Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2022-09-15 — WA
Operator
Puget Sound Energy
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
1 injury
Property damage (nominal)
$0
Incident datetime
2022-09-15 14:24
Report number
Location
WA, KING
Narrative
Puget sound energy (pse) and infrasource (ifs) were performing replacement work on a regulator station facility. The facility was isolated from the surrounding system by closing the inlet and outlet valves and had been blown down and purged out of service using nitrogen. The ifs crew was working rebuilding a station regulator run by on welding a flange onto an open pipe riser when unintentional ignition occurred. Two crew members were transported to the hospital: an ifs weld helper was treated in the er and released, and a pse pressure control technician was admitted to the hospital at 20:05 for burn treatment. Our investigation was inconclusive, but our working assumption is that one of the closed valves bypassed a small amount of gas. The construction procedure that was being followed during the project contained several isolation and monitoring steps: - the valves isolating the work area from the active system were subjected to a "shut in test" and passed the test. - the piping in the weld area had been inerted using nitrogen, but the ignition occurred several hours after interting process had been completed. - the crew was monitoring for gas reads in the inerted pipe risers as part of the welding process and confirmed 0% gas reads. Investigation after the incident found gas reads on the inerted side of the closed station outlet valve. The valve was greased to bring these reads to 0% gas. As part of the follow up from a safety department led root cause analysis, pse is revising energy control procedures to address the possibility that gas might leak by a closed valve. Pse is also addressing management of change for written construction procedure updates, since last minute changes needed to be made to the procedure document for the regulator station construction project based on piping conditions found in the field.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2022-09-15 14:24:00
Year
2022
Report Received Date
2022-09-17 00:00:00
Iyear
2022.0
Report Number
20220060.0
Supplemental Number
38223.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
22189
Name
Puget Sound Energy
Operator Street Address
355 110th Ave Ne
Operator City Name
Bellevue
Operator State Abbreviation
WA
Operator Postal Code
98004
Local Datetime
2022-09-15 20:05:00
Time Zone
Pacific
Daylight Savings Ind
Yes
Location Street Address
6500 Ursula Pl S.
Location City Name
Seattle
Location County Name
King
Location State Abbreviation
WA
Location Postal Code
98108
Location Latitude
47.545906
Location Longitude
-122.310306
Flow Cont Key Crit Ind
Yes
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2022-09-15 18:47:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1347398
Additional Nrc Report Numbers
1347652
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
0.01
Intentional Release
0.0
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
Ignite Datetime
2022-09-15 14:24:00
How Extinguished
Allowed To Burn Out
Gas Consumed By Fire In Mcf
0.01
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2022-09-15 14:24:00
Communication State Fed Ind
No
On Site Datetime
2022-09-15 14:24:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Operator-Controlled Property
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Incident Area Subtype
Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance (E.g. Value Or Regulator Station, Outdoor Meter Set)
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Privately Owned
System Part Involved
District Regulator/metering Station
Installation Year
1956.0
Material Involved
Other
Material Details
Weld Between A Flange And Existing Riser
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Seal Or Packing
Class Location Type
Class 4 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
0.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
0.0
Est Cost Emergency
0.0
Est Cost Other
115000.0
Est Cost Other Details
Medical Expenses Only, No Damage To Pse Or Other Property Requiring Repair.
Gas Cost In Mcf
8.94
Est Cost Unintentional Release
0.0
Est Cost Intentional Release
0.0
Prpty
115000.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
0.0
Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght
1.0
Num Injured Treated By Emt
0.0
Num Resident Building Affctd
0.0
Num Business Building Affctd
0.0
Accident Psig
0.0
Normal Psig
135.0
Mop Psig
250.0
Mop Cfr Section
192.619(A)(3)
Maop Established Date
2014-05-17 00:00:00
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Gas Odorized System Type
Odorized By Others
Gas Odorized Lvl Not Msrd Ind
Yes
Scada In Place Ind
Yes
Scada Operating Ind
Yes
Scada Functional Ind
Yes
Scada Detection Ind
No
Scada Conf 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
Yes
Num Contractors Tested
6
Num Contractors Failed
0
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Cause Details
Other Incorrect Operation
Operation Type
Other Incorrect Operation
Operation Details
Unintentional Ignition While Welding On An Out Of Service Regulator Station, And Our Working Assumption Is That It Was Gas And We Are Taking Corrective Actions On That Basis.
Related Inadequate Proc Ind
Yes
Category Type
Construction
Operator Qualification Ind
Yes
Qualified Individuals
Yes, They Were Qualified For The Task(S)
Eqf Valve Failure Ind
Yes
Preparer Name
J***** W*******
Preparer Title
Sr. Compliance Program Manager
Preparer Email
J**************@p**.com
Preparer Telephone
4257661811
Authorizer Name
Z****** M******
Authorizer Title
Manager Compliance
Authorizer Telephone
4252476751
Authorizer Email
Z**************@p**.com
Narrative
Puget sound energy (pse) and infrasource (ifs) were performing replacement work on a regulator station facility. The facility was isolated from the surrounding system by closing the inlet and outlet valves and had been blown down and purged out of service using nitrogen. The ifs crew was working rebuilding a station regulator run by on welding a flange onto an open pipe riser when unintentional ignition occurred. Two crew members were transported to the hospital: an ifs weld helper was treated in the er and released, and a pse pressure control technician was admitted to the hospital at 20:05 for burn treatment. Our investigation was inconclusive, but our working assumption is that one of the closed valves bypassed a small amount of gas. The construction procedure that was being followed during the project contained several isolation and monitoring steps: - the valves isolating the work area from the active system were subjected to a "shut in test" and passed the test. - the piping in the weld area had been inerted using nitrogen, but the ignition occurred several hours after interting process had been completed. - the crew was monitoring for gas reads in the inerted pipe risers as part of the welding process and confirmed 0% gas reads. Investigation after the incident found gas reads on the inerted side of the closed station outlet valve. The valve was greased to bring these reads to 0% gas. As part of the follow up from a safety department led root cause analysis, pse is revising energy control procedures to address the possibility that gas might leak by a closed valve. Pse is also addressing management of change for written construction procedure updates, since last minute changes needed to be made to the procedure document for the regulator station construction project based on piping conditions found in the field.
| Occurred At | 2022-09-15 14:24:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2022 |
| Report Received Date | 2022-09-17 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2022.0 |
| Report Number | 20220060.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 38223.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 22189 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Puget Sound Energy |
| Operator Street Address | 355 110th Ave Ne |
| Operator City Name | Bellevue |
| Operator State Abbreviation | WA |
| Operator Postal Code | 98004 |
| Local Datetime | 2022-09-15 20:05:00 |
| Time Zone | Pacific |
| Daylight Savings Ind | Yes |
| Location Street Address | 6500 Ursula Pl S. |
| Location City Name | Seattle |
| Location County Name | King |
| Location State Abbreviation | WA |
| Location Postal Code | 98108 |
| Location Latitude | 47.545906 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -122.310306 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Flow Cont Key Crit Ind | Yes |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2022-09-15 18:47:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1347398 NRC Report How to search |
| Additional Nrc Report Numbers | 1347652 |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 0.01 |
| Intentional Release | 0.0 |
| 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 |
| Ignite Datetime | 2022-09-15 14:24:00 |
| How Extinguished | Allowed To Burn Out |
| Gas Consumed By Fire In Mcf | 0.01 |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2022-09-15 14:24:00 |
| Communication State Fed Ind | No |
| On Site Datetime | 2022-09-15 14:24:00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Operator-Controlled Property |
| Incident Area Type | Aboveground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance (E.g. Value Or Regulator Station, Outdoor Meter Set) |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Privately Owned |
| System Part Involved | District Regulator/metering Station |
| Installation Year | 1956.0 |
| Material Involved | Other |
| Material Details | Weld Between A Flange And Existing Riser |
| Release Type | Leak |
| Leak Type | Seal Or Packing |
| Class Location Type | Class 4 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 115000.0 |
| Est Cost Other Details | Medical Expenses Only, No Damage To Pse Or Other Property Requiring Repair. |
| Gas Cost In Mcf | 8.94 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Intentional Release | 0.0 |
| Prpty | 115000.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 0.0 |
| Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght | 1.0 |
| Num Injured Treated By Emt | 0.0 |
| Num Resident Building Affctd | 0.0 |
| Num Business Building Affctd | 0.0 |
| Accident Psig | 0.0 |
| Normal Psig | 135.0 |
| Mop Psig | 250.0 |
| Mop Cfr Section | 192.619(A)(3) View CFR 49 §192 |
| Maop Established Date | 2014-05-17 00:00:00 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Gas Odorized System Type | Odorized By Others |
| Gas Odorized Lvl Not Msrd Ind | Yes |
| Scada In Place Ind | Yes |
| Scada Operating Ind | Yes |
| Scada Functional Ind | Yes |
| Scada Detection Ind | No |
| Scada Conf 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 | Yes |
| Num Contractors Tested | 6 |
| Num Contractors Failed | 0 |
| Cause | Incorrect Operation |
| Cause Details | Other Incorrect Operation |
| Operation Type | Other Incorrect Operation |
| Operation Details | Unintentional Ignition While Welding On An Out Of Service Regulator Station, And Our Working Assumption Is That It Was Gas And We Are Taking Corrective Actions On That Basis. |
| Related Inadequate Proc Ind | Yes |
| Category Type | Construction |
| Operator Qualification Ind | Yes |
| Qualified Individuals | Yes, They Were Qualified For The Task(S) |
| Eqf Valve Failure Ind | Yes |
| Preparer Name | J***** W******* |
| Preparer Title | Sr. Compliance Program Manager |
| Preparer Email | J**************@p**.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 4257661811 |
| Authorizer Name | Z****** M****** |
| Authorizer Title | Manager Compliance |
| Authorizer Telephone | 4252476751 |
| Authorizer Email | Z**************@p**.com |
| Narrative | Puget sound energy (pse) and infrasource (ifs) were performing replacement work on a regulator station facility. The facility was isolated from the surrounding system by closing the inlet and outlet valves and had been blown down and purged out of service using nitrogen. The ifs crew was working rebuilding a station regulator run by on welding a flange onto an open pipe riser when unintentional ignition occurred. Two crew members were transported to the hospital: an ifs weld helper was treated in the er and released, and a pse pressure control technician was admitted to the hospital at 20:05 for burn treatment. Our investigation was inconclusive, but our working assumption is that one of the closed valves bypassed a small amount of gas. The construction procedure that was being followed during the project contained several isolation and monitoring steps: - the valves isolating the work area from the active system were subjected to a "shut in test" and passed the test. - the piping in the weld area had been inerted using nitrogen, but the ignition occurred several hours after interting process had been completed. - the crew was monitoring for gas reads in the inerted pipe risers as part of the welding process and confirmed 0% gas reads. Investigation after the incident found gas reads on the inerted side of the closed station outlet valve. The valve was greased to bring these reads to 0% gas. As part of the follow up from a safety department led root cause analysis, pse is revising energy control procedures to address the possibility that gas might leak by a closed valve. Pse is also addressing management of change for written construction procedure updates, since last minute changes needed to be made to the procedure document for the regulator station construction project based on piping conditions found in the field. |
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