Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2017-10-12 — PA
Operator
Philadelphia Gas Works
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
1 injury
Property damage (nominal)
$0
Incident datetime
2017-10-12 11:23
Report number
Location
PA, PHILADELPHIA
Narrative
On wednesday, october 11th, 2017, pgw received an odor complaint at 8053 rodney street in front of the property. Pgw responded to investigate the area and it was determined that the source of the leak was a rusted out steel service pipe in the footway. Pgw disconnected the service adjacent to the main connection and inserted plastic to the front wall of the property in order to eliminate the leak and restore service to the customer. The service connection to the main was a steel nipple coming off the side of a 6' low pressure steel main. This main connection required the services of a welder in order to be permanently abandoned and replaced with a new service tee. The steel service connection was temporarily wrapped with wax-tape as a preventative measure and left overnight until a welder was available. On thursday, october 12th, 2017, pgw dispatched a maintenance crew and welder to the site to abandon the steel nipple service connection and install a new service tee. Between 09:30 and 11:00, the crew worked to continue preparation of the excavation and main for the welder to permanently abandon the service connection. Between 11:00 and 11:23, the welder began his work by cutting off the steel nipple service connection flush with the main. He proceeded to use a self-tapping tapered screw plug to attempt to seal the opening in the main. The welder attempted to weld the plug shut and ignited a small amount of gas which he was unaware was bypassing. The welder then attempted to adjust the plug with a pipe wrench instead of extinguishing the flame. During this process, the plug evacuated the opening in the main and allowed the gas from the main to escape and make contact with the previously ignited flame. While his fr clothing and safety glasses protected his upper torso and eyes, the pgw welder sustained burns to his face and neck and was taken to the hospital by the philadelphia fire department. The fire was immediately extinguished and the service connection was later abandoned and replaced with a street tee.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2017-10-12 11:23:00
Year
2017
Report Received Date
2017-11-09 00:00:00
Iyear
2017.0
Report Number
20170102.0
Supplemental Number
31516.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
15469
Name
Philadelphia Gas Works
Operator Street Address
800 W. Montgomery Avenue
Operator City Name
Philadelphia
Operator State Abbreviation
PA
Operator Postal Code
19122
Local Datetime
2017-10-12 11:23:00
Location Street Address
8053 Rodney Street
Location City Name
Philadelphia
Location County Name
Philadelphia
Location State Abbreviation
PA
Location Postal Code
19150
Location Latitude
40.06891
Location Longitude
-75.175333
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2017-10-12 13:30:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1193050
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
0.06
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
Yes
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2017-10-12 11:23:00
On Site Datetime
2017-10-12 09:30:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Utility Right-Of-Way / Easement
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
Exposed Due To Excavation
Depth Of Cover
50.0
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Municipally Owned
System Part Involved
Main
Installation Year
1953.0
Pipe Diameter
6.0
Pipe Specification
Unknown
Pipe Manufacturer
Unknown
Material Involved
Steel
Steel Seam Type
Other
Steel Seam Type Details
Unknown
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Connection Failure
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
0.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
0.0
Est Cost Emergency
682.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
1.0
Prpty
683.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
0.0
Accident Psig
0.23
Normal Psig
0.23
Mop Psig
0.5
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
2
Num Employees Failed
0
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Cause Details
Equipment Not Installed Properly
Operation Type
Equipment Not Installed Properly
Related Inadequate Proc Ind
Yes
Category Type
Decommissioning
Operator Qualification Ind
Yes
Qualified Individuals
Yes, They Were Qualified For The Task(S)
Preparer Name
T***** P*********
Preparer Title
Director Distribution Maintenance And Corrosion
Preparer Email
T****************@p******.com
Preparer Telephone
215-684-6344
Authorizer Name
R****** W****
Authorizer Title
Vp Field Operations
Authorizer Telephone
215-684-6033
Authorizer Email
R************@p******.com
Narrative
On wednesday, october 11th, 2017, pgw received an odor complaint at 8053 rodney street in front of the property. Pgw responded to investigate the area and it was determined that the source of the leak was a rusted out steel service pipe in the footway. Pgw disconnected the service adjacent to the main connection and inserted plastic to the front wall of the property in order to eliminate the leak and restore service to the customer. The service connection to the main was a steel nipple coming off the side of a 6' low pressure steel main. This main connection required the services of a welder in order to be permanently abandoned and replaced with a new service tee. The steel service connection was temporarily wrapped with wax-tape as a preventative measure and left overnight until a welder was available. On thursday, october 12th, 2017, pgw dispatched a maintenance crew and welder to the site to abandon the steel nipple service connection and install a new service tee. Between 09:30 and 11:00, the crew worked to continue preparation of the excavation and main for the welder to permanently abandon the service connection. Between 11:00 and 11:23, the welder began his work by cutting off the steel nipple service connection flush with the main. He proceeded to use a self-tapping tapered screw plug to attempt to seal the opening in the main. The welder attempted to weld the plug shut and ignited a small amount of gas which he was unaware was bypassing. The welder then attempted to adjust the plug with a pipe wrench instead of extinguishing the flame. During this process, the plug evacuated the opening in the main and allowed the gas from the main to escape and make contact with the previously ignited flame. While his fr clothing and safety glasses protected his upper torso and eyes, the pgw welder sustained burns to his face and neck and was taken to the hospital by the philadelphia fire department. The fire was immediately extinguished and the service connection was later abandoned and replaced with a street tee.
