NTSB Safety Recommendation P-84-010

NTSB safety recommendation P-84-010.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC GAS ASSOCIATION: NOTIFY MEMBER COMPANIES OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACCIDENT IN EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1983, AND URGE THEM TO DETERMINE IF REGULATORS IN THEIR SYSTEMS MAY BE BALANCED INTERNALLY BY UNSECURED WEIGHTS, AND WHERE SUCH CONDITIONS ARE FOUND, URGE THAT CORRECTIVE ACTION BE IMPLEMENTED.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1984-04-09

Adopted Date: 1984-04-03

Overall Date Closed: 1995-07-12

Synopsis: ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1983, THE BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT NOTIFYING IT OF A BROKEN WATER MAIN AND FLOODING AT THE INTERSECTION OF PORTER AND BREMEN STREETS IN EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. GAS PRESSURE IN THE BOSTON GAS COMPANY'S (GAS COMPANY) DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IN EAST BOSTON RAPIDLY INCREASED FROM 7 INCHES WATER COLUMN (W.C.) (ABOUT 0.25 PSIG) TO MORE THAN 16 INCHES W.C. (ABOUT 0.6 PSIG). THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT BEGAN RECEIVING TELEPHONE CALLS ABOUT GAS ODORS, HIGH PILOT LIGHTS, AND FIRES, AND MORE THAN 200 SIMILAR TELEPHONE CALLS WERE RECORDED BY THE FIRE DEPART MENT. GAS COMPANY CREWS SEARCHING FOR THE SOURCE OF THE HIGH GAS PRESSURE FOUND THE DISTRICT REGULATOR VAULT AT BREMEN AND PORTER STREETS (ONE OF FOUR DISTRICT REGULATORS IN THE EAST BOSTON AREA) HAD BEEN SUBMERGED IN WATER. AFTER THE VAULT HAD BEEN PUMPED OUT, INSPECTION OF THE PRIMARY REGULATOR AT BREMEN AND PORTER STREETS SHOWED THAT WATER HAD ENTERED THE REGULATOR THROUGH LEAKS IN A GASKET AND THROUGH THE VENT PIPING, THAT WATER HAD FILLED THE AREA ABOVE THE REGULATOR DIAPHRAGM, AND THAT THE WEIGHT OF THIS WATER IN THE DIAPHRAGM HAD HELD THE REGULATOR VALVE OPEN, THEREBY ALLOWING THE GAS PRESSURE TO INCREASE IN THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA83MP025

Report Number: PAR-84-05

Addressee Name: American Gas Association

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1985-01-14

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1985-01-14

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION LTR: MEMBERS SHOULD REVIEW THEIR PRESSURE LIMITING AND REGULATING FACILITIES TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH 49 CFR 192,739, "PRESSURE LIMITING AND REGULATORY STATIONS: INSPECTION AND TESTING." MEMBERS ARE URGED TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS IF CONDITIONS ARE FOUND WHICH MAY CAUSE IMPROPER OPERATION IN THE EVENT SUCH FACILITIES BECOME SUBMERGED OR IF WEIGHT LOADED EQUIPMENT IS FOUND TO HAVE IMPROPERLY DIMENSIONED OR SECURED WEIGHT.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1985-05-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Name: American Public Gas Association

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1995-05-19

Addressee Acronym: APGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1995-05-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: APGA USUALLY INCLUDES THE NTSB RECOMMENDATION IN OUR NEWSLETTER OR WE SEND A SEPARATE LETTER TO OUR MEMBERS. WE PROBABLY COMPLIED AT THAT TIME, HOWEVER, THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION CAME BEFORE MY TENURE AS EXECTIVE DIRECTOR. WE DECIDED TO SEND THIS RECOMMENDATION AGAIN TO OUR MEMBERS TO INSURE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED & TO REMIND THEM OF THE URGENCY & CONCERN FOR THIS TYPE OF REGULATOR PROBLEM.

Addressee Acronym: APGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1995-07-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD NOTES THAT THE CURRENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STATES APGA PROBABLY COMPLIED WITH THE INTENT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION EARLIER, BUT THAT IT HAS NOTIFIED ITS MEMBERS AGAIN, ON 5/12/95, AS A REMINDER OF THE CONCERN ABOUT THIS URGENT REGULATOR PROBLEM. BASED ON THIS INFO P-84-10 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."