MARCH 18, 2015
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)
Two companies have agreed to pay New Jersey a total of $1.6
million and implement safety procedures for problems found in an investigation
of an explosion that leveled a neighborhood, killing one person and injuring
seven.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities announced the
settlement Wednesday, calling it the largest penalty of its kind in the board's
history.
Pipeline company Henkels & McCoy, based in Blue Bell,
Pennsylvania, will pay $600,000.
Utility company PSE&G, a subsidiary of Newark-based
PSEG, will pay $725,000 for issues related to the explosion. PSE&G also
will pay another $275,000 for alleged violations of the Underground Facilities
Protection Act that were not linked to the March 2014 explosion in Ewing
Township.
Both companies also agreed to new safety measures including
increasing training and simulations of pipeline issues and improving call
center and dispatch operations. It is
about time! Most of the contractors that
PSE&G uses are the lowest cost providers, meaning that they skimp on many safety
training and experience and pre-excavation precautions so that they make a profit. Here, these people used emergency marking procedures to minimize the cost and that way they missed the pipeline and end-up breaking it.
After the explosion, West Trenton Chief Ralph Brandmaier
told The Times of Trenton that utility workers did not tell emergency officials
natural gas was leaking during the hour from the time the leak began until the
explosion, which damaged 55 townhomes and leveled 10 of them. This is typical of PSE&G workers, always
covering their behind, covering the true condition of their infrastructures,
and so on. Lots of them are union
workers, meaning that they believe they are protected no matter what.
The state settlement doesn't prevent private parties, such
as homeowners, from suing the companies.
The family of Linda Cerritelli, the 62-year-old woman who
died in the blast northeast of Trenton, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit
against both companies.
Seven utility workers who were in the area were also
injured.
The BPU conducted a "detailed and comprehensive investigation" of the explosion and identified specific concerns for the actions taken by the utility workers.
According to the BPU orders filed today, a Henkels & McCoy foreman notified Cerritelli of the gas leak soon after the line was struck and "verified that the resident's gas service was still on."
At 12:30 p.m. -- 20 minutes before the explosion -- a PSE&G technician spoke with Cerritelli again. The documents do not detail the extent of Cerritelli's conversations with the workers, but the BPU specifically fined PSE&G for not "protecting persons first, then property."
Henkels & McCoy was cited for using emergency markout procedures when no emergency existed, issues related to the way workers located and hand-dug near the gas line and for not seeking police and fire assistance during the emergency.
The BPU fined PSE&G for failing to comply with its own policies for emergencies and leaks, not seeking police or fire assistance and not "expeditiously terminating the flow of gas."
As part of the BPU order, Henkels & McCoy will increase training and simulations, documentation and cooperation with emergency public safety officials.
PSE&G was ordered to enhance call center and dispatch operations, conduct additional training and drills, introduce first responder tracking and reinforce procedures and standards.
Source: http://www.philly.com