Sec.16-16-2. Types of accidents

(a) Major accidents. The following types of accidents are considered major accidents:

(1) Any fatality which was or may have been connected with or due to a utility's operation, property or facility, except vehicular accidents that would be considered minor accidents pursuant to subsection (b)(3) of this section;

(2) A shutdown of a water treatment facility which supplies water to 50 or more customers, for any period of time, for any reason other than routine maintenance;

(3) Any injury which was or may have been connected with or due to electrical contacts with a utility's property or facility, requiring in-patient hospitalization of any person;

(4) Any accident or injury which was or may have been connected with or due to a utility's storage or handling of hazardous chemicals, as defined in 40 CFR 262.102, which requires in-patient hospitalization of any person or presents a threat to public health and safety;

(5) Any water main break which impacts 50 or more customers, or interrupts service for more than four hours, or affects any critical customers identified in the affected water company's emergency plan, such as hospitals and public buildings;

(6) Any event that results in an emergency shutdown of a liquefied natural gas facility;

(7) Any release of gas or liquefied natural gas from a utility's pipeline or other facility that causes injury to any person requiring in-patient hospitalization or property damage, including cost of total gas loss, of $50,000 or more;

(8) Any structure fires or other cases of damage to a utility's facility or customer equipment where the public might have been exposed to primary voltage;

(9) Any explosions, major fires or other cases of serious damage at any utility facility, including pipelines, manholes, vaults and water tanks;

(10) Any situations where energized downed wires trap members of the public in vehicles; and

(11) Any accident that is significant, in the judgment of the utility, even if the accident does not meet the criteria of subdivisions (1) to (10), inclusive, of this subsection.

(b) Minor accidents. The following types of accidents are considered minor accidents:

(1) Any structure fires or other cases of damage to a utility's facility or customer equipment, which were or may have been connected with or due to a utility's operation or equipment, where the public was not exposed to primary voltage;

(2) Any accidents to employees or to members of the public which were or may have been connected with or due to a utility's operation, property or facility, including traffic accidents, resulting in property damage of $50,000 or more, or in personal injury, whether or not hospitalization is required, that are not considered a major accident pursuant to subsection (a) of this section; and

(3) Any fatalities associated with any vehicular accident involving a utility's poles or other facilities but not involving the utility's employees or operation.

(Adopted effective July 7, 2010)