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| Responding to Natural Gas Pipeline Leaks |
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| The greatest risk to natural gas pipelines is accidental damage during excavation. Protect yourself, your crew, and the public by learning what to do if you contact a natural gas pipeline or suspect a gas leak on your job site. |
Order our FREE worker safety training kit on the NW Natural
e-SMARTworkers website.
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| If You Contact a Gas Pipeline or You Suspect a Leak |
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Warn others and leave the area immediately. |
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Do not use matches or lighters, start an engine, or operate any electrical device—even a phone. Any tiny spark could ignite leaking gas. |
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Do NOT attempt to stop the flow of gas or fix the pipeline. Leave the excavation open. |
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When you are at least 100 feet away, report the incident: |
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Call 911 immediately if you suspect a gas leak. Federal code requires this. |
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Call NW Natural at 800-882-3377 if you suspect a gas leak or contact a pipeline, even if damage is not apparent. |
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Stay far away from the area until safety officials say it is safe to return. |
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Report the incident to your supervisor. |
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There’s No Such Thing as Minor Damage
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Even a slight gouge, scrape, or dent to a pipeline or its coating may cause a break or leak in the future. Damage to the wire attached to or running alongside the pipe may make the pipe difficult to locate. Report ALL gas line contacts to NW Natural at 800-882-3377 so crews can inspect the line and make the necessary repairs.
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| Would You Like to Know More? |
| Additional utility safety tips, case studies, instructional videos, and training tools can all be found, at no charge to you, on NW Natural's e-SMARTworkers website. |
| Free Online Excavation Safety Training |
| Now being offered — Excavation Safety 101 |
| This online course will strengthen your understanding of common safety issues as well
as educate you on laws and best practices for safe excavation. The course is designed
to take a minimum of 60 minutes to complete, although there is no maximum time limit.
Successful completion of Excavation Safety 101 with a 100% grade will earn you a
certificate, proving that you've completed the course and giving you a way to earn
continuing education credits. |
| The course is available to anyone. Simply create an account,
enroll in the course, and complete the material at your own pace. |
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| Please help us improve our safety tips to meet your training needs. Take our two-minute survey. |
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