Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2017-10-09 — NC
Operator
Public Service Co Of North Carolina
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
1 injury
Property damage (nominal)
$189
Incident datetime
2017-10-09 09:00
Report number
Location
NC, RUTHERFORD
Narrative
Psnc employees arrive at construction site to tap/stop 2-inch short stop h-17190 mueller fitting. Employees made the tap and stop off so contractors could tie in the new main extension. The fitting was air tested before the tap was made. After the tie-in was completed, employees started the completion process to put the plug back in the fitting. Both employees changed out tools on the d-5 machine to complete tap/stop and installing completion plug. While installing the completion plug employee 1 was operating the machine, both employees heard a loud pop. Once the pop was heard, employee 1 began turning the machine counterclockwise in order to bring the plug back out to remove the machine and figure out what went wrong. When the machine was removed, they opened the valve to look at the plug and noticed it was not properly seated in the fitting. The valve was removed from the fitting and employees both noticed the plug was not tight in the fitting because the rubber o-ring was sticking out of the top of the fitting. Employee 1 attempted to tighten the plug into the fitting but the plug blew from the fitting and metal shavings blew into employees arm. Employee required 3 nights of hospitalization to monitor infection. Subsequent investigation determined that inadequate job planning, not following procedures, and using the incorrect equipment/tools for the job all contributed to the tapping and stopping operation failing and the subsequent injury.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2017-10-09 09:00:00
Year
2017
Report Received Date
2017-11-02 00:00:00
Iyear
2017.0
Report Number
20170097.0
Supplemental Number
16675.0
Report Type
Original Final
Operator Id
15938
Name
Public Service Co Of North Carolina
Operator Street Address
800 Gaston Road
Operator City Name
Gastonia
Operator State Abbreviation
NC
Operator Postal Code
28056
Local Datetime
2017-10-09 09:00:00
Location Street Address
174 Oakland Heights
Location City Name
Forest City
Location County Name
Rutherford
Location State Abbreviation
NC
Location Postal Code
28160
Location Latitude
35.33238897
Location Longitude
-81.91716979
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2017-10-09 17:47:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1192754
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
1.93
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
Yes
Num Emp Injuries
1
Num Contr Injuries
0
Num Er Injuries
0
Num Worker Injuries
0
Num Gp Injuries
0
Injure
1
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2017-10-09 09:00:00
On Site Datetime
2017-10-09 09:00:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Utility Right-Of-Way / Easement
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Incident Area Subtype
In Or Spanning An Open Ditch
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Investor Owned
System Part Involved
Main
Installation Year
1970.0
Pipe Diameter
2.0
Pipe Specification
Api 5l
Pipe Manufacturer
Unknown
Material Involved
Steel
Steel Seam Type
Other
Steel Seam Type Details
Unknown
Wt Steel
0.154
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
Improper Procedure / Tool Used On Tapping Equipment Resulted In Plug Blowing Out Of Tapping Fitting.
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
0.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
189.0
Est Cost Emergency
0.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
8.0
Prpty
197.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
0.0
Accident Psig
60.0
Normal Psig
60.0
Mop Psig
66.0
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind
No
Accident Identifier
Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors
Operator Type
Operator Employee
Investigation Status
No, the facility was not monitored by a controller(s) at the time of the incident
Employee Drug Test Ind
Yes
Num Employees Tested
1
Num Employees Failed
0
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Cause Details
Other Incorrect Operation
Operation Type
Other Incorrect Operation
Operation Details
Operator Employee Did Not Use The Correct Tool To Insert A Plug In A Mueller Tapping Fitting.
Related Failure Follow Ind
Yes
Category Type
Construction
Operator Qualification Ind
Yes
Qualified Individuals
Yes, They Were Qualified For The Task(S)
Preparer Name
T** B*********
Preparer Title
Supervisor - Operations
Preparer Email
T**********@s****.com
Preparer Telephone
(828) 890-7553
Authorizer Name
S**** S*******
Authorizer Title
General Manager - Operations And Maintenance
Authorizer Telephone
(704) 810-3230
Authorizer Email
M********@s****.com
Narrative
Psnc employees arrive at construction site to tap/stop 2-inch short stop h-17190 mueller fitting. Employees made the tap and stop off so contractors could tie in the new main extension. The fitting was air tested before the tap was made. After the tie-in was completed, employees started the completion process to put the plug back in the fitting. Both employees changed out tools on the d-5 machine to complete tap/stop and installing completion plug. While installing the completion plug employee 1 was operating the machine, both employees heard a loud pop. Once the pop was heard, employee 1 began turning the machine counterclockwise in order to bring the plug back out to remove the machine and figure out what went wrong. When the machine was removed, they opened the valve to look at the plug and noticed it was not properly seated in the fitting. The valve was removed from the fitting and employees both noticed the plug was not tight in the fitting because the rubber o-ring was sticking out of the top of the fitting. Employee 1 attempted to tighten the plug into the fitting but the plug blew from the fitting and metal shavings blew into employees arm. Employee required 3 nights of hospitalization to monitor infection. Subsequent investigation determined that inadequate job planning, not following procedures, and using the incorrect equipment/tools for the job all contributed to the tapping and stopping operation failing and the subsequent injury.
