NEW JERSEY NATURAL GAS CO

Incident Narrative

THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE SITE OF A CORRODED SERVICE TEE. THIS SERVICE HAD BEEN CLASSIFIED AS A BARE STEEL SERVICE. NJNG HAS A PROGRAM TO COMPLY WITH STATE REGULATIONS WHERE BARE STEEL SERVICE IN A DEFINED AREA IS REPLACE IF 20% OR MORE OF BARE STEEL SERVICES ARE EXHIBITING LEAKS. DURING THIS REPLACEMENT WORK CONTRACTOR CREW DISCOVERED THE LEAK AND NOTIFIED THE GAS COMPANY. OUR COMPANY CREW ARRIVED ON SITE AND PROCEEDED TO REPAIR/RETIRE THE SERVICE TEE. DURING THE REPAIR PROCESS, THE CREW MECHANIC UTILIZED A TOOL TO REMOVE THE DAMAGED SERVICE TEE THAT IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN A GASEOUS ENVIRONMENT, THIS TOOL MAY HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF IGNITION. THE CREW MECHANIC WAS ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL WITH BURNS TO HIS ARMS. IN ITS INTERVIEWS WITH THE INJURED EMPLOYEE AND HIS CREW LEADER, NJNG HAS LEARNED THE RESPONDING EMPLOYEES FAILED TO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES FOR WEARING PROPER FIRE PROTECTION ATTIRE BEFORE ENTRY INTO A GASEOUS ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING FAILURE TO USE BREATHING APPARATUS. BOTH RESPONDING EMPLOYEES WERE FULLY TRAINED AND QUALIFIED IN CONFORMANCE WITH OUR OPERATOR QUALIFICATION ('OQ') PROGRAM AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. IN ADDITION, THE COMPANY PROVIDES SAFETY TRAINING BEYOND OQ INCLUDING FIRE SAFETY, BURN PREVENTION, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND RESPIRATORY PROTECTION AND FIT TESTING. POST-INCIDENT, NJNG'S MANAGER TRAINING & FIELD SUPPORT DISQUALIFIED BOTH RESPONDING EMPLOYEES FROM OQ TASK #39 ' REMOVE SERVICE TEE OR FITTING FROM STEEL AND CAST IRON MAINS. THEREFORE, THE RESPONDING EMPLOYEES WILL NOT PERFORM THESE TASKS UNTIL THEY ARE RETRAINED/REQUALIFIED.