NTSB Safety Recommendation P-84-038

NTSB safety recommendation P-84-038.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT COLUMBIA GAS OF WEST VIRGINIA, INC., AND THE MOUNTAINEER GAS COMPANY: REVIEW ITS ATLASES AND INVENTORY MAPS AND DENOTE ON THEM THOSE VALVES WHICH CANNOT BE ACCESSED READILY.

Priority: CLASS III

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1984-09-17

Adopted Date: 1984-09-17

Overall Date Closed: 1989-03-21

Synopsis: AT 11:15 A.M. E.D.T., ON OCTOBER 17, 1983, WHILE EXCAVATING FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A LARGE DIAMETER, CONCRETE, STORM DRAIN PIPE, A BACKHOE OPERATOR SNAGGED AND PUNCTURED A 3-INCH STEEL GAS LINE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF STATE ROUTE 214, THEREBY FRACTURING A 3-INCH CAST IRON VALVE CONNECTING THE 3-INCH GAS LINE TO THE 4-INCH GAS LINE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF STATE ROUTE 214 IN SOUTH CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA. GAS AT 45 PSIG BEGAN TO ESCAPE FROM BOTH BREAKS AND, WHILE IT SEEMED TO BE VENTING INTO THE ATMOSPHERE, IT WAS ALSO MIGRATING BELOW GROUND. THE CONTRACTOR IMMEDIATELY NOTI FIED COLUMBIA GAS OF WEST VIRGINIA INC., AND GAS COMPANY PERSONNEL WERE DISPATCHED TO THE SITE TO RESPOND TO THE EMERGENCY. AT 1:52 P.M., THE FOODLAND SUPERMARKET, LOCATED 35 FEET FROM THE FRACTURED VALVE, EXPLODED, AND THEN BURNED. EIGHTEEN PERSONS WHO WERE INSIDE THE STORE AND 1 GAS COMPANY EMPLOYEE WHO WAS OUTSIDE THE BUILDING WERE INJURED; THE SUPERMARKET AND AN ADJACENT COMMERCIAL BUILDING WERE DESTROYED.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA84MP002

Report Number: PAR-84-04

Addressee Name: NiSource, Inc. (formerly Columbia Gas)

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1987-03-20

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1986-06-25

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: COMPANY NOW REQUIRE THAT THE NUMBERING OF ALL CRITICAL VALVES ON ALL OPERATION (INVENTORY) MAPS BE PREFACED WITH THE LETTER "C" AND THAT ALL CRITICAL VALVES MUST BE ACCESSIBLE AND OPERABLE. ATTACHED ARE COPIES OF SECTION 9 OF PROCEDURE 550-1, "MAP FEATURES" AND PROCEDURE 652-1, "VALVE RECORDS, INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS" WHICH PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAIL REGARDING THESE REQUIREMENTS.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1987-03-20

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: IN OUR INITIAL RESPONSE, WE PROVIDED COPIES OF PROCEDURES 550-1, MAP FEATURES," AND 652-1, VALVE RECORDS, INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS," WHICH REQUIRE THAT ALL CRITICAL VALVES BE IDENTIFIED ON MAPS WITH LETTER "C" AND THAT THEY BE ACCESSIBLE AND OPERABLE. IT WAS FURTHER STATED "BY INFERENCE, IT IS KNOWN THAT NON-CRITICAL VALVES MAY NOT BE READILY ACCESSIBLE AND /OR OPERABLE." IN YOUR FEBRUARY 2ND LETTER IT IS STATED THAT "THE SAFETY BOARD BELIEVES VALVES WHICH CANNOT BE ACCESSED READILY SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED ON DOCUMENTS SUCH AS MAPS USED BY COMPANY EMPLOYEES TO PREVENT WASTEFUL EFFORTS DURING EMERGENCY CONDITION." COLUMBIA TOTALLY AGREES WITH THE SAFETY BOARD AND THIS WAS THE INTENT OF PROCEDURE 652-1. UPON A REVIEW OF PROCEDURE 652-1, WE FURTHER AGREE THAT THE PROCEDURE, AS WRITTEN, DOES NOT ADEQUATELY CONVEY THIS INTENT. ACCORDINGLY, COLUMBIA HAS REVISED PROCEDURE 652-1 TO REQUIRE THAT CRITICAL VALVES BE DESIGNATED AS SUCH MAPS, RECORDS, ETC. AND ALSO THAT THEY BE USED IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS RATHER THAT DEVOTING THE TIME AND EFFORT TO LOCATE AND OPERATE NON-CRITICAL VALVES. THESE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE EMPHASIZED IN TRAINING THE APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1987-02-02

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1987-05-14

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Name: Mountaineer Gas Company

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1989-01-12

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-01-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE IMPLEMENTED PRIOR TO THE END OF 1985. ENCLOSED ARE EXCERPTS FROM MOUNTAINEER'S PROCEDURES AND OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL WHICH MAKE REFERENCE TO THE SAFETY BOARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS. THE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING DENOTING INACCESSIBLE GATE VALVES ON MAPS WAS THE LAST ONE COMPLETED DUE TO THE TIME INVOLVED REVIEWING EACH OPERATING MAP AND ASSOCIATED RECORDS. THE SAFETY BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING MISSING PIPELINE MARKERS WAS ALSO COMPLETED DURING 1985. PIPELINE MARKERS ARE CONTINUALLY BEING REPLACED AS THEY ARE REPORTED MISSING.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-03-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-10-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence