NTSB Safety Recommendation Letter P-72-040 through P-72-062

Page 1Official PDF1 ’ - three houses was the ignition of gas that d from a main damaged by a contractor’s ,-...&hoe. Contributing to the accident were the delay by the gas company in shutting off the flow of leaking gas, the failure to check for gas in houses, and the failure to notify police and fire officials. Also contributing were the failure d the area residents to report the odor of gas in their houses, and the failure of the county to supply the contractor with the accurate gas main location which had been provided by the gas company. VI. RECOMMENDATIONS The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that: 1. The Office of Pipeline Safety (a) Amend 49 CFR 192 to require onsite identification of all valves on -’high-pressure distribution systems which may be necessary for the safe operation of the system. (Recom- mendation No. P-72-40) (b) Amend 49 CFR 192 to require that each pipeline operator prepare pre- planned shutdown procedures so that any section of a high-pressure distribution system can be shut down in an emergency. (Recom- mendation No. P-72-41) > (c) Amend 4 9 CFR 192 to require that each operator maintain a log which shows the receipt and handling of e a c h leak or emergency report received. Information concerning the t i m e t h a t the report was first received, that a crew was first dis- patched to the scene, that such a crew arrived, and that the condition was considered safe should be in- cluded. In addition, each pipeline operator should be required to analyze his performance in respond- ing to gas-leak emergencies and reports. Both the logs and the analy- sis should be made available to State agencies and the Office of Pipeline Safety. (Recommendation No. P-72- 42) (d) Amend 4 9 CFR 192 to require that each pipeline operator have on duty a sufficient number of dispatching personnel to effectively coordinate emergency situations. A study may b e required to determine the relationship between various condi- tions and the number of dispatchers necessary. (Recommendation No. P-72-43) (e) Amend 49 CFR 192.615 to include an explicit requirement that each pipeline operator notify and co- ordinate his activities with local fire and police officials when gas leaks c r e a t e h a z a r d o u s conditions.’ (Recommendation No. P-72-44) 2. The American Public Works Association develop guidelines for preconstruction meetings, which should include methods of preventing damage to underground utilities to be en- countered during the proposed construction work. Such preconstruction meetings should be attended by all operators whose facilities are involved. (Recommendation No. P-72-45) 3. The American Society of Mechanical ers Gas Piping Standards Committee (a) Recommend methods of numbering or marking valves in the field so that they can be readily and positively identified. (R,ecommendation No. P- 2 7 2 . 4 6 ) - (b) Develop guidelines to be used by pipeline operators in establishing pre- glanned sectionalizing programs to shut down any section of main in an ~~~ ‘Same as Recommendation I(b) in Board repor1,”Lone Star G a l Company, North Richland Hills. Tsxnr. October 4, 1971.” 25#

Page 2emergency. (Recommendation No. P-72 47) (c) Develop guidelines to assist pipeline operators in preparing their emer- gency plans. These plans should indicate the action to be taken by the first gas company employee arriving at the scene of an emergency. (Recommendation No. P-72-48) (d) Develop guidelines to assist pipeline operators in educating customers and the general public in the proper action to take if gas leaks are detected. (Recommendation No. P-7 2-49) (e) Develop guidelines in cooperation with the National Fire Protection Association to assist pipeline opera- tors in determining the conditions under which local fire and police officials should be notified (Recom- mendation No. P-72-50) ( f ) Develop guidelines for classifying and responding to leaks reported by the public. (Recommendation No. P-72-51) 4. The National Science Foundation, the Office of Emergency Preparedness, and the National Bureau of Standards initiate a research project, under their cooperative program, “Building Practices for Disaster Mitigation,” to study the flow of natural gas through various basement wall materials and types of construc- tion. This project should also include effective methods of sealing the space around under- ground utility lines where they enter a building. The effects of aging, settlement, and exposure to water should be considered. (Recommendation No. P-72-52) 5. The American Gas Association study the flow of gas through various construction fill media and recommend methods and types of fill to be used in the installation of underground utility lines. (Recommendation No. P-72-53) 6. The b‘ashington Gas Light Company (a) E.xtend, in cooperation with other utility companies and governmental agencies, the Miss Utility program to receive reports of proposed excava- tion work in the entire Washington metropolitan area. (Recommenda- tion No. P-72-54) (b) Develop a sectionalizing program of its high-pressure distrihution system so that preplanned procedures are available to isolate any section of its system in an emergency. (Recom- mendation No. P-72-55) (c) Train and equip all appropriate radic-equipped fxld personnel to locate and operate main line valves under the direction of knowledge- a b l e office personnel. (Recom- mendation No. P-72-56) (d) Expand its customer education pro- gram so that its customers and the general public can be made aware of the proper action to take if gas leaks are detected (Recommendation No. P-72-57) (e) Maintain a leak log which will give appropriate information relative to all aspects of receiving and respond- ing t o reported leaks. This informa- tion should be analyzed periodically to provide information which will readily point out problem areas in WGL.’s response. (Recommendation NO. P-72-58) (f) lndcntify all valves in the field to p e r m i t positive identification. (Recommendation No. P-72-59). (9) Realign its dispatching facilities so that one dispatcher can contact all field personnel capable of responding to an emergency when such a situa- tion is encountered. (Recommenda- tion No. P-72-60) (h) Coordinate the activities of the trans- mission and distribution department dispatcher with the customer ap- 26#

Page 3pliance dispatcher so that an appliance serviceman is dispatched to the scene of any reported leak in the distribution system. (Recommenda- tion No. P-72-61) P-72-62) (i) Provide all maintenance foremen with the equipment necessary to squeeze off 2-inch and smaller gas lines. ( R e c o m m e n d a t i o n No. BY THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD: Is1 JOHN H. REED Chairman Is1 FRANCIS H. McADAMS Member Is1 BABEL A. BURGESS Member Is1 WILLIAM R. HALEY Member Louis M. Thayer, Member, was not present and did not participate in the adoption of this report. November 22. 1972 27#