NTSB Safety Recommendation P-98-004

NTSB safety recommendation P-98-004.

TO THE RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION: In cooperation with the manufacturers of products used in the transportation of gases or liquids regulated by the Office of Pipeline Safety, develop a mechanism by which the Office of Pipeline Safety will receive copies of all safety-related notices, bulletins, & other communications regarding any defect, unintended deviation from design specification, or failure to meet expected performance of any piping or piping product that is now in use or that may be expected to be in use for the transport of hazardous materials.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1998-04-30

Adopted Date: 1998-04-23

Overall Date Closed: 2003-08-04

Synopsis: Despite the general acceptance of plastic piping as a safe and economical alternative to piping made of steel or other materials, the board notes that a number of pipeline accidents it has investigated have involved plastic piping that cracked in a brittle-like manner. For example, on 10/17/94, an explosion and fire in Waterloo, Iowa, destroyed a building and damaged other property. Six persons died and seven were injured in the accident. The board investigation determined that natural gas has been released from a plastic service pipe that had failed in a brittle-like manner at a connection to a steel main.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA95MP001

Report Number: SIR-98-01

Addressee Name: RSPA

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2003-08-04

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1998-10-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD WOULD APPRECIATE BEING ADVISED OF ANY ACTIONS THAT RSPA HAS TAKEN OR PLANS TO TAKE ON EACH OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. COPIES OF OUR 1/6/98, & OUR 4/30/98, CORRESPONDENCE ARE ENCLOSED.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 2000-07-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: ON 11/15/99, BASED ON INFORMATION IN THE RSPA LETTER OF 3/17/99, P-98-1 THROUGH -5 WERE CLASSIFIED "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE," PENDING FURTHER REPLY FROM RSPA. COPIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS P-87-34, P-90-21, P-95-4, P-96-1, P-97-6, P-97-7, P-97-8, P-98-1, P-98-2, P-98-3, P-98-4, P-98-5, AND P-98-25 AND ASSOCIATED CORRESPONDENCE ARE ENCLOSED. THE SAFETY BOARD WOULD APPRECIATE LEARNING OF ANY ACTION TAKEN OR PLANNED TO COMPLY WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, ESPECIALLY P-97-7 AND -8, WHICH MAY BE DISCUSSED AT A BOARD MEETING.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 2003-08-04

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: The Safety Board concurs with RSPA that the agreement reached by the Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI), RSPA, and the Safety Board achieves the intent of the Board's recommendation. In that regard, PPI members will provide RSPA and the Safety Board copies of any notices, bulletins, or other types of notification they forward to their customers of defects, deviations from design specification or failures to meet performance standards. As this agreement establishes the mechanism recommended by the Board, Safety Recommendation P-98-4 is classified "Closed--Acceptable Action."

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1999-11-15

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE SAFETY BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT RSPA HAS ARRANGED FOR THE PLASTICS PIPE INSTITUTE (PPI) TO COLLECT SAFETY-RELATED INFORMATION FROM ITS MEMBER MANUFACTURERS AND IMPORTERS AND TO PROVIDE RSPA WITH INFORMATION ON ANY MATERIALS, DESIGN, OR PERFORMANCE ISSUES. THE SAFETY BOARD WOULD APPRECIATE RECEIVING FROM RSPA COPIES OF WHAT RSPA HAS RECEIVED SO FAR AS A RESULT OF ITS ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE PPI AND ANY OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LISTED. WE ALSO ASK THAT RSPA PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH COPIES OF ALL FUTURE SAFETY-RELATED NOTICES, BULLETINS, AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS RSPA HAS RECEIVED ON THIS ISSUE. PENDING RECEIPT OF RSPA'S REPLY, P-98-4 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE."

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 2003-06-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 6/9/2003 4:39:15 PM MC# 2030277 On January 30, 2003, RSPA staff discussed this recommendation with Dr. Gene Polermo, Technical Director, Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) and Mr. Rod Dyck, NTSB's Deputy Director, Pipeline Safety Division. The parties agreed to request that PPI members provide RSPA and NTSB with copies of any notices, bulletins or other types of notifications they forward to their customers of defects, deviations from design specification or failures to meet performance standards. Copies of our request and PPI's communications are attached. I request that Safety Recommendation P-98-4 be reclassified as "CLOSED - Acceptable Action" not only based on the information provided above, but also keeping in mind the work currently underway with the Plastic Pipe Database Committee. If we can be of further assistance, please contact me or Patricia Klinger, Director of External Communications, at (202) 366-4831.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1999-03-17

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 9/17/1999 3:30:10 PM MC# 990813 IN RESPONSE TO THIS RECOMMENDATION, RSPA HAS ARRANGED FOR THE PLASTICS PIPE INSTITUTE (PPI) TO COLLECT SAFETY-RELATED INFORMATION FROM ITS MEMBER MANUFACTURERS AND IMPORTERS AND TO PROVIDE RSPA WITH INFORMATION ON ANY MATERIALS, DESIGN, OR PERFORMANCE ISSUES. IN ADDITION, RSPA CONSULTS WITH NUMEROUS PIPELINE INDUSTRY TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AND NATIONAL CONSENSUS STANDARDS COMMITTEE TO OBTAIN USEFUL INFORMATION RELEVANT TO PIPE DESIGN INSTALLATION, AND DEFECTS THAT IMPACT PIPELINE SYSTEM SAFETY. THESE INCLUDE THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATIONS PLASTIC MATERIALS COMMITTEE (PMC), THE GAS PIPING TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE (GPTC), THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIAL ASTM F17 PLASTIC PIPE STANDARD COMMITTEE THE AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE API SL STEEL LINE PIPE COMMITTEE, AND OTHERS. THE MEMBERS OF THESE COMMITTEES INCLUDE BOTH PIPELINE OPERATORS AND MANUFACTURERS OF GAS AND HAZARDOUS LIQUID PIPE AND PIPE FITTINGS. RSPA BELIEVES THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN FULLY ADDRESSED. RSPA REQUESTS THAT P-98-4 BE CLASSIFIED AS "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."