NTSB Safety Recommendation P-96-029

NTSB safety recommendation P-96-029.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE GOVERNOR PUERTO RICO: IMMEDIATELY REQUIRE EXCAVATORS TO PROMPTLY NOTIFY FACILITY OPERATORS OF ANY DAMAGE TO A BURIED FACILITY OR ITS SUPPORT CAUSED BY EXCAVATION OPERATIONS. (URGENT)

Priority: CLASS I

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1996-12-16

Adopted Date: 1996-12-16

Overall Date Closed: 1999-05-06

Synopsis: ABOUT 8:30 A.M. ON 11/21/96, AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED IN THE HUMBERTO VIDAL SHOE STORE & OFFICE BUILDING AT 100 JOSE DE DIEGO CALLE IN RIO PIEDRAS, PUERTO RICO. LOCAL EMERGENCY AGENCIES RESPONDED & INITIATED SEARACH & RESCUE OPERATIONS, BY 12/5/96 30 FATALITIES HAD BEEN CONFIRMED, & 5 PEOPLE, BELIEVED TO STILL BE IN THE BUILDING RUINS, WERE MISSING. LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE SUSPENDED SEARCH EFFORTS UNTIL THE BUILDING CAN BE MADE SAFE FOR RESCUE WORKERS.

Probable Cause: The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the propane gas explosion, fueled by an excavationcaused gas leak, in the basement of the Humberto Vidal, Inc., office building was the failure of San Juan Gas Company, Inc., (1) to oversee its employees’ actions to ensure timely identification and correction of unsafe conditions and strict adherence to operating practices and (2) to provide adequate training to employees. Also contributing to the explosion was (1) the failure of the Research and Special Programs Administration/Office of Pipeline Safety to oversee effectively the pipeline safety program in Puerto Rico, (2) the failure of the Puerto Rico Public Service Commission to require San Juan Gas Company, Inc., to correct identified safety deficiencies, and (3) the failure of Enron Corp. to oversee adequately the operation of San Juan Gas Company, Inc.

Ntsbnumber: DCA97MP004

Report Number: PAR-97-01

Addressee Name: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1999-05-06

Addressee Acronym: PR

Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government

Communication Date: 1996-01-27

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: PR

Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government

Communication Date: 1997-10-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: PR

Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government

Communication Date: 1998-10-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 10/23/98 10:54:23 AM MC# 981257 ON 9/15/98, GOVERNOR PEDRO ROSSELLO GONSZALEZ, SIGNED THE LAW FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF OUR ONE-CALL CENTER. AS YOU KNOW ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES IS TO PROTECT OUR UNDERGROUND PIPELINE FACILITIES FROM DAMAGE DUE TO EXCAVATIONS. AS PART OF OUR PROGRAM TO LAUNCH A MAJOR EXCAVATION UNDERGROUND PREVENTION EFFORT WE HAVE TAKEN A GIANT STEP FORWARD WITH THE APPROVAL OF THIS LAW AND THE FINAL ESTABLISHMENT OF OUR CENTER, THE FIRST GOVERNMENT RUN FACILITY OF ITS KIND.

Addressee Acronym: PR

Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government

Communication Date: 1997-01-31

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE PUERTO RICAN SECRETARY OF STATE ADVISED THAT SHE DISTRIBUTED A DRAFT EXECUTIVE ORDER ON 1/29/97 TO ADOPT AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE TIME MEASURES THAT DO NOT REQUIRE LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL. THE SUBCOMMITTEE CONSIDERING THIS ACTION WILL EXAMINE THE LEGAL & TECHNICAL ASPECTS & BRING THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE NEXT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING.

Addressee Acronym: PR

Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government

Communication Date: 1997-02-10

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD HAS SINCE BEEN GIVEN A COPY OF THE CONTRACT ISSUED FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE CONDUITS & IS NOW ABLE TO COMPARE THE SPECIFICATIONS IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE CONDUITS AFTER THEY WERE EXCAVATED.

Addressee Acronym: PR

Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government

Communication Date: 1997-03-07

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: P-96-29 URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO IMMEDIATELY REQUIRE EXCAVATORS TO PROMPTLY NOTIFY FACILITY OPERATORS OF ANY DAMAGE TO A BURIED FACILITY OR ITS SUPPORT CAUSED BY EXCAVATION OPERATIONS. P-96-30 ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO EXPEDITE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN EXCAVATION DAMAGE PREVENTION PROGRAM THAT: (1) REQUIRE FULL PARTICIPATION FROM ALL ORGANIZATIONS THAT EXCAVATE OR THAT OPERATE BURIED FACILITES, (2) HAS AN ISLAND-WIDE ONE-CALL NOTIFICATION CENTER THAT ACCEPTS EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS 24 HOURS A DAY, (3) HAS EFFECTIE DAMAGE-PREVENTION REQUIREMENTS THAT INCLUDE GOVERNMENT-PERFORMED COMPLIANCE MONITORING & ENFORCEMENT, (4) INCORPORATES COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR BURIED-FACILITY OPERATORS, EXCAVATORS, & THE PUBLIC THAT EXPLAIN HOW TO USE THE DAMAGE PREVETION PROGRAM, & (5) ESTABLISHES PENALTIES FOR FAILING TO USE THE PROGRAM PROPERLY. SECRETARY BURGOS REPORTED THAT THE SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRED BY THE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC WORKS WILL DEVELOP MEANS TO ACHIEVE THE ACTIONS CALLED FOR IN P-96-29 & -30 AS IT FORMULATES AN OVER ALL EXCAVATION DAMAGE PREVENTION PROGRAM & CONSIDERS THE MEASURES CALLED FOR UNDER THE DRAFT EXECUTIVE ORDER. P-9-29 & -30 HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE." THE BOARD APPRECIATES SECRETARY BURGOS' SUMMARY OF ACTIONS THAT YOUR TASK FORCE HAS TAKEN. WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING COPIES OF THE FINAL REPORTS YOU APPROVE & SPECIFIC INFO ABOUT ACTIONS YOU HAVE IMPLEMENTED.

Addressee Acronym: PR

Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government

Communication Date: 1999-05-06

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE SAFETY BOARD IS PLEASED TO LEARN THAT ON 9/15/98, YOU SIGNED THE LAW FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF A ONE-CALL CENTER, WHICH WILL HELP PROTECT PUERTO RICO'S UNDERGROUND PIPELINE FACILITIES FROM DAMAGE DUE TO EXCAVATIONS. THE BOARD RECOGNIZES THAT PUERTO RICO HAS UNDERTAKEN A MAJOR EXCAVATION DAMAGE PREVENTION EFFORT IN PASSING THIS LAW AND IN ESTABLISHING ITS FIRST GOVERNMENT-RUN ONE-CALL CENTER. ACCORDINGLY, P-96-27, -29, AND -30 HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."