NTSB Safety Recommendation P-95-028

NTSB safety recommendation P-95-028.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY: DEVELOP & IMPLEMENT WRITTEN PROCEDURES FOR GATHERING & EXCHANGING WITH THE MINNESOTA OFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY & THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH DIVISION OF THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR & INDUSTRY INFO ABOUT EXCAVATION-CAUSED PIPELINE DAMAGE, INCLUDING INFO ABOUT STRIKES TO PIPELINE THAT MAY NOT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1995-05-10

Adopted Date: 1995-04-18

Overall Date Closed: 2000-04-06

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

Ntsbnumber: DCA93MP011

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: Northern States Power Company

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2000-04-06

Addressee Acronym: NSP

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1999-11-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: NTSB BY FAX REQUESTED AN UPDATE ON RECOMMENDATION P-95-28.

Addressee Acronym: NSP

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 2000-02-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE SAFETY BOARD NOTES THAT THE NSP MET WITH MNOPS AND OSHA TO DEVELOP AN INFORMATION EXCHANGE. THE BOARD IS, HOWEVER, DISAPPOINTED THAT THE NSP HAS MERELY DEVELOPED FORMS FOR REPORTING ANNUAL UTILITY DAMAGES AND HAS NOT AS REQUESTED, DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED WRITTEN PROCEDURES FOR GATHERING AND EXCHANGING INFORMATION ABOUT EXCAVATION-CAUSED PIPELINE DAMAGE, WITH MNOPS AND MNOSHA, INCLUDING INFORMATION ABOUT STRIKES TO PIPELINES THAT MAY NOT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA, AS REQUESTED. THE BOARD MAINTAINS THAT WITHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SUCH WRITTEN PROCEDURES, ACCIDENTS SIMILAR TO THIS ONE WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR AND THAT THE NSP SHOULD TAKE ACTION TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATION. PENDING FURTHER REPLY FROM NSP ON THIS ISSUE, P-95-28 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "OPEN--UNACCEPTABLE RESPONSE."

Addressee Acronym: NSP

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 2000-04-06

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE SAFETY BOARD APPRECIATES RECEIVING THE UPDATE ON ACTION TAKEN BY NSP GAS TO IMPLEMENT P-95-28. THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT IN 1995 NSP GAS DEVELOPED, WITH CONSIDERABLE INPUT FROM THE MINNESOTA OFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY (MNOPS), A FORMAL PROCESS AND PROCEDURE FOR MORE REAL-TIME NOTIFICATION OF UNDERGROUND DAMAGE TO MNOPS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THAT MNOPS CONTINUES TO REVIEW THESE PROCEDURES ON AN ONGOING BASIS. ADDITIONALLY, WE UNDERSTAND THAT USING THE NSP GAS AND MNOPS PROCEDURE AS A MODEL, MNOPS HAS DEVELOPED A FORMAL REPORTABLE EVENT POLICY, WHICH IS NOW A REQUIREMENT FOR ALL NATURAL GAS AND OTHER PIPELINE OPERATORS STATEWIDE. FURTHER, THE SAFETY BOARD HAS LEARNED THAT NSP GAS WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MNOPS DURING POST-EVENT INVESTIGATIONS OF UNDERGROUND FACILITY DAMAGES THAT MEET REPORTABLE EVENT CRITERIA. ACCORDINGLY, BECAUSE NSP GAS HAS PROVIDED INFORMATION ON HOW IT HAS DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED PROCEDURES AS REQUESTED, P-95-28 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."

