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#1 Posted : 25 June 2009 19:08:00(UTC)
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Posted By brodie22
If one of my sub-contractors puntures a live gas mains, is this reportable to the HSE under RIDDOR?

The leak was fixed by the gas board within the hour and there were no injuries.

I have been told that it is NOT reportable ( the gas board seemed to think not) and also that it is, so a bit confused.!!!

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#2 Posted : 26 June 2009 07:10:00(UTC)
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Posted By Gus
Brodie

Take a look at

http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/guidance.htm

I my opinion its not a reportable gas incident, which would explain the 'gas board' response . But it may be reportable as a dangerous occurrence( near miss)as an "accidental release of any substance which may damage health." though I personally doubt it.

I would take advice from the HSE reporting centre

On a wider front you need to investigate and implement a dig policy/ permit etc... to prevent re-occurence - you were lucky this time!!

Gus
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#3 Posted : 26 June 2009 10:33:00(UTC)
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Posted By Fred Pratley
RIDDOR Schedule 2 Part 1 may apply -21 "escape of substances" - Accidental or uncontrolled release of a sufficient quantity to cause death etc etc- Depends on how quickly the supply was shut off?

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#4 Posted : 26 June 2009 11:34:00(UTC)
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Posted By paulw71
Escape of flammable substances (including gas) of 500kg into the open air or 10 kg in a building is reportable.
How you gonna measure it though.
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#5 Posted : 26 June 2009 11:41:00(UTC)
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Posted By Flic
Well - 16 grams of methane occupies 24 litres at room temperature and pressure.

So 500kg occupies - 500 x 1000/16 times 24, which is 750 000 litres, or 750 cubic metres.

It seems pretty unlikely that a quantity of that magnitude was released

Flic
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#6 Posted : 26 June 2009 11:43:00(UTC)
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Posted By paulw71
very clever flic

but that doesnt explain how your gonna measure the amount that leaked into the open air.
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#7 Posted : 26 June 2009 11:47:00(UTC)
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Posted By Flic
You don't. The Gas board can, if they wish, estimate the loss from the diameter of the pipe, the size of the hole in it, the pressure in the pipe and the time, and compare the result with 750 cubic metres.

Flic.
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#8 Posted : 26 June 2009 12:01:00(UTC)
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Posted By paulw71
bet your a big hit at parties
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#9 Posted : 26 June 2009 12:04:00(UTC)
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Posted By Flic
Not sure that is relevant Paul. Sometimes it can be helpful to have someone around who can give a first estimate of whether something can explode, whether it can kill you, whether it is dangerous, etc. It's only GCSE level science in this instance.

Flic
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#10 Posted : 26 June 2009 12:24:00(UTC)
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Posted By paulw71
Yes, well the day we did how to measure gas at school I was off sick with a cold and my freind who was supposed to bring the sheet home with the work on took it home and his dog ate it.
Its wrong to make people feel small just beacause they where ill for a week 18 years ago.
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