NTSB Safety Recommendation P-85-024

NTSB safety recommendation P-85-024.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY: TRAIN ITS DISPATCHERS AND ISSUE GUIDELINES EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF DETERMINING THE SEVERITY OF A GAS LEAK AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE TIME.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1985-11-27

Adopted Date: 1987-01-01

Overall Date Closed: 1995-03-06

Synopsis: 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.

Ntsbnumber: DCA85AP009

Report Number: PAR-85-02

Addressee Name: National Fuel Gas Company

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1995-03-06

Addressee Acronym: NFG

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-03-06

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication 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."

Addressee Acronym: NFG

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1986-02-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication 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.

Addressee Acronym: NFG

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1994-10-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: TWO SAMPLES OF THE SCOPE OF TRAINING ARE PROVIDED IN TWO ATTACHED DOCUMENTS; THESE DOCUMENTS ARE ENTITLED "RECOGNIZING & 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."

Addressee Acronym: NFG

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1986-06-26

Communication Type: Official Correspondence