SUNRAY UTILITIES SYSTEM

Incident Narrative

EMPLOYEE OPERATORS WERE REPAIRING A GRADE 3 LEAK LOCATED ON A 2 INCH NATURAL GAS STEEL LINE THAT WAS UNDER APPROXIMATELY 24 PSIG OF PRESSURE. THIS REPAIR WAS AN APPROXIMATE 8 FOOT SECTION WHERE POLYETHYLENE REPLACEMENT PIPE WAS BEING JOINED WITH COMPRESSION FITTINGS. THE LINE FLASH FIRED WHEN THE POLY PIPE WAS IN PLACE BUT NOT YET JOINED TO THE STEEL PIPE. WHEN THE FLASH FIRE OCCURRED THERE WERE THREE EMPLOYEE OPERATORS IN THE EXPOSED EXCAVATION THAT WERE BURNED. ALL THREE WORKERS WERE TRANSPORTED FOR INPATIENT HOSPITALIZATION TREATMENT AT A REGIONAL BURN CENTER VIA AIR AMBULANCES. THE TEXAS STATE FIRE MARSHALL AND REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE TEXAS RAILROAD COMMISSION WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION INDICATES THE POSSIBLE IGNITION SOURCE OF THE NATURAL GAS TO BE STATIC ELECTRICITY. MOVING FORWARD THE OPERATOR PLANS TO REDUCE THE RISKS OF THIS TYPE OF EVENT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE BY: 1) PURCHASING AND UTILIZING LINE STOPPING EQUIPMENT. 2) PURCHASING AND UTILIZING FIRE RESISTANT CLOTHING DURING REPAIRS. 3) HAVING A SAFETY OFFICER PRESENT AT GAS LINE REPAIRS TO ENSURE THE SCENE, OPERATIONS, AND PROCEDURES ARE BEING FOLLOWED IN AN EFFORT TO MITIGATE RISKS FOR BOTH WORKERS AND CUSTOMERS.