| Occurred At | 2017-10-12 11:23:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2017 |
| Report Received Date | 2017-11-09 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2017.0 |
| Report Number | 20170102.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 31516.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 15469 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Philadelphia Gas Works |
| Operator Street Address | 800 W. Montgomery Avenue |
| Operator City Name | Philadelphia |
| Operator State Abbreviation | PA |
| Operator Postal Code | 19122 |
| Local Datetime | 2017-10-12 11:23:00 |
| Location Street Address | 8053 Rodney Street |
| Location City Name | Philadelphia |
| Location County Name | Philadelphia |
| Location State Abbreviation | PA |
| Location Postal Code | 19150 |
| Location Latitude | 40.06891 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -75.175333 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2017-10-12 13:30:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1193050 NRC Report How to search |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 0.06 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2017-10-12 11:23:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2017-10-12 09:30:00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Utility Right-Of-Way / Easement |
| Incident Area Type | Underground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Exposed Due To Excavation |
| Depth Of Cover | 50.0 |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Municipally Owned |
| System Part Involved | Main |
| Installation Year | 1953.0 |
| Pipe Diameter | 6.0 |
| Pipe Specification | Unknown |
| Pipe Manufacturer | Unknown |
| Material Involved | Steel |
| Steel Seam Type | Other |
| Steel Seam Type Details | Unknown |
| Release Type | Leak |
| Leak Type | Connection Failure |
| Class Location Type | Class 3 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 682.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 1.0 |
| Prpty | 683.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 0.0 |
| Accident Psig | 0.23 |
| Normal Psig | 0.23 |
| Mop Psig | 0.5 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Num Employees Failed | 0 |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Incorrect Operation |
| Cause Details | Equipment Not Installed Properly |
| Operation Type | Equipment Not Installed Properly |
| Related Inadequate Proc Ind | Yes |
| Category Type | Decommissioning |
| Operator Qualification Ind | Yes |
| Qualified Individuals | Yes, They Were Qualified For The Task(S) |
| Preparer Name | T***** P********* |
| Preparer Title | Director Distribution Maintenance And Corrosion |
| Preparer Email | T****************@p******.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 215-684-6344 |
| Authorizer Name | R****** W**** |
| Authorizer Title | Vp Field Operations |
| Authorizer Telephone | 215-684-6033 |
| Authorizer Email | R************@p******.com |
| Narrative | On wednesday, october 11th, 2017, pgw received an odor complaint at 8053 rodney street in front of the property. Pgw responded to investigate the area and it was determined that the source of the leak was a rusted out steel service pipe in the footway. Pgw disconnected the service adjacent to the main connection and inserted plastic to the front wall of the property in order to eliminate the leak and restore service to the customer. The service connection to the main was a steel nipple coming off the side of a 6' low pressure steel main. This main connection required the services of a welder in order to be permanently abandoned and replaced with a new service tee. The steel service connection was temporarily wrapped with wax-tape as a preventative measure and left overnight until a welder was available. On thursday, october 12th, 2017, pgw dispatched a maintenance crew and welder to the site to abandon the steel nipple service connection and install a new service tee. Between 09:30 and 11:00, the crew worked to continue preparation of the excavation and main for the welder to permanently abandon the service connection. Between 11:00 and 11:23, the welder began his work by cutting off the steel nipple service connection flush with the main. He proceeded to use a self-tapping tapered screw plug to attempt to seal the opening in the main. The welder attempted to weld the plug shut and ignited a small amount of gas which he was unaware was bypassing. The welder then attempted to adjust the plug with a pipe wrench instead of extinguishing the flame. During this process, the plug evacuated the opening in the main and allowed the gas from the main to escape and make contact with the previously ignited flame. While his fr clothing and safety glasses protected his upper torso and eyes, the pgw welder sustained burns to his face and neck and was taken to the hospital by the philadelphia fire department. The fire was immediately extinguished and the service connection was later abandoned and replaced with a street tee. |
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