NTSB Safety Recommendation Letter P-74-029 through P-74-036

Page 1Official PDFThe National Transportation Safety Board deternines t h a t the probable cause of the explosion and f i r e was the i g n i t i o n , by an unknown source, of an accumulation of n a t u r a l gas which had leaked from two corrosion holes i n a nearby 2-inch gas main. Contributing t o the i n t e n s i t y of the ensuing f i r e was the large amount of natural gas which had accumulated i n the a t t i c and between the o r i g i n a l e x t e r i o r walls of the house and a newer e x t e r i o r b r i c k veneer. Contributing t o the accident was the f a c t t h a t none of the victims reported previously detected gas odors t o the gas company or t o the f i r e department. This was p a r t i a l l y the r e s u l t of the f a c t t h a t t h e gas com- pany's educational program submerged warnings and i n s t r u c t i o n s within pro- motional material not needed by the customer and did not inform the customer of the possible consequences of f a i l u r e t o report a gas odor t o t h e gas company or t o leave the premises. RECOMMENDATIONS The National Transportation Safety Board recommends t h a t : 1. The Office of Pipeline Safety of the Department of Transporta- tion: (a) Amend 49 CFR Section 192.723 t o require more frequent leak surveys on o l d e r , uncoated, and cathodically unprotected pipelines than required c u r r e n t l y . (Recommendation No. P-74-29) @) Amend 49 CFR Section 192.615(d) t o b e t t e r define the i n t e n t of a public education program to warn against the f u l l range of hazards of natural g a s , to r e q u i r e r e t a i n a b l e and s p e c i f i c i n s t r u c t i o n s and placards of how t o d e t e c t hazards, what t o do, and why a c t i o n i s necessary, (Recornendation NO. P-74-30) 2. The American Society of blechanical Engineers Gas Piping Standards Committee: (a) Develop guidelines to aid p i p e l i n e operators determine when t o conduct leakage surveys on various types of pipe" These guidelines should take i n t o account age of pipe, general condition of pipe, c l a s s location of pipe and metallurgy of pipe. (Recommendation No. P-74-31) @) Develop guidelines to aid pipeline operators i n determining areas of a c t i v e corrosion as required by 49 CFR 192.457@). (Recommendation NO. P-74-32) . ~. -.., ., . ,, ___I_..--.--".___,_..,__I_ .. . ..... ... . ..__._c.. . - . . ...#

Page 2- 20 - 3 . The American Gas Association (MA) : I n v e s t i g a t e the a v a i l a b i l i t y , economic f e a s i b i l i t y , and practica- b i l i t y of gas vapor d e t e c t o r s c u r r e n t l y manufactured and explore t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f their i n s t a l l a t i o n i n m a n h o l e s , conduits, base- ments, and other substructures f o r the automatic d e t e c t i o n a n d r e - porting o f n a t u r a l g a s v a p o r s . I f noneare found acceptable, sponsor research todevelop s u c h a d e t e c t o r . (RecommendationNo.P-74-33) 4. Columbia Gas of West Virginia, Inc.: Conduct more frequent leak d e t e c t i o n surveys on those areas where t h e gas pipelines a r e o l d , uncoated, and cathodically unprotected. (Recommendation No. P-74-34) I n i t i a t e a mDre i n t e n s e general public and gas customer in- formation program a s t o the nature, c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , and hazards of natural gas and t h e s t e p s t o be taken when i t i s encountered. (Recommendation N0.P-74-35) I n i t i a t e a thorough survey t o determine t h e areas of active corrosion on t h e e n t i r e length of this 2-inch gas main from its junction with the 3-inch gas main at Bakers Fork and similar pipes i n i t s system. Make excavations for the physical examination of these pipes when indicated by the survey and replace or r e p a i r t h e pipe where indicated. When finished, place these pipes under adequate cathodic protection. (Recommendation No. P-74-36) BY THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD f s f JOHN H. REED Chairman f s f FRANCIS H. McADAMS Member f s f ISABEL A. BURGESS Member / s f WILLIAM R. HALEY Member LOUIS M. THAYER, Member, did not p a r t i c i p a t e i n the adoption of this report. August 21,, 1974#