CCPS TRANSPORTATION, LLC

Incident Narrative

ON DECEMBER 14, AT APPROXIMATELY 08:30, THE LOCAL MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN FOR PERSHING STATION (AN UNMANNED STATION) DISCOVERED OIL ON THE GROUND NEAR THE SUMP PUMP. INITIAL OBSERVATIONS AT THE TIME INDICATED THAT A SECTION OF THE FLEX HOSE ON THE DISCHARGE SIDE OF THE PUMP HAD FAILED. ON TUESDAY DECEMBER 11, THE HIGH-HIGH LEVEL SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE SUMP TANK WAS FILLED TO TEST THE NEWLY REPLACED SWITCH. THE TECHNICIAN WORKED WITH THE ECC TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SWITCH WAS WORKING PROPERLY, WHICH INCLUDED OBSERVATION OF THE TANK BEING ABLE TO EMPTY BACK INTO THE MAINLINE. THE SUMP LEVEL WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 40' WHEN THE TECHNICIAN LEFT THE PERSHING STATION AND INFORMED THE ECC TO NOTIFY HIM IF THE PUMP DID NOT SHUT OFF WITHIN THE HOUR. THE TECHNICIAN DID NOT RECEIVE A CALL FROM THE ECC. IT IS THOUGHT THAT THE FLEXIBLE HOSE FAILED AS THE SUMP PUMP WAS PUMPING THE TANK FROM THE 40' TO 16' LEVEL. THE FAILED PORTION OF PIPE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE CONTAMINATED SOIL HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE LEAK SITE. THE CAUSE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION AND WILL BE DETERMINED WHEN THE FAILURE ANALYSIS FROM THE METALLURGICAL LAB IS COMPLETED. UPDATE MARCH 13, 2013 THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF CONTAMINATED SOIL REMOVED FROM THE LEAK SITE WAS APPROXIMATELY 307 CUBIC YARDS. ALL REPAIRS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND THE SUMP SYSTEM HAS BEEN PLACED IN SERVICE. THE FAILED FLEX HOSE WAS SENT TO A METALLURGICAL LAB FOR EXAMINATION. THE RESULTS OF THAT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE TO BE FATIGUE CRACKING. THIS EXAMINATION WAS CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE FAILURE ANALYSIS, WHICH CONCLUDED THAT IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE HOSE WAS THE MAIN CONTRIBUTORY CAUSE OF THE FAILURE.