COLUMBIA GAS OF OHIO INC

Incident Narrative

NARRATIVE FOR PART E-7: THE GAS CONTROLLER FIRST BECAME AWARE OF THE INCIDENT THROUGH A LOW PRESSURE ALARM UPSTREAM OF THE EVENT AT 16:12 HOURS. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT GAS CONTROL PERSONNEL WERE NOT A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN CAUSING OR CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCIDENT. AS A RESULT OF INITIAL PHONE COMMUNICATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT DISCOVERY FOR GAS CONTROL OCCURRED AFTER FIELD OPERATIONS PERSONNEL WERE AWARE AND RESPONDING. GAS CONTROL DOES NOT HAVE REMOTE CONTROL CAPABILITIES WITHIN THIS MARKET. NARRATIVE FOR PART H: IN THE PROCESS OF STOPPING OFF A DEAD END SECTION OF 8-INCH COATED STEEL HIGH PRESSURE PIPE AN UNEXCAVATED MECHANICAL COUPLING UPSTREAM OF THE WORK LOCATION PULLED APART. AS A RESULT OF THIS SEPARATION, TWO MEMBERS OF A CONTRACTOR CREW SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE MECHANICAL COUPLING WAS A SEAL ONLY DESIGN BUT HAD BEEN SECURED WITH STRAPS WELDED ACROSS THE JOINT THAT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE PIPE. THE COMPONENTS IN QUESTION WERE SENT TO LABORATORY FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS. THE INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE STRAPS FAILED DUE TO AN OVER LOAD CONDITION AS A RESULT COLUMBIA HAS IMPLEMENTED PROTOCOLS TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE THAT INCLUDE AND ARE NOT LIMITED TO AN INVESTIGATION WHEN EXCAVATING AND WORKING ON METALLIC PIPE THAT MIGHT INCLUDE UNRESTRAINED FITTINGS. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS INCIDENT REPORT FINAL.