Washington, DC�US Transportation Sec. Rodney Slater said Friday that pipeline accidents have dropped 5% since June 30, 1999.
Slater credited some of the reduction to the year-old �Dig Safely� program by the Office of Pipeline Safety.
He said, �One of the challenges we face during our nation�s strong economy is the threat of damage to pipelines with the increase in construction of homes, factories, and businesses. This campaign helps to ensure that pipelines are protected during excavation.�
Under the program, companies provide information about the location of their pipelines to state one-call centers, which provide the data to excavators.
OPS said outside force damage is the leading cause of pipeline failures, accounting for half of the accidents resulting in fatalities. It said, since last June, outside force damage has decreased 20%.