{"operation":"document","citation":"P-85-023","title":"NTSB Safety Recommendation P-85-023","source_type":"guidance","agency":"National Transportation Safety Board","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"1985-11-27","effective_on":"1985-11-27","summary":"THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY: IMMEDIATELY INSTITUTE A PROGRAM TO TRAIN ITS DISPATCHERS PERIODICALLY IN THE USE OF CIVIL AGENCIES TO ALERT RESIDENTS, TO VENTILATE BUILDINGS, AND TO EVACUATE BUILDINGS IN LEAK AREAS PENDING THE ARRIVAL OF RESPONDING GAS COMPANY PERSONNEL.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-85-023.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-85-023.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-85-023","source_url":"https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-85-023","body":"NTSB safety recommendation P-85-023.\n\nTHE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY: IMMEDIATELY INSTITUTE A PROGRAM TO TRAIN ITS DISPATCHERS PERIODICALLY IN THE USE OF CIVIL AGENCIES TO ALERT RESIDENTS, TO VENTILATE BUILDINGS, AND TO EVACUATE BUILDINGS IN LEAK AREAS PENDING THE ARRIVAL OF RESPONDING GAS COMPANY PERSONNEL.\n\nPriority: CLASS II\n\nOverall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action\n\nIssued Date: 1985-11-27\n\nAdopted Date: 1987-01-01\n\nOverall Date Closed: 1995-03-06\n\nSynopsis: AT 2:40 A.M., ON FEBRUARY 22, 1985, A POLICE PATROLMAN ON ROUTINE PATROL SMELLED STRONG NATURAL GAS ODORS AS HE CROSSED RAILROAD TRACKS WHILE HEADING SOUTH ON NORTH SIXTH STREET IN SHARPSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA. HE RADIOED THIS INFORMATION TO THE SHARPSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT DISPATCHER AT 2:42 A.M.; THE DISPATCHER RELAYED THE INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY (GAS COMPANY) BY TELEPHONE AT 2:43 A.M., AND A GAS SERVICEMAN WAS ORDERED TO THE SCENE. AT 3:15 A.M., BEFORE THE SERVICEMAN ARRIVED AT THE SITE OF THE REPORTED LEAK, THE SHARPSVILLE INN AND A CONNECTING BUILDING EXPLODED AND BURNED, KILLING TWO PERSONS. FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVING ONSCENE MOMENTS LATER ENCOUNTERED A SECOND, SMALLER EXPLOSION WHICH INJURED ONE FIREFIGHTER. GAS COMPANY PERSONNEL SHUT OFF THE GAS TO THE LEAK SITE AT 4:15 A.M.\n\nNtsbnumber: DCA85AP009\n\nReport Number: PAR-85-02\n\nAddressee Name: National Fuel Gas Company\n\nAddressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action\n\nAddressee Date Closed: 1995-03-06\n\nAddressee Acronym: NFG\n\nAddressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry\n\nCommunication Date: 1995-03-06\n\nCommunication Type: Official Correspondence\n\nCommunication Contents: THE BOARD WAS PLEASED TO LEARN THAT THE COMPANY HAS INSTALLED TELEMETERING POINTS & DIALER ALARMS. AS A RESULT OF THESE ACTIONS, THE SAFETY BOARD HAS CLASSIFIED RECOMMENDATIONS P-85-23 THROUGH -26 \"CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION.\"\n\nAddressee Acronym: NFG\n\nAddressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry\n\nCommunication Date: 1986-02-13\n\nCommunication Type: Official Correspondence\n\nCommunication Contents: NATIONAL FUEL GAS DISTRIBUTION CORP. LTR: NATIONAL FUEL WILL REISSUE GUIDELINES AND RETRAIN ITS DISPATCHERS IN THE USE OF CIVIL AGENCIES TO RESPOND TO GAS EMERGENCIES PENDING THE ARRIVAL OF GAS COMPANY PERSONNEL. INCLUDED IN THESE PROGRAMS IS ADVICE ON VENTILATING AND EVACUATING BUILDINGS UNDER PROPER CIRCUMSTANCES. NATIONAL FUEL IS REVIEWING ITS DISPATCHER TRAINING IN DETAIL. EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF DETERMINING THE SEVERITY OF A GAS LEAK AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE TIME.\n\nAddressee Acronym: NFG\n\nAddressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry\n\nCommunication Date: 1994-10-19\n\nCommunication Type: Official Correspondence\n\nCommunication Contents: TWO SAMPLES OF THE SCOPE OF TRAINING ARE PROVIDED IN TWO ATTACHED DOCUMETNS; THESE DOCUMENTS ARE ENTITLED \"RECONGNIZING & DEALING WITH EMERGENCY TYPE ORDER\" (DATED 9/3/86) & \"EXAMPLES OF VARIOUS CUSTOMER SERVICE CALLS RECEIVED WITH QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER IN DETERMINING SEVERITY & PRIORITY EMERGENCY\" (DATED 8/11/86). IN 1990, AN AUDIO TAPE WAS PREPARED FOR USE IN DISPATCHER TRAINING A FACILITATE THE LEARNING PROCESS. DIFFERENT SITUATIONS WERE PRESENTED TO THE DISPATCHERS BY THE TRAINER. THE DISPATCHER THEN PROVIDED HIS/HER RESPONSE; THE TRAINER THEN REVIEWED THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THAT RESPONSE & REINFORCED THE PROPER WAY TO HANDLE THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION. AN OUTLINE COPY OF THE SCRIPT & SITUATIONS PRESENTED IS PROVIDED IN THE ATTACHMENT AS \"DISPATCHER & CLERK TRAINING: RECEIVING & IDENTIFYING EMERGENCY CALLS.\"\n\nAddressee Acronym: NFG\n\nAddressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry\n\nCommunication Date: 1986-06-26\n\nCommunication Type: Official Correspondence","truncated":false,"body_characters":3693}