Addressee Acronym: NSP

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1999-11-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 11/26/1999 9:59:24 AM MC# 991361 AS A RESULT OF THE INCIDENT AT 3RD AND MARIA IN ST. PAUL ON 7/22/93, NTSB ISSUED A SAFETY RECOMMENDATION FOR NSP TO "DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT WRITTEN PROCEDURES FOR GATHERING AND EXCHANGING WITH THE MINNESOTA OFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY AND THE OCCUPATIONS SAFETY AND HEALTH DIVISION OF THE MINNESOTA DEPT. OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY INFORMATION ABOUT EXCAVATION-CAUSED PIPELINE DAMAGE, INCLUDING INFORMATION ABOUT STRIKES TO PIPELINES THAT MAY MEET REPORTING CRITERIA." NSP RECEIVED THAT RECOMMENDATION 1995. SHORTLY THEREAFTER NSP MET WITH MNOPS AND OSHA TO DEVELOP THE INFORMATION EXCHANGE. IN RESPONSE, MNOPS AGREED THAT UNDERGROUND FACILITY OPERATORS SHOULD BE REQUESTED TO SUBMIT THIRD PARTY DAMAGE DATABASE UPON CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF CAUSATION. CONSISTENT WITH THIS REQUEST, NSP HAS SUBMITTED NUMEROUS REPORTS ABOUT DAMAGE TO GAS LINES CAUSED BY EXCAVATION. COPIES OF THOSE REPORTS ARE ATTACHED. NSP HAS ALSO WORKED PROACTIVELY WITH GOPHER STATE ONE CALL TO WARN EXCAVATORS ABOUT THE HAZARDS OF UNDERGROUND WORK. TO PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY FURTHER, NSP HAS SUPPORTED SEVERAL RULEMAKING AND LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES. THE MOST RECENT LEGISLATIVE CHANGE WAS IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE 12/11/98 ST. CLOUD INCIDENT. THE STATUE NOW REQUIRES AN IMMEDIATE 9-1-1 NOTIFICATION IN THE EVENT OF AN UNDERGROUND UTILITY STRIKE. IF THE LAW WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE BOOKS AT THE TIME OF 3RD AND MARIA AND ST. CLOUD ACCIDENTS, NSP'S OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE RESPONDED MORE PROMPTLY WOULD HAVE BEEN ENHANCED.

