NTSB Safety Recommendation P-86-017

NTSB safety recommendation P-86-017.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC GAS ASSOCIATION: DEVELOP, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS, GAS PIPING STANDARDS COMMITTEE, SPECIFIC GUIDELINES FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF CAST-IRON GAS MAINS IN LARGE, MEDIUM, AND SMALL GAS DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES. THE GUIDELINES SHOULD INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO SUCH FACTORS AS PIPE AGE, PIPE DIAMETER, SOIL CORROSIVITY, BURIED DEPTH, AND EXTERNAL LOADING.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1986-11-24

Adopted Date: 1986-11-14

Overall Date Closed: 1991-11-22

Synopsis: ABOUT 3:55 P.M., EASTERN STANDARD TIME, DECEMBER 6, 1985, A NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION AND FIRE DESTROYED THE RIVER RESTAURANT AT 268 MAIN STREET IN DERBY, CONNECTICUT. GAS ESCAPING FROM A BROKEN GAS MAIN AT A PRESSURE OF ABOUT 1 POUND PER SQUARE INCH HAD ESCAPED, MIGRATED INTO THE RESTAURANT BASEMENT, IGNITED, EXPLODED, AND BURNED. OF THE 18 PERSONS INSIDE THE RESTAURANT AT THE TIME, 6 WERE KILLED AND 12 WER INJURED; 1 PASSERBY AND 1 FIREFIGHTER WERE ALSO INJURED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE STREET ADJACENT TO THE RESTAURANT WAS EXCAVATED WHERE A 24-INCH DIAMETER SEWER SYSTEM HAD JUST BEEN INSTALLED; AN 87-YEAR-OLD, 3-INCH DIAMETER, CAST-IRON NATURAL GAS MAIN WAS FOUND BROKEN.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA86FP004

Report Number: PAR-86-02

Addressee Name: American Gas Association

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1991-11-22

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1986-12-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: WE RECOGNIZED THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE ISSUES RAISED BY NTSB'S THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THIS INCIDENT. WE HAVE ALREADY MADE CONTACT WITH THE ASME GAS PIPING TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE TO PURSUE NTSB'S RECOMMENDATIONS. WE HAVE ALSO REFERRED IT TO OUR COORDINATING GROUP FOR PIPELINE SAFETY AND SEVERAL OTHER OPERATING SECTION COMMITTEES FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1987-08-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: As a result of NTSB's request to have the ASME Gas Piping Technology Committee review the cast iron guide material, a special ad-hoc GPTC task group was formed. The ad-hoc task group has reviewed NTSB's recommendation No. P-86-17 (Derby) and the existing cast iron replacement guidelines principally located in the 1986 Edition of the ASME Gas Guide as follows: 192.703 pg. 182 Replacement of cast iron pipe 192.755 pg. 208 Protecting cast iron pipe 192.117 pg. 32 Design of cast iron pipe 192.489 pg. 141 Remedial measures: Cast iron and ductile iron pipe Since Guide Material is written for specific regulations, Cast Iron Replacement Guidelines are not found under a generic heading such as "Cast Iron Replacement". In consideration of this the Gas Piping Technology Committee has opened a transaction, TR87-2, to review existing guide material to determine if additional guide material is appropriate. By copy of this transmittal, I am advising J. Horan, Chmn, AGA Coordinating Group for Pipeline Safety and Robert Cave of the American Public Gas Association of this action. The Gas Piping Technology Committee will continue to work with AGA in this matter.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1989-01-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: AS A RESULT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION A SPECIAL TASK GROUP WAS FORMED INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ASSOCIATIONS INDICATED BELOW. AS A RESULT, THE ASME B31 GPTC DEVELOPED AN APPENDIX G-18 TO THE ASME GUIDE FOR GAS TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION PIPING SYSTEMS. THIS APPENDIX PROVIDES SPECIFIC GUIDELINES FOR THE HANDLING AND MAINTENANCE OF CAST IRON PIPELINES. THE ISSUES MENTIONED IN THE RECOMMENDATION, AS WELL AS OTHER ISSUES, HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, PROVIDING GUIDELINES TO GAS OPERATORS FOR OPERATING AND MAINTAINING A CAST IRON GAS PIPING SYSTEM SAFELY.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1991-08-30

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: ENCLOSED IS GUIDE MATERIAL THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY THE GAS PIPING TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE TO ASSIST OPERATORS IN DEVELOPING PROCEDURES FOR DETERMINING THE SERVICE ABILITY TO CAST IRON PIPE SEGMENTS. THIS MATERIAL IS PART OF THE "GUIDE FOR GAS TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION PIPING SYSTEMS" PRODUCED BY THE GPTC, WHICH INCLUDES SECTION-BY-SECTION GUIDANCE FOR COMPLYING WITH FEDERAL PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1987-02-18

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: The Safety Board is pleased that the American Gas Association (AGA) has brought this matter to the attention of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Gas Piping Technology Committee and also to the attention of your own Coordinating Group for Pipeline Safety and other Operating Section committees for their consideration. The Board looks forward to receiving further correspondence from AGA regarding its progress in developing the recommended guidelines. In the meantime, Safety Recommendation P-86-17 will be held in a category of "Open-Acceptable Action" pending your further response.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1987-10-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: The Safety Board notes that a special ad-hoc Gas Piping Technology Committee (GPTC) task group was formed to review the Board's recommendation and the GPTC opened a transaction, TR87-2, to review existing cast iron replacement guide material to determine if additional guide material is appropriate. While the Board finds this action commendable, the Board, by copy of this letter, urges the GPTC, during its review, to take into consideration the second part of the Board's recommendation which addresses guidelines for such factors as pipe age, pipe diameter, soil corrosivity, buried depth and external loading. The Board also encourages the AGA to work closely with the GPTC during this review process. Pending a progress report on this review, Safety Recommendation P-86-17 will be held in an "Open-Acceptable Action" status.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1989-03-23

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: We have received a further letter from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) regarding the National Transportation Safety Board's Safety Recommendation P-86-17 concerning the development of industry guidelines for the replacement of cast-iron gas mains. We note that a copy of this letter was provided to Mr. Robert Cave, Executive Director of the American Public Gas Association. The Safety Board is pleased to note that the ASME Gas Piping Technology Committee task group, which included a representative from the American gas Association, developed an Appendix G-18 to the ASME Guide for Gas Transmission and Distribution Pipeline Systems. In addition to the guidelines set forth in this recommendation, the appendix provides guidance for the handling and maintenance of cast-iron pipelines. Therefore, we have classified this recommendation as "Closed-Acceptable Action."

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1991-11-22

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Thank you for your response to the National Transportation Safety Board's Safety Recommendation P-86-17. This recommendation requested that the American Gas Association (AGA) develop, in conjunction with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) gas Piping Standards Committee, specific guidelines for the replacement of cast-iron gas mains in large, medium, and small gas distribution companies. The guidelines should include, but not be limited to, such factors as pipe, age, pipe diameter, soil corrosivity, buried depth, and external loading. The Safety Board notes that guide material on cast iron pipe has been developed into one compendium of useful information which may be used by operators in developing procedures for determining the serviceability of cast iron segments. Based on AGA's efforts to develop and distribute the "Guide for Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems," Safety Recommendation P-86-17 has been classified as "Closed-Acceptable Action."