On 24th June 2014, National Grid Gas was supervising repairs to a gas mains when a worker was trapped between two pipes after one of them burst, breaking his leg. He was part of a team trying to repair a reported leak on Ashby Road, Scunthorpe, when the pressure behind the escaping gas increased and ruptured the pipeline.
The fire service worked for an hour to rescue the trapped engineer with almost zero visibility as the escaping gas created a cloud of dust and debris around the excavation. That the worker was wearing breathing apparatus was later considered a crucial factor in his survival.
It took three hours to get the gas under control and pipe repaired.
Sheffield Crown Court was told that the failings of National Grid Gas included not complying with its own gas escape procedures, not carrying out sufficient risk assessments, not communicating effectively with the contractors carrying out the work and not managing the handover of key personnel.
HSE inspector Ian Redshaw said: 鈥淭his incident could easily have become a fatality. National Grid Gas plc failed to follow its own processes and carry out sufficient risk assessments to protect workers and the subcontractors fixing the leak.
鈥淭his whole incident should act as a stark warning to all those involved in hazardous work 鈥� you can have all the written policies in place but it you do not follow them, if you do not carry out the risk assessments for the task, people could die.鈥�
Group manager Steve Fraser of Humberside Fire & Rescue Service recalled the incident and the difficulties the crews faced: 鈥淭he priority when we arrived was the injured man, and getting him out of immediate danger. The visibility was virtually zero due to air being dense with gas and dust, and the man had been working 10 feet below ground. The crews put themselves in a position which showed courage and bravery of the highest order. They were dealing with gas of an unknown quantity with potential for another explosion. They used pneumatic bags to prise the pipes apart and release his legs, all done in demanding circumstances.鈥�
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