NTSB Safety Recommendation P-87-017

NTSB safety recommendation P-87-017.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE WILLIAMS PIPELINE COMPANY: CONDUCT A REVIEW OF TRAINING NEEDS, AND BASED UPON THAT REVIEW, DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT TRAINING PROGRAMS TO ENABLE EMPLOYEES TO CORRECTLY CARRY OUT EACH ASSIGNED RESPONSIBLITY WHICH IS NECESSARY TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF 49 CFR PART 195.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1987-09-09

Adopted Date: 1987-07-20

Overall Date Closed: 1990-07-05

Synopsis: ABOUT 4:20 A.M. ON JULY 8, 1986, LINE 2N, AN 8-INCH PRODUCTS PIPELINE OPERATED BY WILLIAMS PIPE LINE COMPANY (WPL) AT MOUNDS VIEW, MINNESOTA, RUPTURED. UNLEADED GASOLINE UNDER 1,434 PSIG SPEWED FROM A 7 1/2-FOOT-LONG OPENING ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL SEAM OF THE PIPE. VAPORIZED GASOLINE COMBINED WITH AIR AND LIQUID GASOLINE FLOWED ALONG NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS. ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER, THE GASOLINE VAPOR WAS IGNITED WHEN AN AUTOMOBILE ENTERED THE AREA. FOLLOWING AN EXPLOSION-LIKE NOISE, FIRE SPREAD RAPIDLY ALONG THE PATH OF THE LIQUID GASOLINE. TWO PERSONS WERE BURNED SEVERELY AND LATER DIED, AND ONE PERSON SUFFERED SERIOUS BURNS. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL PROPERTY DAMAGE AND SOIL AND WATER POLLUTION.

Keywords: Training and Education

Ntsbnumber: DCA86AP014

Report Number: PAR-87-02

Addressee Name: Williams Pipeline Company

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1990-07-05

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-02-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: A NEW POSITION OF MANAGER OF OPERATIONS TRAINING AND DOCUMENTATION WAS ESTABLISHED JANUARY 1, 1988 TO ANALYZE FIELD OPERATIONS' CURRENT TRAINING PROGRAM, TO DEVELOP ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS TO THE TRAINING PROGRAM AS REQUIRED AND TO CONDUCT AN ONGOING TRAINING PROGRAM THAT IS STANDARDIZED FOR THE FIELD OPERATION AND PERSONALIZED TO MEET EACH INDIVIDUAL'S TRAINING NEEDS. THE SEVEN MAJOR COMPONENTS OF WILLIAMS' TRAINING PROGRAM INCLUDE: I. NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION, II. ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, III. COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING, IV. IN-HOUSE AND VENDOR TRAINING SCHOOLS/SEMINARS, V. SAFETY MEETING/SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAM, VI. SUPERVISOR TRAINING, VII. SYSTEM OF OPERATING MANUALS. THESE COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO PROVIDE CONSISTENT, VERIFIABLE, AND EFFECTIVE ONGOING TRAINING FOR OPERATING EMPLOYEES THAT FULLY COMPLIES WITH THE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS IN 49 CFR 195.403. A COPY OF WILLIAMS TRAINING PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE CENTRAL REGION OFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY. ALL COMPONENTS OF WILLIAMS' TRAINING PROGRAM ARE REVIEWED ANNUALLY BY THE MANAGER OF OPERATIONS TRAINING, AND OTHER APPROPRIATE MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL TO ASSURE THAT THE OPERATIONS TRAINING IS EFFECTIVE. REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE FOR MEETING TRAINING OBJECTIVES IS MET BY ANNUAL EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS. DOCUMENTATION OF TRAINING REVIEW ARE MADE ON VARIOUS HARD COPY FORMS AND ARE AUTOMATICALLY RECORDED IN THE CBT DOCUMENTATION PROGRAM. A SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE OF THE COMPUTERIZED DOCUMENTAION IS THE FLEXIBILITY IT AFFORDS. SINCE EVALUATION RESULTS ARE STORED IN A DATABASE, WILLIAMS MANAGEMENT WILL BE READILY ABLE TO FOCUS IN ON PROBLEM AREAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER ADDITIONAL TRAINING IS REQUIRED, FOR A SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL, A PARTICULAR LOCATION, OR THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-10-10

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: WILLIAMS SENT A COPY OF THE "TRAINING" SECTION OF THE COMPANY'S OPERATING MANUAL. (EXHIBIT #5)

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1990-07-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-07-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence