NTSB Safety Recommendation P-95-029

NTSB safety recommendation P-95-029.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE MINNESOTA OFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY: DEVELOP & IMPLEMENT WRITTEN PROCEDURES FOR GATHERING & EXCHANGING COMPLAINT & PIPELINE STRIKE INFO WITH STATE PIPELINE OPERATORS & THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH DIVISION OF THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR & INDUSTRY & USE THAT INFO TO REDUCE EXCAVATION-CAUSED DAMAGE BY TARGETING TRAINING & ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS WHERE THEY ARE MOST NEEDED.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1995-05-10

Adopted Date: 1995-04-18

Overall Date Closed: 1996-03-20

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: State of Minnesota, Office of Pipeline Safety

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1996-03-20

Addressee Acronym: MNOPS

Addressee Organization Type: S-State Government

Communication Date: 1995-11-22

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH DIVISON OF THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR & INDUSTRY (MNOPS) & MINNESOTA OFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY (MNOSHA) MET ON 6.5.95 TO IMPLEMENT THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION. AT THE MEETING, MNOPS & MNOSHA DESCRIBED THEIR JURISDICATIONAL LIMITS, HOW THEY BECOME AWARE OF A PIPELINE STRIKE & HOW THAT INFO MIGHT BE SHARE. AT THE MEETING, MNOSHA & MNOPS AGREES TO: 1. CHANGE THEIR WRITTEN PROCEDURES TO INCLUDE INFO THAT WILL ALLOW BOTH MNOPS & MNOSHA TO IDENTIFY UNSAFE EXCAVATION OPERATION. 2. CHANGE THEIR WRITTEN PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THAT BOTH ORGANIZATION ARE NOTIFIED OF POTENTIAL EXCAVATION VIOLATIONS. 3. SHARE SPEAKERS & EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. AS OF THIS 11/22/95 RESPONSE, MNOSHA & MNOPS SUBMITTED DOCUMENTAITON THAT THE AGREEMENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN IMPLEMENTED.

Addressee Acronym: MNOPS

Addressee Organization Type: S-State Government

Communication Date: 1996-03-20

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD NOTES THAT MNOPS & MNOSHA REPRESENTATIVES & ADMINISTRATORS MET ON 6/5/95, & IMPLEMENTED WRITTEN PROCEDURES FOR EXCHANGING PIPELINE STRIKE INFO. FURTHER, THE MNOPS & THE MNOSHA ARE SHARING & PLAN TO CONTINUE SHARING SPEAKERS & EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AT THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR. BECAUSE THE BOARD BELIEVES THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE MNOPS & MNOSHA REPRESENTATIVES & ADMINISTRATORS WILL REDUCE EXCAVATION-CAUSED DAMAGE, P-95-29 & -30 HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."