Addressee Acronym: NSP

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 2000-02-22

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 02/28/00 4:00:47 PM MC# 2000327 NSP GAS HAS RECEIVED YOUR LETTER WHICH EXPRESSES DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY NSP GAS REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF P-95-28. BASED ON YOUR LETTER, NSP GAS APPARENTLY DID NOT EFFECTIVELY CONVEY THE FULL SCOPE OF ITS EFFORTS RELATED TO GATHERING AND EXCHANGING INFORMATION WITH THE MINNESOTA OFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY (MN OPS) AND MINNESOTA OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH AGENCY (MN OSHA) FOR THE PURPOSES OF PREVENTION OF DAMAGE TO UNDERGROUND NATURAL GAS FACILITIES. THE PURPOSE OF MY LETTER IS TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION TO THE NTSB, WHICH WILL SHOW NSP GAS HAS DILIGENTLY WORKED TO COMPLY WITH THE INTENT OF P-95-28. FIRST, AS STATED IN OUR 11/19/99 LETTER, NSP GAS PERSONNEL MET WITH MN OPS AND MN OSHA IN 1995 TO DEVELOP THE PROCESS FOR THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS, MN OPS DID NOT SIMPLY ESTABLISH A DATA EXCHANGE PROCESS WITH NSP GAS. INSTEAD, SINCE THERE ARE SEVERAL NATURAL GAS AND OTHER UNDERGROUND UTILITY OPERATORS IN MINNESOTA, MN OPS DEVELOPED A FORM TO COLLECT INFORMATION FROM ALL UNDERGROUND FACILITY OPERATORS IN MINNESOTA. THE DOCUMENTS ATTACHED IN OUR 11/19/99 CORRESPONDENCE ARE NOT FORMS CREATED BY NSP, BUT ARE THE MN OPS ANNUAL REPORT FORM SENT TO ALL UNDERGROUND FACILITY OPERATORS. MN OPS USES THIS DATA TO COMPILE AN ANNUAL REPORT OF STATEWIDE DAMAGES FROM ALL UTILITIES. THIS INFORMATION IS USED TO DEVELOP THEIR ANNUAL WORK PLAN FOR INSPECTIONS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION. NSP GAS IS EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE LEADERSHIP ROLE WE PLAYED IN FACILITATING THIS NEW STATEWIDE DATA COLLECTION PROCESS. SECONDLY, IN 1995, NSP GAS ALSO DEVELOPED A FORMAL PROCESS AND PROCEDURE FOR MORE REAL TIME NOTIFICATION OF UNDERGROUND DAMAGE TO MN OPS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS PROCESS WAS DEVELOPED WITH CONSIDERABLE INPUT FROM MN OPS, WHICH CONTINUES TO REVIEW THESE PROCEDURES ON AN ONGOING BASIS. USING THE NSP/MN OPS PROCEDURE AS A MODEL, MN OPS THEN DEVELOPED A FORMAL REPORTABLE EVENT POLICY, WHICH IS NOW A REQUIREMENT FOR ALL NATURAL GAS AND OTHER PIPELINE OPERATORS STATEWIDE. NSP GAS ALSO WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MN OPS IN THE POST-EVENT INVESTIGATIONS OF UNDERGROUND FACILITY DAMAGES, WHICH MEET THE REPORTABLE EVENT CRITERIA. SINCE THE INCEPTION OF MN OPS IN 1987 NSP HAS TAKEN A CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT APPROACH TO DAMAGE PREVENTION BY WORKING WITH MN OPS AND GOPHER STATE ONE CALL. WE HAVE ALSO ENCOURAGED MN OPS TO AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AGAINST EXCAVATORS WHO REPEATEDLY FAIL TO COMPLY WITH EITHER THE ONE-CALL, HAND-DIGGING OR UTILITY NOTIFICATION RULES IN MINNESOTA. DUE TO THESE EFFORTS, NSP GAS HAS REDUCED THE NUMBER OF UNDERGROUND DAMAGE INCIDENTS DESPITE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN EXCAVATION AND "ONE CALL" SYSTEM REQUESTS. WHILE NSP GAS AND THE NTSB AGREE PUBLIC SAFETY IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE, REASONABLE PEOPLE CAN DISAGREE ON THE BEST STRATEGIES TO PRESERVE SAFETY WHILE PROVIDING NATURAL GAS UTILITY SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS AT A REASONABLE COST. NSP GAS CONSTANTLY STRIVES TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF ITS NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM WHILE ALSO PROVIDING SERVICE AT RETAIL RATES OUR CUSTOMERS IN MINNESOTA CAN AFFORD. SIMILARLY, CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT OF THE 1995 NTSB RECOMMENDATION, MN OPS AND NSP HAVE DEVELOPED REASONABLE ANNUAL AND "REAL TIME" DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES WITH UNDERGROUND FACILITY OPERATORS IN MINNESOTA. EVEN IF THE NSP AND MN OPS DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES ARE NOT THE PRECISE METHODS THE NTSB MIGHT DESIGN, THEY ARE CLEARLY IN HARMONY WITH THE INTENT OF THE 1995 NTSB RECOMMENDATION AND THEY HAVE BEEN USEFUL TOOLS. ADDITIONALLY, NSP HAS DEVELOPED AN ON-GOING AND OPEN DIALOGUE WITH MN OPS, AS DEMONSTRATED BY NSP PERSONNEL GIVING PRESENTATIONS AT MN OPS CONFERENCES, OUR JOINT EFFORT ON THE NATIONAL ONE CALL BEST PRACTICES PROGRAM AND MANY OTHER DAMAGE PREVENTION AND INVESTIGATIVE EFFORTS. THEREFORE, FOR ALL OF THE FOREGOING REASONS NSP RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS THAT P-95-28 BE RECLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE." NSP GAS PERSONNEL CONTINUE TO BE WILLING TO MEET WITH NTSB PERSONNEL TO FURTHER DISCUSS OUR EFFORTS TO RESPOND TO P-95-28.