Safety recommendations deemed acceptable five years after explosion

After issuing two safety recommendations to the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) following a January 2007 propane explosion at the Little General Store in Ghent, W.Va., the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) updated its recommendation status earlier this year to “closed-acceptable action.” The new designation reflects the CSB’s determination that the actions taken by PERC following the explosion meet the objectives envisioned by the board’s recommendations.

The recommendations, issued in September 2008, were aimed at improving training requirements for propane technicians, as well as emergency response actions by on-scene technicians and 911 operators. According to the CSB, the accident occurred as an inexperienced worker attempted to transfer propane from a tank located against an outside wall of the store. Four people were killed and six others were injured.

In a letter to PERC President and CEO Roy Willis, the CSB writes: “The board is pleased that PERC has completed its revision of the Certified Employee Training Program to include modules for tank-to-tank transfers of liquid propane and guidance for propane technicians confronted with a propane emergency.”