State Representative Matt Lesser, who represents Durham, Middlefield, and Middletown in the Connecticut General Assembly, applauded the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for issuing a new nationwide standard banning the use of flammable gases for purging piping systems.
The standard is a direct result of the 2010 disaster at the Kleen Energy Power Plant in Middletown that killed six workers and injured nearly 50 others.
"We took the lead in Connecticut in banning this inherently unsafe practice. Now the rest of the country is following,” said Lesser, who sits on the legislature’s Energy and Technology Committee. “I'm gratified that the NFPA is taking action so that we will never have a repeat of that horrific day."
Earlier this year, Lesser sponsored legislation that improves power plant safety by banning the use of flammable gases to conduct “gas blows” at power plants. Gas blows, which use highly pressurized natural gas to clean pipes of debris, were found to have caused the Kleen Energy explosion. The new law sets a fine of up to $100,000 and up to two years in prison for violations.
The 2012 edition of NFPA's Standard for Fire and Explosion Prevention During Cleaning and Purging of Flammable Gas Piping Systems applies to fire and explosion prevention during cleaning and purging activities for new and existing flammable gas piping found in electric-generating plant, industrial, institutional and commercial applications. Among other provisions, the standard prohibits the use of flammable gas for internal cleaning of piping systems and requires the development of written safety procedures.
