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| Recognizing Natural Gas Leaks |
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| If you’re like most people, you’ve come to rely on your sense of smell to alert you to a natural gas leak. But a distinctive odor is not the only sign of a gas leak, especially on the job site. And in some cases, gas leaks don't smell at all. Learn why and how to use all your senses to detect leaking natural gas. |
| Order our FREE worker safety kit on the NW Natural e-SMARTworkers website. |
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| Don't Rely on Your Nose Alone |
| NW Natural adds the odorant mercaptan to natural gas to help people smell a gas leak. This gives gas its distinctive smell; many describe it as similar to sulfur or rotten eggs, but it may smell differently to you. However, sometimes this odor is not apparent. This may occur when a person has smelled the odor for too long, when the odor is masked by other smells, or if the odor is stripped from the gas through physical or chemical processes. Additionally, some natural gas is not odorized. |
| Look and Listen for Gas Leak Signs |
| Use your eyes and ears (not just your nose) to alert you to the presence of a gas leak. |
| LOOK FOR: |
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Dirt or water being thrown into the air from a hole in the ground |
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Continuous bubbling in water |
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Dead or dying vegetation (in an otherwise moist area) over or near a pipeline |
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An exposed pipeline after a fire, flood, earthquake, or other disaster |
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A damaged connection to a gas appliance |
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| LISTEN FOR: |
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A hissing, whistling, or roaring sound |
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| If You Suspect a Gas Leak… |
| Warn others and leave the area immediately. Do not use matches or lighters, start an engine, or operate any electrical device—even a phone. Do NOT attempt to stop the flow of gas or fix the pipeline; leave the excavation open. From a safe location, call 911 immediately, then call NW Natural, and report the leak to your supervisor. Stay far away from the area until safety officials say it is safe to return. |
| Would You Like to Know More? |
| Additional utility safety tips, case studies, instructional videos, and educational tools can all be found, at no charge to you, on NW Natural e-SMARTworkers website. |
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