Ensuring Natural Gas Safety

When used in properly maintained equipment, natural gas is an extremely safe fuel for all home and industrial uses.

Transported over a network of more than 2 million miles of pipeline, natural gas leaks and related accidents are extremely rare.

Natural gas is inherently safer than other fossil fuels like oil or gasoline because it is non-toxic and lighter than air, and therefore it quickly dissipates when released. Natural gas is very difficult to ignite, requiring just the right mixture of gas and oxygen.

The natural gas industry and appliance manufacturers utilize the following measures to ensure safety:

• Gas odorant – To ensure that gas leaks are easily detected, natural gas distribution companies inject a harmless odorant into natural gas to make it smell like rotten eggs.
• Off means off – When you use a gas stove, off means off. Once you shut off the gas flame the burner cools quickly, unlike electric stoves which remain red hot even after the burner is shut off.
• Shut off valves – Most recently manufactured gas appliances have easy to use valves that shut off the gas flow to the appliance when it is being moved or serviced.
• Pipeline markers – Natural gas pipelines and gas mains locations are clearly identified with markers at road crossings and other high use areas.
• Pipeline maintenance – Natural gas pipelines are carefully maintained to ensure safety
• Right of way inspection – Natural gas pipeline right of ways are visually inspected to prevent encroachment by buildings and activity that might cause pipeline damage.
• Pipeline location service – Natural gas utilities provide free pipeline location service for residents and businesses that must dig on their property.

What to do if you smell gas

Natural gas has an odor similar to rotten eggs so that even the smallest leaks can be detected. Follow these steps if you smell gas at your home or business:

• Do not turn on any lights or use the telephone.
• Ensure everyone leaves the home/building immediately . Use a telephone away from the building to call Citizens Gas at 924-3311.

Call Before You Dig

If you're planning to dig a hole, tear down a building or engage in any other earth moving activity, please call 811, at least two full days before you dig. We'll show you or your contractor where the gas lines are located and help you avoid any problems. Cutting a buried utility line can be dangerous, costly, and inconvenient. So, don't dig blind, give us a call.

External Link:
Indiana Underground Plant Protection Service Website

Home Heating Safety

Citizens Gas urges all customers to have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on all levels of their home and establish a home evacuation plan, which they practice with their family. The utility also recommends that every home have at least one dual sensor smoke alarm, which include both ionization and photoelectric technology to detect both fast-moving and slow smoldering fires. More information about smoke alarms is available from the U.S. Fire Administration.

Space Heater Safety
Citizens Gas does not recommend the use of space heaters. However, if you choose to use a space heater, please be safe.

• Fires and explosions can be caused by flammable fuels or defective wiring.
• Read and follow the manufacturers' operating instructions.
• Use space heaters that are tested and labeled by a nationally recognized testing lab.
• Keep space heaters away from combustible products to avoid fire.
• Indoor air pollution could be caused by improper venting or incomplete combustion.
• Carbon monoxide poisoning is caused by improper venting of fuel burning space heaters.
• Space heaters should have a guard around the flame or coil area to protect children and pets.
• Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
• Do not use space heaters overnight in bedrooms or any room where you may sleep.

Please call 924-3311 for a complete copy of the recommendations and warnings published by the Consumer Product Safety Commission's publication.

If you are currently without heat and cannot afford to have your gas service reconnected, please call 924-3311. Help may be available.

Carbon Monoxide Safety

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas produced when fuels such as gasoline, fuel oil, propane, kerosene, natural gas, coal and wood do not have an adequate oxygen supply to burn completely. The most common sources are automobiles, and furnaces and boilers that haven't been properly maintained. An estimated 10,000 people are treated annually nationwide for carbon monoxide poisoning - the most common cause being vehicle fumes. Click on the link in Citizens Spotlight to find out more about carbon monoxide and how you can protect your family.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

• Flu-like symptoms: nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, vomiting, confusion.
• In many cases, victims are aware they are not well, but become too disoriented to save themselves.
• Particularly vulnerable are pregnant women. Also: small children, senior citizens and people with heart or respiratory problems.

Safety tips

• Have professional annual inspections and cleanings of heating systems, vents, flues and chimneys.
• Occasionally conduct your own visual inspections. Look for improper connections, rust, stains or water build up.
• Never leave a car running in a garage.
• Never use gas or charcoal grills in an enclosed area.
• Install carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home, especially near bedrooms. Alarms should meet requirements of the International Approval Services Standard. Alarms can be recognized by the blue star, AGA (American Gas Association) design on the package.
• If you suspect carbon monoxide, get fresh air and call 911.

