NTSB Safety Recommendation P-99-011

NTSB safety recommendation P-99-011.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE NATIONAL UTILITY CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION: INFORM YOUR MEMBERS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE 7/21/97, PIPELINE RUPTURE AND FIRE IN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, AND PROVIDE THEM WITH RECOMMENDED SAFE PRACTICES TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO EXISTING UNDERGROUND PIPELINE FACILITIES DURING DIRECTIONAL DRILLING OPERATIONS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1999-04-28

Adopted Date: 1999-04-20

Overall Date Closed: 2002-05-28

Synopsis: ABOUT 2:33 P.M. ON 7/21/97, A 20-INCH-DIAMETER STEEL NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION PIPELINE OWNED AND OPERATED BY CITIZENS GAS & COKE UTILITY COMPANY (CITIZENS GAS) RUPTURED AND RELEASED NATURAL GAS NEAR AN INTERSECTION ADJOINING THE CHARTER POINTE SUBDIVISION IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN. THE GAS IGNITED AND BURNED, KILLING ONE RESIDENT AND INJURING ANOTHER. ABOUT 75 RESIDENTS REQUIRED TEMPORARY SHELTER. SIX HOMES WERE DESTROYED, AND ABOUT 65 OTHERS SUSTAINED DAMAGE SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO BE DOCUMENTED BY THE LOCAL INVESTIGATION TEAM.

Probable Cause: The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of Citizens Gas and Miller to have adequate controls in place to ensure that directional drilling operations carried out in the proximity of existing underground facilities would not cause damage to those facilities.

Ntsbnumber: DCA97FP005

Report Number: PAB-99-02

Addressee Name: National Utility Contractors Association

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2002-05-28

Addressee Acronym: NUCA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2002-03-14

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 03/29/2002 5:59:43 PM MC# 2020345 NUCA is at the forefront of the horizontal directional drilling industry. NUCA's Trenchless Technology Committee works exclusively on the several diverse issues surrounding this part of the utility construction industry. Additionally, NUCA worked in cooperation with several industry groups in the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) industry to develop the Horizontal Directional Drilling Good Practices Guidelines. The guidelines were developed by the "HDD Consortium," which consisted of NUCA, Distribution Contractors Association, Directional Crossing Contractors Association, Equipment Manufacturers Institute, North American Society for Trenchless Technology, and the Power and Communication Contractors Association. The guidelines provide quick, searchable information on HDD applications, equipment and materials, planning, jobsite safety, risk reduction, and mitigation. They serve as a great reference tool for training field personnel to make efficient, effective, and safe installations. The guidelines were developed with the support of NUCA and the NUCA Foundation for Education and Research, and are regularly available to our members and to the general public. We have included a copy of the guidelines for your review, and we would be happy to discuss them with you at your convenience. Based on our ongoing work in the HDD arena, we request that NTSB classify Safety Recommendation P-99-11 as "Closed, Acceptable Action."

