NTSB Safety Recommendation P-97-012

NTSB safety recommendation P-97-012.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE ENRON CORP.: REQUIRE SAN JUAN GAS COMPANY, INC., WHEN SOLICITING A TRAINING PROPOSAL, TO REQUIRE THAT THE PROPOSAL INCLUDE PLANS FOR IDENTIFYING THE TASKS FOR WHICH THE TRAINEES MUST BE TRAINED & ASSESSING THE JOB PERFORMANCE OF THE TRAINEES & THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TRAINING.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1998-01-06

Adopted Date: 1997-12-23

Overall Date Closed: 1998-09-30

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 SEARCH & 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.

Keywords: Training and Education, Trainees

Ntsbnumber: DCA97MP004

Report Number: PAR-97-01

Addressee Name: Enron Corporation

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1998-09-30

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1998-01-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: (Letter Mail Controlled 3/30/98 2:32:20 PM MC# 980033) SAN JUAN GAS CONTINUES TO DISAGREE WITH THE BOARD'S CONCLUSION THAT THE TRAINING & JOB PERFORMANCE OF SAN JUAN GAS' EMPLOYEES WAS INADEQUATE & WAS A "CAUSE" OF THE RIO PIEDRAS EXPLOSION. CONTRARY TO THE BOARD'S CONTENTION, SAN JUAN GAS EMPLOYEES DID KNOW THE DEPTH OF THE GAS LINE & PROBED DEEP ENOUGH TO TEST PROPERLY FOR COMBUSTIBLE GAS. THERE IS NO CREDIBLE EVIDENCE THAT PROPANE GAS FROM SAN JUAN GAS' SYSTEM IN FACT CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. EVEN THE BOARD CONCEDES THAT THE GAS LEAK THAT IT CONTENDS RESULTED IN THE EXPLOSION WAS CAUSED BY THIRD PARTIES WHO DAMAGED THE SAN JUAN GAS LINE & FAILED TO NOTIFY SAN JUAN GAS. MOREOVER, THE BOARD ADMITS THAT IT FOUND NOT PATH BY WHICH THE PROPANE GAS FROM THIS LEAK COULD HAVE ENTERED THE HUMBERTO VIDAL BUILDING. WITH REGARD TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN YOUR LETTER, SAN JUAN GAS HAS IN PLACE PROCEDURES WHICH ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS. THIS INFO WAS PREVIOUSLY COMMUNICATED TO THE NTSB STAFF. SAN JUAN GAS SUBMITTED ITS OPERATING PROCEDURES MANUAL WHICH CONTAINS THE COMPANY'S EMERGENCY PROCEDURES ON 6/21/97. SAN JUAN GAS PREVIOUSLY OUTLINED THE REQUIREMENTS OF ITS TRAINING PROGRAM IN A 5/2/97 LETTER TO THE BOARD, & SUBSEQUENTLY SUBMITTED THE COMPLETE TRAINING PROGRAM TO NTSB STAFF ON 9/2/97.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1999-03-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 3/8/99 4:17:31 PM MC# 990211

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1998-09-30

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD IS PLEASED THAT THE SJGC HAS REVIEWED ITS TRAINING SOLICITATION PROCEDURES, & WILL REQUIRE THAT FUTURE SOLICITATIONS INCLUDE PLANS FOR IDENTIFYING THE TASKS FOR WHICH THE TRAINEES MUST BE TRAINED & FOR ASSESSING THE JOB PERFORMANCE OF THE TRAINEES & THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TRAINING, AS REQUESTED. THEREFORE, P-97-12 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."