NTSB Safety Recommendation P-90-012

NTSB safety recommendation P-90-012.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION: REQUIRE THE INSTALLATION OF EXCESS FLOW VALVES ON NEW AND RENEWED SINGLE-FAMILY, RESIDENTIAL HIGH PRESSURE SERVICE LINES WHICH HAVE OPERATING CONDITIONS COMPATIBLE WITH THE RATED PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS OF AT LEAST ONE MODEL OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE EXCESS FLOW VALVE. (URGENT)

Priority: CLASS I

Overall Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Issued Date: 1990-04-20

Adopted Date: 1990-03-27

Overall Date Closed: 1995-09-28

Synopsis: IN A 7-MONTH PERIOD BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 16, 1988, THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATED 5 NATURAL GAS ACCIDENTS IN THE KANSAS CITY-TOPEKA AREA THAT INVOLVED THE GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS OWNED BY KANSAS POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY (KPL). CORROSION DAMAGE WAS INVOLVED ON EACH OF THE 3 GAS SERVICE LINES AND THE 2 CAST IRON GAS MAINS. EACH OF THE GAS LINES INVOLVED WERE INSTALLED BEFORE THE FEDERAL MINIMUM GAS PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS BECAME EFFECTIVE AND THE FAILURES ON THE GAS SERVICE LINES INVOLVED CUSTOMER-OWNED PIPE THAT HAD NOT BEEN PROTECTED AGAINST CORROSION DAMAGE. THESE ACCIDENTS KILLED 4 PEOPLE, INJURED 12 OTHERS AND DESTROYED 4 HOUSES.

Probable Cause: None

Keywords: Excess Flow Valves

Ntsbnumber: DCA89MP014

Report Number: PAR-90-03

Addressee Name: RSPA

Addressee Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1995-09-28

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: At the 1990 Board meeting addressing the NTSB’s Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements (MWL), the Board voted to place Safety Recommendations P-90-6 and P-90-12 on the MWL under the issue category “Pipeline Excess Flow Valve Installation.” Safety Recommendations P-25-24, P-96-2, P-96-3, and P-96-30 were added at later dates. In May 1997, this category’s name was changed to “Excavative Damage Protection to Underground Facilities.” This issue was removed from the MWL in 2002.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1993-03-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT THE RSPA HAS A DRAFT NPRM IN FINAL REVIEW THAT PROPOSES THE INSTALLATION OF EXCESS FLOW VALVES ON CERTAIN GAS SERVICE LINES TO IMPROVE SAFETY & REDUCE THE FREQUENCY OF INJURY & PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE BOARD URGES THE RSPA TO PROCEED WITH THE NPRM WITHOUT DELAY. PENDING OUR RECEIPT OF THE NPRM, THIS RECOMMENDATION WILL REMAIN "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE."

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1995-09-28

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD IS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR DECISION. FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, RSPA HAS FAILED TO OBJECTIVELY ASSESS THE BENEFITS OF EFVS, WE BELIEVE RSPA HAS AGAIN LOST AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INCREASED SAFETY FOR GAS CUSTOMERS & THE PUBLIC. MOST OF THE 70 RESPONSES TO RSPA'S DOCKET NO. PS-118, NOTICE NO. 4, SUPPORTED ADOPTION OF A JOINT COMMENTERS' ALTERNATE PROPOSAL REQUIRING THE USE OF EFVS; SUPPORTERS INCLUDED THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION & THE AMERICAN PUBLIC GAS ASSOCIATION, WHICH REPRESENT ALMOST ALL OF THE NATION'S APPROXIMATELY 1,400 GAS DISTRIBUTION PIPELINE OPERATORS. IN OUR INVESTIGATIONS OF DISTRIBUTION PIPELINE ACCIDENT, THE BOARD CONTINUES TO FIND STRONG EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS REQUIRING A MEANS TO RAPIDLY SHUT OFF GAS FLOW TO FAILED PIPE SEGMENTS. WHILE SUCH A REQUIREMENT WOULD NOT PREVENT ACCIDENTS, IT WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THEIR NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES. THEREFORE, THE BOARD CLASSIFIES P-90-12 "CLOSED--UNACCEPTABLE ACTION."

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1995-04-04

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE RSPA ADMINISTRATOR SENT LETTER TO CHAIRMAN OF SENATE & HOUSE COMMITTEES & SUBCOMMITTEES THAT HAD OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBLILITY ON PIPELINE SAFETY. THOSE LETTERS ADVISED THAT THE RSPA FOUND NO CIRCUMSTANCE UNDER WHICH RSPA SHOULD ISSUE A FEDERAL RULE RQUIRING THE UNIVERSAL INSTALLATION OF EFVS & THAT AS REQUIRED BY 49 U.S.C. SECTION 60110, RSPA IS PLANNING TO ISSUE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS & CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR EFVS.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1990-09-28

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: OPS NOW PLANS TO ISSUE AN ADVANCE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE MAKING IN THE FALL OF 1990 TO OBTAIN MORE CURRENT INFORMATION ON THE FEASIBILITY OF USING EXCESS FLOW VALVES. THE ANPRM WILL INCLUDE A QUESTIONNAIRE SOLICITING INFORMATION TO DETERMINE IF EXCESS FLOW VALVES WORK, IF THEY ARE COST EFFECTIVE, AND UNDER WHAT OPERATING CONDITIONS THEY SHOULD BE INSTALLED.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1992-04-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: AN NPRM IS PROJECTED TO BE PUBLISHED SOMETIME IN 1992 PROPOSING THE INSTALLATION OF EFV'S ON CERTAIN LINES TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND REDUCE THE FREQUENCY OF INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1991-05-07

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1990-09-26

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1992-08-31

Communication Type: Official Correspondence