Addressee Acronym: NUCA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1999-07-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 7/16/99 2:50:00 PM MC# 990756 THANK YOU FOR CONTACTING US TO EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS REGARDING DIRECTIONAL DRILLING SAFETY. AS YOU LEARNED FROM OUR CONTRACTOR MEMBERS' PERFORMANCE ON EACH TEAM OF THE 'COMMON GROUND ONE-CALL SYSTEMS AND DAMAGE PREVENTION STUDY,' WORKER AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE NATIONAL UTILITY CONTRACTOR ASSOCIATION'S (NUCA) PRIMARY CONCERN. AT A RECENT NUCA BOARD MEETING, I SHARED YOUR LETTER WITH THE MEMBERS OF BOTH OUR DAMAGE PREVENTION AND TRENCHIESS TECHNOLOGY COMMITEES. THE CONTRACTORS ASKED ME TO RESPOND FORMALLY TO YOUR CONCERNS TO REASSURE YOU AND YOUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS THAT THE ALLEGED PRACTICES OF THE CONTRACTOR INVOLVED IN THE INDIANA ACCIDENT ARE NOT COMMON PLACE IN THE DIRECTIONAL DRILLING INDUSTRY. LE ME REITERATE, SAFETY IS OUR PRIMARY CONCERN. TO THAT END, NUCA PROVIDES MULTIPLE SAFETY PROGRAMS FOR ITS MEMBERS. IN ADDITION, MANY, IF NOT MOST, OF OUR CONTRACTOR MEMBERS HAVE IN-HOUSE SAFETY DIRECTORS WHO REGULARLY PRESENT SAFETY PROGRAMS, INCLUDING FORUMS THAT FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON DIRECTIONAL DRILLING SAFETY. THE COMPREHENSIVE DIRECTIONAL DRILLING SAFETY PROGRAMS ADDRESS: USE AND INSPECTION OF PERSONAL ELECTRICAL PROTECTIVE GEAR, SAFETY EQUIPMENT (GROUNDING STAKES; EQUIPOTENTIAL MATS FOR GROUND PERSONNEL; ELECTRICAL STRIKE ALERT SENSING SYSTEMS-SAFETY SIGNS; AREA WARNING BARRICADES; WARNING DECALS AND OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS), PROJECT PLANNING (HAZARDS BRIEFINGS; UNDERGROUND UTILITY MARKINGS AND VOLTAGE DETERMINATIONS - UNDERGROUND UTILITY POTHOLING; BACK REAMING), OPERATION OF PNEUMATIC AIR BORE MOTOR (NUMBER OF OPERATING PERSONNEL; SAFE DISTANCES FOR OTHER CREW MEMBERS AND GENERAL PUBLIC; USE OF BORE GUIDES, ALIGNMENT STAKES, METAL BARS, AND BLOCKS AND HOOK - APPROPRIATE RPMS; METHODS FOR CONNECTING AND DISCONNECTING BORE PIPE), OPERATOR/SIGNALER COMMUNICATION (VOICE/HAND SIGNALS; USE OF 2-WAY RADIOS), AND DIRECTIONAL DRILLING TECHNIQUES (WORK-SITE AND ELECTRICALLY RELATED SAFETY; REQUISITE CLASSROOM AND HANDS-ON TRAINING; DEENGERIZATION OF 'LIVE PARTS'). IT SHOULD BE ADDED THAT, DESPITE THE COMPREHENSIVE NATURE OF THE DIRECTIONAL DRILLING SAFETY PROGRAMS, DAMAGE WILL OCCUR IF THE UNDERGROUND UTILITIES ARE NOT ACCURATELY MARKED. UNDERGROUND FACILITY DAMAGE PREVENTION IS A RESPONSIBILITY SHARED EQUALLY AMONG THE EXCAVATORS, FACILITY OWNERS/OPERATORS, LOCATORS AND THE ONE-CALL CENTERS. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR CONTACTING NUCA REGARDING YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT DIRECTIONAL DRILLING. IF WE MAY PROVIDE YOU WITH ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK. NUCA STRIVES TO KEEP THE DAMAGE PREVENTION COMMUNICATION LINES OPEN BETWEEN ALL STAKEHOLDERS.

Addressee Acronym: NUCA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2001-04-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: On September 8, 1999, based on information provided in the NUCA letter of July 13, 1999, the Safety Board classified Safety Recommendation P-99-11 "Open--Acceptable Response," pending further information from NUCA addressing this issue. To date there has been no further correspondence from NUCA.

Addressee Acronym: NUCA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2002-05-28

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: NUCA reports that it has taken action as requested and with the assistance of industry, developed the Horizontal Directional Drilling Good Practices Guidelines, which will provide quick, searchable information on horizontal directional drilling applications, equipment and materials, planning, jobsite safety, risk reduction, and mitigation. The guidelines serve as a reference tool for training field personnel to make efficient, effective, and safe installations. In addition, NUCA has disseminated the circumstances of this accident to its membership. Accordingly, Safety Recommendation P-99-11 is classified "Closed--Acceptable Action."

Addressee Acronym: NUCA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1999-09-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE SAFETY BOARD IS PLEASED TO LEARN THAT WORKER AND PUBLIC SAFETY ARE THE NUCA'S PRIMARY CONCERN AND THAT THE NCUA SHARED THE BOARD'S 4/28/99, LETTER DESCRIBING THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS ACCIDENT AT A RECENT NUCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING. THE BOARD WOULD APPRECIATE CLARIFICATION OF WHETHER THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACCIDENT WERE ALSO DISSEMINATED TO THE NUCA MEMBERSHIP AT LARGE. FURTHER, THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT THE NUCA PROVIDES SAFETY PROGRAMS FOR ITS MEMBERS. SAFETY BOARD STAFF HAS DISCUSSED THE RECOMMENDATION WITH NUCA STAFF AND LEARNED THAT THE NUCA IS CONSIDERING DEVELOPING RECOMMENDED SAFE PRACTICES THAT WILL MORE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS ACCIDENT AND THE PREVENTION OF DAMAGE TO EXISTING UNDERGROUND PIPELINE FACILITIES DURING DIRECTIONAL DRILLING OPERATIONS. WE WELCOME THIS EFFORT AND ASK THAT THE NUCA UPDATE US CONCERNING ITS PROGRESS IN DEVELOPING THESE RECOMMENDED SAFE PRACTICES. PENDING FURTHER INFORMATION FROMT THE NUCA ADDRESSING THE ABOVE ISSUES, P-99-11 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE."