NTSB Safety Recommendation P-95-024

NTSB safety recommendation P-95-024.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION: ADVISE ITS MEMBERS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE 7/22/93, EXPLOSION IN ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, & URGE THEM TO DEVELOP & IMPLEMENT WRITTEN PROCEDURES & TRAINING TO PREVENT EXCAVATION-CAUSED PIPELINE DAMAGES.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1995-05-10

Adopted Date: 1995-04-18

Overall Date Closed: 1998-07-20

Synopsis: ABOUT 8:30 A.M. ON 7/22/93, A CITY OF ST. PAUL DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS BACKHOE HOOKED & PULLED APART A NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY HIGH-PRESSURE GAS SERVICE LINE. THE 1-INCH PLASTIC LINE PULLED APART APPROXIMATELY 12 FEET FROM WHERE THE BACKHOE HOOKED THE LINE & JUST OUTSIDE AN ELBOW THAT WAS WITHIN 1 FOOT OF THE STONE FOUNDATION WALL OF A BUILDING. A SIDEWALK EXTENDED FROM THE STREET TO THE FOUNDATION WALL & HINDERED THE GAS FROM RISING. HOWEVER, THE FOUNDATION WALL HAD MANY HOLES & LOOSE, PERMEABLE MORTAR, ENABLING NATURAL GAS TO FLOW QUICKLY INTO THE BUILDING, WHICH CONTAINED THREE GROUND-FLOOR BUSINESSES & EIGHT UPSTAIR RESIDENTIAL APARTMENTS. AN EXPLOSION & NATURAL GAS-FUELED FIRE RESULTED ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER THE BACKHOE HOOKED THE SERVICE LINE. THE EXPLOSION FORCE CAUSED PART OF THE BUILDING TO LAND ON & FLATTEN AN AUTOMOBILE TRAVELING SOUTHWEST ON EAST THIRD STREET, & THE DRIVER DIED INSTANTLY. THE EXPLOSION & ENSUING FIRE ALSO KILLED AN APARTMENT OCCUPANT & A PERSON OUTSIDE THE BUILDING & INJURED 12 PEOPLE.

Probable Cause: None

Keywords: Excavation, Training and Education

Ntsbnumber: DCA93MP011

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: American Public Works Association

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1998-07-20

Addressee Acronym: APWA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1998-05-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: (Letter Mail Controlled 5/26/98 4:21:47 PM MC# 980677) APWA RESPONDED STATING THEY HAVE DONE AS ASKED, THE PUBLIC WORKS MANAGEMENT MANUAL WAS REVISED IN ITS 2ND EDITION IN OCTOBER 1995, & IS NOW IN REVIEW FOR THE 3RD EDITION. THE BOARD'S CONCERNS ARE IN CHAPTER 15, SPECIFICALLY PRACTICE 15.7 APWA HAS DONE ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS, SUCH AS POSTING THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS ON THEIR NET-SITE, FORMED COMMITTEES TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ISSUE, STARTED A NATIONAL ACCREDITATION SYSTEM. APWA'S VOLUNTARY ACCREDITATION FOR PUBLIC WORKS AGENCIES, TO NAME A FEW. WORK IN THIS AREA IS ONGOING.

Addressee Acronym: APWA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1995-06-02

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: A COPY OF REFERENCED LETTER WAS PROVIDED TO MR. JAMES THORNE OF OUR HEADQUARTERS STAFF WHO IS IN THE PROCESS OF RE-WRITING OUR PUBLICATION PUBLIC WORKS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. THE LESSONS LEARNED & RECOMMENDATIONS RESULTING FROM NTSB'S INVESTIGAITON OF THE ST. PAUL INCIDENT WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO APPLICABLE SECTIONS OF THE NEXT PRINTING OF THIS PUBLICATION. I EXPECT THAT PUBLICATION OF THIS NEXT ISSUE WILL TAKE PLACE IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER 1995. A COPY OF NTSB'S BRIEF ON THIS INCIDENT HAS BEEN POSTED ON TH APWA ELECTRONIC BULLETIN BOARD, PUBWORKS, IN THE UTILITIES LOCATION & COORDINATION COUNCIL LIBRARY. THIS ACTION WILL ALLOW ANY APWA MEMBER TO DOWNLOAD & READ YOUR BRIEF. MR. HALL'S LETTER WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING OF APWA'S ULCC. THIS MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE 1995 INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS CONGRESS & EXPOSITION WHICH WILL BE HELD SEPTEMBER 23 THROUGH 28,1995, IN DALLAS, TEXAS.

Addressee Acronym: APWA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

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: APWA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1995-07-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD APPRECIATES YOUR POSTING A COPY OF THE BAORD'S ACCIDENT BRIEF IN THE APWA'S ELECTRONIC BULLETIN BOARD, PUBWORKS. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT & EFFECTIVE WAY OF COMMUNICATING TO YOUR THOUSANDS OF MEMBERS. THE BOARD FURTHER APPRECIATES YOUR INCORPORATING OUR ACCIDENT BRIEF INTO THE AGENDA FOR THE 1995 INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS CONGRESS & EXPOSITION. THE BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE APWA IS REWRITE THE PUBLIC WORKS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES PUBLICATION TO INCORPORATE THE BOARD'S FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS INTO APPLICABLE SECTIONS. WE WOULD APPRECIATE RECEIVING A COPY OF THE REVISED PUBLICATION FOR REVIEW. PENDING COMPLETION OF THE PUBLICATION & REVIEW, P-95-24 & 25 HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE."

Addressee Acronym: APWA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1998-05-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: ON 7/12/95, THE BOARD CLASSIFIED P-85-24 & -25 "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE." THE BOARD ALSO ASKED FOR A COPY OF THE REVISED PUBLIC WORKS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. TO DATE, THE BOARD HAS RECEIVED NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION FROM APWA. THE BOARD WOULD APPRECIATE BEING INFORMED ABOUT EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN OR ARE BEING MADE TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS, RECEIVING A COPY OF THE REVISED PUBLIC WORKS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, & LEARNING OF THE OUTCOME OF THE APWA'S 1995 UTILITIES LOCATION & COORDINATION COUNCIL MEETING.

Addressee Acronym: APWA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1998-07-20

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD IS PLEASED THAT THE APWA HAS PUBLISHED ITS SECOND ADDITION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS MANAGEMENT PRACTICE MANUAL, WHICH INCLUDES A CHAPTER ON UTILITY COORDINATION &, IN PARTICULAR, PRACTICES 15.6,7 & 8, THAT ADDRESS P-95-24 & -25. IN ADDITION, WE NOTE THAT THE APWA PUBLISHED THE ACCIDENT REPORT ON ITS ELECTRONIC BULLETIN BOARD & DISCUSSED THE ACCIDENT AT ITS 1996 & 1997 UTILITIES LOCATION & COORDINATION COUNCIL MEETINGS. ACCORDINGLY, P-95-24 & -25 HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."