| Occurred At | 2017-10-09 09:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2017 |
| Report Received Date | 2017-11-02 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2017.0 |
| Report Number | 20170097.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 16675.0 |
| Report Type | Original Final |
| Operator Id | 15938 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Public Service Co Of North Carolina |
| Operator Street Address | 800 Gaston Road |
| Operator City Name | Gastonia |
| Operator State Abbreviation | NC |
| Operator Postal Code | 28056 |
| Local Datetime | 2017-10-09 09:00:00 |
| Location Street Address | 174 Oakland Heights |
| Location City Name | Forest City |
| Location County Name | Rutherford |
| Location State Abbreviation | NC |
| Location Postal Code | 28160 |
| Location Latitude | 35.33238897 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -81.91716979 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2017-10-09 17:47:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1192754 NRC Report How to search |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 1.93 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | Yes |
| Num Emp Injuries | 1 |
| Num Contr Injuries | 0 |
| Num Er Injuries | 0 |
| Num Worker Injuries | 0 |
| Num Gp Injuries | 0 |
| Injure | 1 |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2017-10-09 09:00:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2017-10-09 09:00:00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Utility Right-Of-Way / Easement |
| Incident Area Type | Aboveground |
| Incident Area Subtype | In Or Spanning An Open Ditch |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Investor Owned |
| System Part Involved | Main |
| Installation Year | 1970.0 |
| Pipe Diameter | 2.0 |
| Pipe Specification | Api 5l |
| Pipe Manufacturer | Unknown |
| Material Involved | Steel |
| Steel Seam Type | Other |
| Steel Seam Type Details | Unknown |
| Wt Steel | 0.154 |
| Release Type | Other |
| Release Type Details | Improper Procedure / Tool Used On Tapping Equipment Resulted In Plug Blowing Out Of Tapping Fitting. |
| Class Location Type | Class 3 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 189.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 8.0 |
| Prpty | 197.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 0.0 |
| Accident Psig | 60.0 |
| Normal Psig | 60.0 |
| Mop Psig | 66.0 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Scada In Place Ind | No |
| Accident Identifier | Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors |
| Operator Type | Operator Employee |
| Investigation Status | No, the facility was not monitored by a controller(s) at the time of the incident |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | Yes |
| Num Employees Tested | 1 |
| Num Employees Failed | 0 |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Incorrect Operation |
| Cause Details | Other Incorrect Operation |
| Operation Type | Other Incorrect Operation |
| Operation Details | Operator Employee Did Not Use The Correct Tool To Insert A Plug In A Mueller Tapping Fitting. |
| Related Failure Follow Ind | Yes |
| Category Type | Construction |
| Operator Qualification Ind | Yes |
| Qualified Individuals | Yes, They Were Qualified For The Task(S) |
| Preparer Name | T** B********* |
| Preparer Title | Supervisor - Operations |
| Preparer Email | T**********@s****.com |
| Preparer Telephone | (828) 890-7553 |
| Authorizer Name | S**** S******* |
| Authorizer Title | General Manager - Operations And Maintenance |
| Authorizer Telephone | (704) 810-3230 |
| Authorizer Email | M********@s****.com |
| Narrative | Psnc employees arrive at construction site to tap/stop 2-inch short stop h-17190 mueller fitting. Employees made the tap and stop off so contractors could tie in the new main extension. The fitting was air tested before the tap was made. After the tie-in was completed, employees started the completion process to put the plug back in the fitting. Both employees changed out tools on the d-5 machine to complete tap/stop and installing completion plug. While installing the completion plug employee 1 was operating the machine, both employees heard a loud pop. Once the pop was heard, employee 1 began turning the machine counterclockwise in order to bring the plug back out to remove the machine and figure out what went wrong. When the machine was removed, they opened the valve to look at the plug and noticed it was not properly seated in the fitting. The valve was removed from the fitting and employees both noticed the plug was not tight in the fitting because the rubber o-ring was sticking out of the top of the fitting. Employee 1 attempted to tighten the plug into the fitting but the plug blew from the fitting and metal shavings blew into employees arm. Employee required 3 nights of hospitalization to monitor infection. Subsequent investigation determined that inadequate job planning, not following procedures, and using the incorrect equipment/tools for the job all contributed to the tapping and stopping operation failing and the subsequent injury. |
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