Three National Transportation Safety Board recommendations to improve pipeline safety were recently completed, removing them from the NTSB’s 2019-2020 Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements.
The three recommendations begged action from two groups. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the utility NiSource Inc., which operates natural gas and electric operations across seven states, was asked to work with state pipeline regulators on incorporating into their inspection programs reviews ensuring gas distribution pipeline operators utilize the best practices recommended by the manufacturer in their distribution integrity management programs to install PermaLock mechanical tapping tee assemblies correctly.
NiSource was addressed in two separate cases, however, including one marked urgent. The urgent matter — now addressed — called for them to develop and implement control procedures during modifications to gas mains to mitigate risks previously identified under management of change operations. The NTSB asked that gas main pressures be continually monitored during such modifications and assets placed in critical locations so the system could be immediately shut down if abnormal operations were detected. Beyond this, they had also asked that all records and documentation of NiSource’s natural gas systems be made traceable, reliable, and complete.
In all three cases, these safety recommendations were acceptably met.
“NTSB safety recommendations, if implemented, can help prevent accidents from happening, which saves lives,” NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said. “These pipeline safety recommendations were issued in the wake of the Millersville, Pennsylvania and Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts natural gas accidents that damaged or destroyed homes, injured dozens and tragically killed two people. The implementation of these recommendations is a significant step in improving natural gas pipeline safety for these communities and across the nation.”
With these recent additions, the NTSB has seen 11 recommendations acceptably concluded since their latest safety campaign began earlier this year.