NTSB Safety Recommendation P-92-018

NTSB safety recommendation P-92-018.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY: CONDUCT ON-SITE INSPECTIONS OF EXTENDED ADJACENT EXCAVATION OPERATIONS TO PREVENT POTENTIAL PIPELINE DAMAGE, BASING THE FREQUENCY ON THE EXCAVATOR'S PAST PERFORMANCE.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action

Issued Date: 1992-05-21

Adopted Date: 1992-05-05

Overall Date Closed: 1995-12-12

Synopsis: ABOUT 4:26 A.M. ON DECEMBER 28, 1991, TWO EXPLOSIONS IN RAPID SUCCESSION OCCURRED IN APARTMENT NO. 3 OF A TWO-STORY, EIGHT-APARTMENT, WOOD-FRAME STRUCTURE AT 631 SPENCER STREET, SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA. FIRE AFTER THE EXPLOSIONS DESTROYED THAT APARTMENT AND THREE OTHER APARTMENTS IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING. TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND THREE OTHERS WERE INJURED. THE ONLY GAS APPLIANCE IN THE APARTMENT BUILDING WAS A HOT WATER HEATER IN A REAR APARTMENT. IT REMAINED UNDAMAGED BY THE EXPLOSIONS OR FIRE. NONE OF THE BUILDING RESIDENTS REPORTED SMELLING THE ODORANT THAT IS ADDED TO NATURAL GAS, BUT LATER TESTS SHOWED THAT THE ODORANT LEVEL MET FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA92FP002

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1995-12-12

Addressee Acronym: PG&E

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1992-11-23

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD LOOKS FORWARD TO RECEIVING THE RESULTS OF YOUR EFFORTS TO REDUCE EXCAVATION DAMAGE. UNTIL THEN, RECOMMENDATION P-92-18 WILL BE CLASSIFIED "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE."

Addressee Acronym: PG&E

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-12-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT PG&E HAS INCREASED BILLING PERFORMANCE & USES AN INCIDENT CLAIMS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO TRACK CONTRACTORS WHO ARE REPEAT OFFENDERS, RESULTING IN A DOWNWARD TREND IN DIG-IN DAMAGES. P-92-18 HAS BEEN CLASSLIFIED 'CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATE ACTION."

Addressee Acronym: PG&E

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1992-08-31

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: WE WILL INCREASE OUR EFFORTS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH CONTRACTORS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH A HISTORY OF PROBLEMS, BY SELECTIVELY ATTENDING APPROPRIATE PRECONSTRUCTION MEETINGS AND VISITING JOB SITES TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL PROBLEM AREAS AND TO PROVIDE THE TRAINING AND SUPPORT NEEDED TO OBTAIN BETTER COOPERATION.

Addressee Acronym: PG&E

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-09-18

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: AS INDICATED IN THE COMPANY'S 8/31/92 RESPOSNE, PG&E'S REVIEW OF ITS PROCEDURES IN THES AREA SHOW SIGNIFICANT EFFORT IS ALREADY TAKEN. WITH THE ABILITY TO IDENTIFY PROBLEM CONTRACTORS THROUGH ICMS, & OUT INCREASED BILLING PERFORMANCE, THE RESULT HAS BEEN A POSITIVE DOWNWARD TREND IN DIG-IN DAMAGES.

Addressee Acronym: PG&E

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-08-01

Communication Type: Official Correspondence