ENERGY TRANSFER COMPANY

Incident Narrative

"ON 9-28-18, A PIPELINE OPERATOR HEARD A LEAK FROM A DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE GAUGE AT APPROXIMATELY 7:15 AM, HE THEN PROCEEDED TO ISOLATE THE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT BY CLOSING THE SUPPLY VALVES. THE PIPELINE OPERATOR THEN NOTIFIED AN I&E TECHNICIAN WHO THEN ARRIVED ON SITE TO TROUBLESHOOT THE DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE GAUGE. AT APPROXIMATELY 7:45 AM, THE I&E TECHNICIAN OPENED THE SUPPLY SENSING NEEDLE VALVES TO THE DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE GAUGE ABOUT ONE TURN TO LISTEN FOR LEAKING GAS. AS HE WAS CLOSING THE NEEDLE VALVES, THE GAUGE COVER RUPTURED STRIKING THE EMPLOYEE IN THE ARM. THE RESULTING INJURY WAS A LACERATION ON THE EMPLOYEES LEFT ARM JUST BELOW THE ELBOW. THE EMPLOYEE WAS RUSHED INTO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND ADMITTED OVERNIGHT. HE RECEIVED STITCHES TO THE LACERATION BUT DID NOT HAVE ANY BROKEN BONES OR ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT INJURIES. THE ROOT CAUSE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE TUBING TO THE HI PORT ON THE BACK OF THE DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE GAUGE. THE DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE GAUGE AND THE HOUSING ASSEMBLY CAME DIRECTLY FROM THE MANUFACTURER ALREADY MOUNTED ON THE DISCHARGE FILTER VESSEL. ETC DID NOT ASSEMBLE THE COMPONENTS. THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE TX RRC AS INTRASTATE. THIS INCIDENT WAS TELEPHONICALLY REPORTED TO THE TX RRC ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2018 A 48 HR. NRC UPDATE WAS MADE ON OCTOBER 1, 2018 AT 08:50 HRS. INCIDENT REPORT # 1226171"