NTSB Safety Recommendation Letter P-76-081 through P-76-082

Page 1Official PDFAL TRANSPQ TATION S WASHINGTON, D.C. FOR RELEASE: 6:30 A,M., E, D,T,, OCTOBER 27, 1976 (202) 426-8787 I S S U E D : October 27, 1976 Forwarded to: Honorable Edwin W. Edwards Governor State of Louisiana \ SAFETY RECOMMENDAT I O N (s) P . 0 . Box 44004 i Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804 P-76-81 and P-76-82 ......................................... A t 1:05 p " m . , on August 9 , 1976, a road grader ruptured a looped, 2O-inch, natural gas transmission l i n e i n Cartwright, Louisiana. Gas a t 770 psig escaped i n several directions from the l i n e ' s two streams and ignited within seconds. The re- s u l t i n g flame engulfed the area, k i l l e d s i x residents, injured one person, and incinerated two houses, a house t r a i l e r , and several acres of land. The Jackson Parish Police Jury (Jury) road grader w a s cleaning road drainage ditches on schoolbus routes before the opening o f Parish schools when it struck the l i n e crossing under Griffin Road. United Gas Pipe Line Company (United), operator of the l i n e , had not been n o t i f i e d t h a t the ditches would be cleaned. The National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary investigation of t h i s accident disclosed t h a t the pipeline w a s constructed i n 1949, before Federal regulation of t h e trans- portation of n a t u r a l gas and before construction of Griffin Road. The pipeline was originalLy buried 36 inches below the surface; but during construction of the road i n 1 9 7 2 , the pipe cover a t the e a s t dralnage ditch was reduced by about 2 f e e t . United's a e r i a l p a t r o l observed t h i s construction and United dispatched personnel t o the s i t e t o assure protection of the pipe. Eight pipeline markers were i n s t a l l e d over the 20-inch and 24-inch pipelines. Federal standards f o r newly constructed pipelines would require 36 inches of cover a t the drainage ditch#

Page 2- 2 - P-76-81 and P-76-82 Currently, United communicates with excavators o after a company patrol discovers activity n The State of Louisiana has neither a "one-call" notific system nor a law requiring notification of operators of underground facilities before excavating is begun. A 1973 Safety Board study I/ of damage underground facilities conclude3 that (1) th for preventing such damage must come from t (2) a l l concerned parties (excavators, operators of under- ground facilities, State and local officials) must work together; (3) regulations should require no proposed excavation and allow operators of to establish convenient methods for receivin ( 4 ) penalties for failing to comply with not tions should be adequate to deter potential violators. The study pointed out that one of the most effective methods of providing notification of proposed excavation is a "one-call'' system. This system provides one to be called by a person planning to excavat patirig operators of underground facilities a of the proposed excavation. Of course, this effective when all operators of underground system. The number of one-call systems in use has increa rapidly in recent years; today there are 82 in 34 States, including many statewide systems. A one-call notification system is bein Baton Rouge area and hopefully will begin o this year. Two expansions are planned so t northwest, and central portions of the State will have a one-call system. Southern Louisiana also plans to have own notification system. Implementation an these planned systems will greatly enhance public in Louisiana since many rural roads, are constructed and maintained without determining the loca of underground facilities or considering th tion or earth-moving activities on these fa - I/ National Transportation Safety Board Special NO. NTSB-PSS-73-1.#

Page 3- 3 .. P-76-81 and P-76-82 Therefore, the National Transportation Safety Board recommends that the Governor of the State of Louisiana: Encourage the implementation of the proposed Louisiana "one-call'' notification systems to provide statewide coverage. (Class I, Urgent Followup) (P-76-81) Advise all State and Parish agencies about the circumstances of this accident and urge that they notify operators of pipeline and other underground facilities before excavating near these facilities. (Class I, Urgent Followup) (P- 7 6 - 8 2 ) TODD, Chairman, McADAMS, HOGUE, and HALEY, Members, concurred in the above recommendations. BAILEY, Vice Chairman, did not participate. I / Chairman THIS RECOMMENDATION WILL BE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC ON THE ISSUE DATE SHOWN ABOVE. NO PUBLIC DISSEMINATION OF THIS DOCUMENT SHOULD BE W E PRIOR TO THAT DATE.#