NTSB Safety Recommendation P-87-001

NTSB safety recommendation P-87-001.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE TEXAS EASTERN GAS PIPELINE COMPANY: DEVELOP AND CONDUCT SELECTION, TRAINING, AND TESTING PROGRAMS TO ANNUALLY QUALIFY EMPLOYEES FOR CORRECTLY CARRYING OUT EACH ASSIGNED RESPONSIBILITY WHICH IS NECESSARY FOR COMPLYING WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF 49 CFR PART 192 AND 195.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1987-03-24

Adopted Date: 1987-02-18

Overall Date Closed: 1989-02-21

Synopsis: ON APRIL 27, 1985, NATURAL GAS UNDER 990 PSIG RUPTURED THE NO. 10 PIPELINE OF THE TEXAS GAS PIPELINE COMPANY SYSTEM. THE RUPTURE WAS IN AN AREA WEAKENED BY ATMOSPHERIC CORROSION THAT WAS LOCATED WITHIN THE PIPELINE'S CASING UNDER KENTUCKY STATE HIGHWAY 90 NEAR BEAUMONT, KENTUCKY. THE ENSUING FIRE KILLED FIVE PERSONS IN A HOUSE LOCATED NORTH OF THE RUPTURE, INJURED THREE PERSONS AS THEY FLED FROM THEIR HOUSE LOCATED SOUTH OF THE RUPTURE, AND DESTROYED SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF PROPERTY. ON FEBRUARY 21, 1986, NATURAL GAS UNDER 987 PSIG RUPTURED THE NO. 15 PIPELINE OF THE TEXAS EASTERN GAS PIPE LINE SYSTEM. THE RUPTURE WAS IN AN AREA WEAKENED BY GALVANIC CORROSION AND WAS LOCATED SOUTH OF KENTUCKY STATE HIGHWAY 52 NEAR LANCASTER, KENTUCKY. THE FORCE OF THE ESCAPING GAS AND THE ENSUING FIRE INJURED THREE PERSONS AS THEY FLED FROM THEIR HOUSES, RESULTED IN THE EVACUATION OF 77 OTHER PERSONS, AND DESTROYED SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF PROPERTY.

Probable Cause: None

Keywords: Training and Education

Ntsbnumber: DCA85FP011

Report Number: PAR-87-01

Addressee Name: Texas Eastern Gas Pipeline Corporation

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1989-02-21

Addressee Acronym: TETCo

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-12-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: IN 1987, COMPREHENSIVE REVISIONS TO TEXAS EASTERN'S OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLAN WERE IMPLEMENTED. IN 1988, A SATISFACTORY REVIEW WAS GIVEN FOR THE REVISED PLAN DURING AUDITS BY INSPECTORS FROM THE CENTRAL, EASTERN AND SOUTHWEST REGIONS OF THE OFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY AND FROM THE GAS PIPELINE SAFETY SECTION OF THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF OHIO. THE LATEST REVISION TO THE PLAN WAS MADE TO REFLECT THE DOT'S REVISION EFFECTIVE ON 9/29/88. THE REVISED PLAN INCLUDES A SECTION THAT DESCRIBES WHAT ACTION IS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE TO AN EMERGENCY. INCLUDED ARE INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE INFORMATION WHICH IS TO BE PROVIDED TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCY OFFICIALS DURING AN EMERGENCY. APPROPRIATE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL ARE TRAINED ANNUALLY IN THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES DURING AN EMERGENCY. AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCY BRIEFING PROGRAM WAS CARRIED OUT IN 1986 AND 1987. THE PURPOSE OF THIS BRIEFING PROGRAM IS TO ENSURE THAT PROMPT AND EFFECTIVE RESPONSES TO EMERGENCIES CAN BE COORDINATED BETWEEN TEXAS EASTERN AND LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES. A TOTAL OF 65 BRIEFINGS WERE HELD IN 14 STATES INVOLVING 2,100 PARTICIPANTS FROM 231 COUNTIES AND PARISHES. LIAISON WITH EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES IS A CONTINUING REQUIREMENT OF THE PLAN. A COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ALL CORROSION CONTROL TECHNICIANS AND SUPERVISORS WAS INITIATED IN 1986. THE TRAINING PROGRAM IS CONDUCTED WITH THE ASSISTANCE AND PARTICIPATION OF ALL CORROSION CONTROL TECHNICIANS AND SUPERVISORS. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES FORMAL CLASSROOM TRAINING AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. THESE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO TEXAS EASTERN'S OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLAN. IN ADDITION TO THE TRAINING PROGRAM, ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE THAT FOCUS THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CORROSION CONTROL TECHNICIANS ON CORROSION CONTROL WORK. DETAILED, THOROUGH AND UNIFORM PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AND PROVIDED TO CORROSION CONTROL TECHNICIANS. THE PROCEDURES SUPPLEMENT THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE PLAN. THE PROCEDURES GIVE THE TECHNICIANS SPECIFIC GUIDE LINES TO FOLLOW AND DELINEATE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES. NEW PROCEDURES ARE DEVELOPED AS THE NEED IS RECOGNIZED. REVIEW OF THE PROCEDURES IS PERFORMED FREQUENTLY TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH NEW REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS AND TO ACCOMMODATE CHANGING TECHNOLOGY OR NEWLY RECOGNIZED CORROSION PROBLEMS. THE COMPANY'S ON JOB TRAINING REVIEW PROGRAM IS A CONTINUING PROGRAM TO CONDUCT AN INVENTORY OF JOB SKILLS, TO DETER MINE ADDITIONAL TRAINING NEEDS FOR ALL FIELD OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, AND TO SCHEDULE AND CONDUCT REQUIRED TRAINING. THIS REVIEW PROGRAM ENSURES THAT THESE EMPLOYEES HAVE ADEQUATE SKILLS AND TRAINING TO MEET THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THEIR JOBS. REPORTS ON THE REVIEW PROGRAM ARE MADE QUARTERLY TO THE VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS. COMPLETE REVIEWS OF ALL FIELD OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL ARE MADE ON A 2-YEAR CYCLE. THE AREA GENERAL MANAGER MAY CONDUCT REVIEWS AT ANY TIME. SPILL PREVENTION CONTROL AND COUNTERMEASURE (SPCC) PLANS ARE ALSO PROVIDED AT FIELD LOCATIONS. THE APPROPRIATE FIELD OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL ARE TRAINED ANNUALLY IN HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT. THE TRAINING ENABLES THESE PERSONNEL TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO EMERGENCIES INVOLVING HAZARDOUS WASTES BY KNOWING THE CORRECT EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, USE OF EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES, SUCH AS FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND LOCAL HOSPITALS.

Addressee Acronym: TETCo

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-10-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: TETCo

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-02-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence