CONSOLIDATED EDISON CO OF NEW YORK

Incident Narrative

ON MARCH 26, 2013 AT 18:56, A MANHATTAN GAS OPERATIONS (MGO) PLANNER REPORTED TO THE GAS EMERGENCY RESPONSE CENTER THAT HALLEN CONSTRUCTION MAINTENANCE MECHANIC DEAN LEWIS, #C0083 AND SAFEWAY INC. LABORER VEVAKANAND HARRICHARAN, #C3162, WERE TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO CORNELL HOSPITAL WITH BURNS TO THEIR FACE AND HANDS SUSTAINED WHEN AN ELECTRIC FEEDER OVER THE GAS MAIN FLASHED AS THEY WERE WORKING TO REPAIR A TYPE 1 GAS LEAK. THE CONTRACTORS WERE WORKING FOR MANHATTAN GAS OPERATIONS AND ASSIGNED TO TYPE 1 LEAK (ML13001012), WHICH WAS INITIALLY REPORTED ON FEBRUARY 7, 2013, DUE TO POSITIVE READING IN ELECTRIC MANHOLE M60941 AT THIS LOCATION. THE CONTRACTOR CREWS WERE WORKING TO EXPOSE AND ENCAPSULATE A COMPRESSION COUPLING ON AN 8"" LOW PRESSURE STEEL MAIN, LOCATED BELOW ELECTRIC FEEDER 40M34, WHEN THE FEEDER ""OPENED-AUTO"". BOTH CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES WERE ADMITTED TO CORNELL HOSPITAL. MR. LEWIS SUSTAINED A BURN TO HIS FOREHEAD AND A SIGNIFICANT BURN TO HIS RIGHT HAND. MR. HARICHARIN SUSTAINED DEBRIS IN HIS LEFT EYE AND IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A FULL RECOVERY. ON MARCH 27, 2013 AT 08:52, MANHATTAN ELECTRIC CONTROL CENTER ISSUED AN ORDER PREVENTING ANYONE FROM WORKING IN THE OPEN EXCAVATION. MGO WORKED AROUND-THE-CLOCK TO RELOCATE THE GAS SERVICE TO BUILDING 6 OF SOUTHBRIDGE TOWERS, A HOUSING COMPLEX AT THIS LOCATION. THE GAS SERVICE WAS RELOCATED AND THE LOW PRESSURE STEEL MAIN INVOLVED WITH THIS INCIDENT WAS CUT AND CAPPED FOR SAFETY. ELECTRIC OPERATIONS MADE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS TO RETURN THE FEEDER TO OPERATION. THE INCIDENT INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THERE WAS NO GAS IGNITION. THE HALLEN CONTRACTOR WAS WORKING TO LOCATE A GAS LEAK, PIERCED AN ELECTRIC CONDUCT AND HIT AN ENERGIZED ELECTRIC CABLE. HALLEN CONSTRUCTION MECHANIC LEWIS WAS HOSPITALIZED DUE TO THE INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE US DOT, NYS PSC & NYC DEP WERE NOTIFIED. THE PSC INQUIRED ABOUT THIS INCIDENT AND OSHA AND THE PSC RESPONDED TO THE LOCATION.