NORTHERN INDIANA PUBLIC SERVICE CO

gas_distribution Incident — CHESTERTON, IN

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorNORTHERN INDIANA PUBLIC SERVICE CO
Commodity—
Pipeline Typegas_distribution

Location

CityCHESTERTON
StateIN
CountyPORTER
Coordinates41.60902, -87.05628

Cause

CauseINCORRECT OPERATION
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries1

Costs

Property Damage
Lost Commodity
Public/Private Damage
Emergency Response
Environmental Remediation
Other Costs

Location Map

Incident Narrative

THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS OF THE SERVICE TEE, WHICH WAS INSTALLED IN 1928, WERE NOT PRESENT. WHEN THE CAP ON THE TEE WAS REMOVED TO ACCESS THE COMPONENTS THAT WOULD SHUT OFF THE FLOW OF GAS TO THE SERVICE, THE GAS ESCAPED UNEXPECTEDLY AND CUT THE EMPLOYEES LEATHER-GLOVED HAND. THE EMPLOYEE RECEIVED A SMALL LACERATION, BUT WAS CONCERNED IT MAY HAVE HAD GAS BLOWN INTO THE LACERATION UNDER THE SKIN. PER OUR PROCEDURES, THE EMPLOYEE WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM TO HAVE THE INJURY LOOKED AT. THERE WAS NO DOCTOR PRESENT, SO HE WAS ADMITTED BASED ON THE ADMITTING NURSES RECOMMENDATION. THE EMPLOYEE RECEIVED BASIC FIRST AID, BUT WAS NOT SEEN BY A DOCTOR FOR 33HRS. UPON SEEING THE PHYSICIAN, IT WAS INDICATED THERE WAS NO EXPOSURE AND THAT THE EMPLOYEE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED. THE EMPLOYEE WAS RELEASED AND RETURNED TO WORK THE FOLLOWING DAY. THIS IS THE FINAL REPORT.

About This Pipeline Incident

Pipeline incident data is reported to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). All significant incidents involving fatalities, injuries, or property damage over $50,000 must be reported.

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