Published: September 29, 2008 10:23 pm         

What if?

Lawmakers, governing bodies must ensure that’s not asked again

What if the junior technician had been trained to recognize a problem with the valve?

What if the propane tank had been placed at least 10 feet from the building?

What if emergency responders had advised evacuation sooner?

According to the United States Chemical Safety Board’s final report on the explosion of the Ghent Little General Store, all three of those factors had an impact on the tragedy that claimed four lives and critically injured five others Jan. 30, 2007.

But the hypotheticals of that day aren’t nearly as important as making sure we never have to ask those questions again.

Last Thursday, the CSB went beyond pointing out what went wrong that grievous morning; it recommended what West Virginia lawmakers and other governing bodies need to do to prevent anything similar from taking place. Among those recommendations:

- Require training in dispensing and delivery, installation and service, and bulk plant operation for all propane service technicians. (A job for lawmakers.)

- Require hazardous materials response refresher training for all employees. (A job for the West Virginia Fire Commission and Office of Emergency Medical Services.)

- Develop a guide card to help 911 operators deal with propane-related emergencies. (A job for the West Virginia E-911 Council and the National Propane Gas Association.)

- Test propane service technicians on specified competencies. (A job for the National Fire Protection Association.)

- Revise training programs to include emergency response guidance for technicians. (A job for the Propane Education and Research Council.)

- Either provide specific procedures from tank-to-tank liquid transfer or prohibit it. (A job for the Propane Education and Research Council.)

- Establish a comprehensive safety management system. (A job for Ferrellgas.)

Now that we know what needs to be done, there’s no reason those changes shouldn’t be implemented as soon as possible. Legislators should make it a priority. They should also communicate openly with agencies like the West Virginia Fire Commission, the Office of Emergency Medical Services and the E-911 Council to make sure there are no loopholes within these imperative safety measures.

John Bresland, chairman and CEO of the CSB, described the explosion as “a tragic and preventable loss of life.”

What if he had to repeat those words in the wake of another West Virginia propane disaster?