NTSB Safety Recommendation P-84-035

NTSB safety recommendation P-84-035.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION, THE AMERICAN PUBLIC GAS ASSOCIATION, AND THE INTERSTATE NATURAL GAS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA: ADVISE ITS MEMBER COMPANIES OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PIPELINE ACCIDENT ON OCTOBER 13, 1983, AND URGE THEM TO INCLUDE WITHIN THEIR WRITTEN PROCEDURES THE SEQUENCE OF STEPS TO BE TAKEN FOR SAFELY ISOLATING SEGMENTS OF GAS FACILITIES FROM GAS UNDER PRESSURE AND FOR TESTING THE ADEQUACY OF THE ISOLATION ACTION BEFORE OTHER WORK IS PERFORMED ON THE ISOLATED SEGMENT.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1984-08-24

Adopted Date: 1984-08-09

Overall Date Closed: 1995-07-12

Synopsis: ON OCTOBER 13, 1983, SEVEN EMPLOYEES OF THE WASHINGTON GAS LIGHT COMPANY WERE ASSIGNED TO PERFORM REQUIRED ANNUAL OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS ON A FLOW CONTROL VALVE AND A PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE AT ITS HERNDON GATE STATION IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA. AS PART OF THE WORK TO BE DONE, THE EMPLOYEES DISCONNECTED THE GAS CONTROL SIGNAL LINE AND REMOVED THE BOLTS OF THE FLOW CONTROL VALVE BONNET BEFORE INSPECTING THE PIPE SEGMENT CONTAINING THE CONTROL VALVES TO INSURE THAT IT HAD BEEN ISOLATED AND VENTED PROPERLY. AT 10:13 A.M., WHILE TRYING TO REMOVE THE VALVE BONNET, NATURAL GAS AT ABOUT 150 PSIG BLEW THE BONNET UPWARD, AND GAS FILLED THE ENCLOSED PORTION OF THE BUILDING IN WHICH THE EMPLOYEES WERE WORKING. THE EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE STATION FLED OUTSIDE TO SAFETY; HOWEVER, THE FOREMAN REENTERED THE BUILDING. MOMENTS LATER, AT 10:18 A.M., GAS WAS IGNITED AND EXPLOSION AND FIRE, FOLLOWED DEMOLISHING THE BUILDING. THE FOREMAN WAS KILLED AND TWO EMPLOYEES RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS ACCIDENT, AS WELL AS THOSE INVOLVED IN THE OCTOBER 29, 1982, ACCIDENT AT BURKE, VIRGINIA, INDICATE THE NEED FOR BETTER TRAINING OF WGL EMPLOYEES TO SUPPORT THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF PROCEDURES AND TO BE ALERT TO THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES WHEN SUCH PROCEDURES ARE NOT CARRIED OUT EXPLICITLY. WHILE THE SAFETY BOARD IS PLEASED THAT WGL HAS INTENSIFIED TRAINING GIVEN TO ITS TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES, AN EQUALLY INTENSIVE EFFORT APPEARS NEEDED FOR ALL EMPLOYEES WHOSE RESPONSIBILITIES INVOLVE OPERATIONS WHEREIN A FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND OR TO FOLLOW REQUIRED SAFETY PROCEDURES MAY RESULT IN INJURIES OR DEATH TO EMPLOYEES OR THE PUBLIC.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA84MP001

Report Number: PAR-84-03

Addressee Name: American Gas Association

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1984-12-06

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1984-12-06

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION LTR: THE COORDINATING GROUP OF PIPELINE SAFETY RECOMMENDS THAT THE ATTACHED RECOMMENDATION BE DISTRIBUTED TO APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL WITHIN EACH COMPANY.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1985-03-12

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: THIS RECOMMENDTION HAS THE SAME STATUS AS THE P-84-010. WE HAVE AGAIN TAKEN THE LIBERTY TO SEND THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION TO OUR MEMBERS SO THEY WILL BE REMINDED OF THE NEED TO HAVE A PROPER WRITTEN PROCEDURE.

Addressee Acronym: APGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1995-07-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT THE APGA ALSO INCLUDED THIS RECOMMENDATION IN ITS MEMORANDUM OF 5/12/95, TO ITS MEMBERS. P-84-035 IS CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."

Addressee Name: Interstate Natural Gas Association of America

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1984-11-09

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1984-09-04

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: INGAA LETTER: ENCLOSED FOR YOUR INFORMATION IS A COPY OF THE MEMO TO INGAA'S MEMBERSHIP NOTIFYING THEM OF NTSB'S RECOMMENDATION P-84-35. ADDITIONALLY, AS HAS BEEN INGAA'S POLICY IN THE PAST, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE AGENDA ITEMS AT THE NEXT INGAA PIPELINE SAFETY AND CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1984-11-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: INGAA LETTER: ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1984, THE INGAA CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MET AS DID THE PIPELINE SAFETY COMMITTEE ON NOVEMBER 1, 1984. AT BOTH OF THESE MEETINGS THE COMMITTEES DISCUSSED THE RECOMMENDATION OF NTSB. AS HAS BEEN OUR PROCEDURES IN THE PAST, OUR STAFF AT INGAA LEADS THE DISCUSSION OF THE INCIDENT AND THE RECOMMENDATION ITSELF. I AM SURE YOU ARE AWARE INGAA IS A TRADE ASSOCIA TION AND, AS SUCH, HAVE NO DIRECT AUTHORITY OVER OUR MEMBERSHIP. HOWEVER, WE DO SERVE AS A CONDUIT FOR OUR MEMBERS AND DO TAKE NTSB RECOMMENDATIONS SERIOUSLY AS DOES OUR INDUSTRY. THEREFORE, I FEEL IT IS FAIR TO SAY WE DO "URGE" OUR MEMBERS TO TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO COMPLY WITH THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION.

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1984-11-06

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1985-03-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence