NTSB Safety Recommendation P-90-015

NTSB safety recommendation P-90-015.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION: EVALUATE EACH OF ITS PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS TO IDENTIFY THOSE THAT DO NOT CONTAIN EXPLICIT OBJECTIVES AND CRITERIA AGAINST WHICH ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE OBJECTIVE CAN BE MEASURED; TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, REVISE THOSE THAT ARE SO IDENTIFIED.

Priority: CLASS III

Overall Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Issued Date: 1990-04-20

Adopted Date: 1990-03-27

Overall Date Closed: 1999-06-18

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

Ntsbnumber: DCA89MP014

Report Number: PAR-90-03

Addressee Name: RSPA

Addressee Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1999-06-18

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1997-10-31

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: NTSB REQUESTED A FOLLOWUP ON THIS DATE 10/31/97.

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 OPS HAS ASKED THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PIPELINE SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES (NAPSR) LIAISON SUBCOMMITTEE TO REVIEW PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS IN 49 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 192 & TO IDENTIFY THE 20 MOST UNENFORCEABLE REGULATIONS FROM LACK OF CLARITY. WE WOULD APPRECIATE RECEIVING A COPY OF THE FINAL REPORT WHEN AVAILABLE. THE BOARD ENCOURAGES THE RSPA TO MAKE SUCH A REVIEW BY NAPSR A PERIODIC EFFORT SO THAT ALL OF THE REGULATIONS, NOT JUST 20, ARE CONTINUALLY CLARIFIED REGARDING OBJECTIVES. PENDING FURTHER RESPONSE, RECOMMENDATION P-90-15 WILL REMAIN "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE."

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1999-06-18

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE SAFETY BOARD IS DISAPPOINTED THAT RSPA HAS NOT COMPLETED THE EVALUATION AS REQUESTED. THEREFORE, BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN NO COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS, P-90-15 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--UNACCEPTABLE ACTION."

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1998-06-30

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 7/2/98 1:03:47 PM MC# 980837 THE PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS ARE WRITTEN MAINLY IN PERFORMANCE LANGUAGE, AND DO NOT GENERALLY CONTAIN PRESCRIPTIVE REQUIREMENTS AND COMPLIANCE OBJECTIVES. WE BELIEVE THAT THE PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS SHOULD ALLOW GAS AND HAZARDOUS LIQUID PIPELINE OPERATORS TO ACHIEVE THE REQUIRED PERFORMANCE STANDARD USING A VARIETY OF MEANS. IN ADDITION, RSPA IS PURSUING RISK-BASED APPROACHES TO REGULATION THAT WILL REQUIRE OPERATORS TO DETERMINE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO ADDRESS SAFETY RISKS TO THEIR PIPELINE SYSTEMS. THIS APPROACH IS CONSISTENT WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON'S REGULATORY REINVENTION INITIATIVE (RRI). THIS REQUIRES FEDERAL AGENCIES TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, CONDUCT A PAGE-BY-PAGE REVIEW OF ALL AGENCY REGULATIONS, CUTTING OR REVISING THOSE THAT ARE OBSOLETE, INTRUSIVE, OR BETTER HANDLED BY PARTIES OTHER THAN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (I.E., PRIVATE BUSINESS, STATE, OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT). IN RESPONSE TO THE PRESIDENT'S DIRECTIVE, RSPA CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE REGULATORY REFORM EFFORTS THAT FOCUSED ON STREAMLINING GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS AND ELIMINATING AND REVISING THOSE THAT WERE OUTDATED OR IN NEED OF REFORM. RSPA REVIEWED THE PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS AND PUBLISHED FIVE REGULATORY ACTIONS THAT LESSENED UNNECESSARY BURDENS ON THE PIPELINE INDUSTRY BY REVISING OR UPDATING REGULATIONS ADDRESSING GAS AND HAZARDOUS LIQUID PIPELINE AND LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS SAFETY STANDARDS, ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES, INDUSTRY STANDARDS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE, AND GENERAL UPDATES AND CORRECTIONS TO THE PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS. IN KEEPING WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE RRI, THESE REGULATORY REVISIONS PROVIDE LATITUDE FOR PIPELINE OPERATORS TO ADDRESS RISKS, RATHER THAN REQUIRING MERE ADHERENCE TO PRESCRIPTIVE REGULATIONS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE IN A PARTICULAR SITUATION. RSPA'S PIPELINE SAFETY COMPLIANCE ACTIVITIES ARE FOCUSED ON WORKING WITH PIPELINE OPERATORS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS. IN ADDITION, RSPA'S TRANSPORTATION SAFETY INSTITUTE (TSI) TRAINS BOTH GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY PERSONNEL ON THE PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS. RSPA HAS ALSO REVISED AND DISTRIBUTED THE MANUAL TO ASSIST SMALL OPERATORS IN ACHIEVING COMPLIANCE WITH THE FEDERAL PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS. THE MANUAL PROVIDES A BROAD OVERVIEW OF COMPLIANCE RESPONSIBILITIES, AND IS DESIGNED FOR NON-TECHNICALLY TRAINED PEOPLE WHO OPERATE MASTER METER SYSTEMS AND SMALL MUNICIPAL OR INDEPENDENT NATURAL GAS SYSTEMS. THE MANUAL WAS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL STATE PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAMS AND IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON THE RSPA'S INTERNET HOME PAGE. IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, RSPA REQUESTS THAT P-90-15 AND -16 BE CLASSIFIED AS "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1990-09-28

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: IN FY 1991, A NAPSR COMMITTEE, IN COOPERATION WITH OPS, WILL UNDERTAKE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE GAS PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS TO IDENTIFY THOSE REGULATIONS THAT MAY NEED TO BE REVISED TO CLARIFY THE LANGUAGE, MAKE REGULATIONS ENFORCEABLE, AND CORRECT INCONSISTENCIES.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1992-04-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: OPS TASKED THE NAPSR LIAISON SUBCOMMITTEE TO REVIEW PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS IN 49 CFR PART 192 TO IDENTIFY THE 20 MOST SIGNIFICANT REGULATIONS THAT HAVE PROVEN TO BE UNENFORCEABLE DUE TO THEIR LACK OF CLARITY. A FINAL SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT IS EXPECTED BY THE END OF 1992. BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THAT REVIEW, WE WILL PROPOSE APPROPRIATE CHANGES TO THE REGULATIONS IN THE LATTER PART OF 1993.

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