO EXCAVATION. THEIR ARE MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE IN SEVERAL PLACES THAT REQUIRES THIS CONTACT BUT NOTHING ON A STATEWIDE BASIS.

Addressee Acronym: AK

Addressee Organization Type: S-State Government

Communication Date: 1997-01-22

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: IN CONJUNCTION WITH P-84-1, THE BOARD ISSUED P-84-2, WHICH ASKED THE GOVERNOR OF ALASKA TO "REQUEST THE ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE TO ENACT LEGISLATION REQUIRING PERSONS EXCAVATING OR DISCHARGING EXPLOSIVES NEAR UNDERGROUND UTILITIES TO NOTIFY OPERATORS OF PUBLIC UTILITIES IN ADVANCE USING A ONE-CALL NOTIFICATION SYSTEM WHERE IT IS ESTABLISHED." THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT IN 1985 THE ANCHORAGE AREA UTILITY ASSOCIATION DEVELOPED & INTRODUCED LEGISLATION PROPOSING THAT EXCAVATORS BE REQUIRED TO NOTIFY OPERATORS OF BURIED FACILITIES IN ADVANCE OF PLANNED EXCAVATIONS. THE BOARD ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT THE PROPOSAL DID NOT GAIN SUFFICIENT SUPPORT FOR ENACTMENT, PRIMARILY BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO SMALLER, LESS DENSELY POPULATED COMMUNITIES. LATER, HOWEVER, THE CITY OF ANCHORAGE DID PASS AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING EXCAVATORS TO NOTIFY FACILITY OPERATORS, EITHER BY DIRECT NOTIFICATION OR BY USE OF THE ONE-CALL NOTIFICATION CENTER, OF PLANNED EXCAVATIONS. THE ANCHORAGE PROGRAM HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE IN GAINING PARTICIPATION FROM ALL BUT TWO MAJOR FACILITY OPERATORS. BASED ON THE INFO AVAILABLE TO US, IT APPEARS THAT SINCE 1984, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS NOT ACTIVELY PROMOTED PASSAGE OF A STATE PROGRAM TO MINIMIZE EXCAVATION DAMAGE TO BURIED FACILITIES IN ALASKA. THEREFORE, P-84-2 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "OPEN--UNACCEPTABLE RESPONSE."

Addressee Acronym: AK

Addressee Organization Type: S-State Government

Communication Date: 1999-01-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD IS PLEASED THAT THE LEGISLATURE PASSED AND THAT YOU SIGNED INTO LAW SB 330, AN ACT RELATING TO LOCATIONS OF UNDERGROUND FACILITIES AND EXCAVATIONS IN THE AREA OF UNDERGROUND FACILITIES, EFFECTIVE 9/1/98. THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS ACT, WHICH REQUIRES EXCAVATORS TO NOTIFY UTILITY OPERATORS OR A NOTIFICATION CENTER TO LOCATE UNDERGROUND FACILITIES OF ALASKAN UTILITIES PRIOR TO EXCAVATION, IS INTENDED TO REDUCE THE RISK OF EXPLOSION OR ELECTROCUTION THAT COULD RESULT FROM SOMEONE DIGGING WITHOUT FIRST KNOWING WHERE UTILITY LINES ARE BURIED. ACCORDINGLY, P-84-2 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."

Addressee Acronym: AK

Addressee Organization Type: S-State Government

Communication Date: 1984-05-31

Communication Type: Official Correspondence