Natural Gas Appliance Safety

To ensure safety and efficiency, have your furnace, water heater and other natural gas appliances inspected by a licensed technician once a year. Also, do not store flammable liquids, paint or other flammable materials near a furnace, stove or water heater. Keep the lint trap on your gas dryer clean and the exhaust hose clear.

Hot Water Safety
Natural gas water heaters are a fast, efficient way to heat the water in your home. But with any water heater, parents should exercise caution when using hot water around small children, especially in the bath tub.

Tips for hot water safety in the bathtub

• To avoid scalding hot water in the bathtub and sinks, keep your water heater set at a maximum of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live in an apartment building, ask your landlord or property manager to check the building's water heater. (It's also a great way to conserve energy.)
• Fill the bathtub by first turning on the cold water, then add hot water. When the tub is almost filled, turn off the hot water. Then, turn off the cold water.
• Before you place your child in the tub, put your hand all the way in the water. Spread your fingers. Move your hand back and forth throughout the length of the tub to check for hot spots
• Always stay with the child. Don't answer the phone or door. If you must leave the bathroom, take your child with you.
• Remember, never leave your child alone in the tub or even with other children. It literally can take just a second for small children to turn on the hot water and burn themselves.

Gas Meter Safety

Federal regulations require that your natural gas provider inform you of safety recommendations for customer-owned buried natural gas piping.Buried customer-owned gas piping is piping on the customer’s side of the gas meter that travels underground prior to entering your residence or supplying your equipment with natural gas. If your customer-owned piping has a portion that is buried, it may require special maintenance and inspection programs.

DO YOU HAVE BURIED CUSTOMER-OWNED GAS PIPING? If the piping on your side of the gas meter does not travel be-low ground, as shown in FIGURE 1, you probably DO NOT have buried gas piping requiring special maintenance and inspection programs. This will be true in most cases. If the piping on your side of the gas meter does travel below ground, as shown in FIGURE 2, you probably DO have buried gas piping requiring special maintenance and inspection programs.

For those of you that DO have buried customer-owned gas piping, as shown in FIGURE 2, please READ the IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION below. If you are not sure whether your customer-owned piping is buried, or if you have questions or comments regarding this matter, please contact us at 927-4650.

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION
In order to assure the reliability and safety of your gas service, it is essential that your buried gas pipelines be inspected and maintained in accordance with gas industry standards. Buried gas piping not properly maintained may be subject to the potential hazards of corrosion and leakage.

Gas industry standards recommend that buried gas pipelines be:

• Periodically inspected for corrosion if the pipe is metallic
• Periodically inspected for leaks
• Repaired if an unsafe condition is discovered
• Located prior to any excavations in the area. Call IUPPS toll-free: 811
• Excavated using hand tools.

Plumbers and heating contractors may be contacted to assist you in locating, inspecting and repairing your gas pipelines. Please note that maintenance, inspection and repair of customer-owned service lines is the responsibility of the customer. Citizens Gas does not maintain these service lines. If you have questions or comments regarding this matter, please contact us at 927-4650.

Pipeline Safety

Pipeline integrity management is a process for assessing and mitigating pipeline risks in order to reduce both the likelihood and consequences of incidents. The Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 is federal legislation that addresses risk analysis and integrity management programs for pipeline operators and directs the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to adopt regulations on integrity management. DOT finalized these regulations in 2004. Natural gas transmission pipeline operators are required to have written programs in place by December, 2004, and to complete baseline assessments of pipe in high consequence areas by 2012.

Citizens Gas & Coke Utility has implemented an integrity management program for pipelines in its high consequence areas according to the DOT regulations. It is a systematic, comprehensive process designed to provide information to effectively allocate resources for appropriate prevention, detection and mitigation activities. The program builds on an existing foundation of pipeline safety regulations covering design, construction, testing, operation and maintenance that has been in place for many years.

These are the basic steps in the integrity management process.

• High consequence area (HCA) identification - Locations along the pipeline system meeting the criteria for High Consequence Areas are identified. Generally, these are high population density areas, difficult to evacuate facilities (such as hospitals or schools), and locations where people congregate (such as churches, office buildings, or ball fields).
• Threat identification and risk assessment - Information about the pipeline segments is evaluated to identify threats to the pipe and assess risk.
• Baseline assessment plan- A schedule for performing pipe integrity assessments over the 10-year baseline period is developed. Risk assessment results are used to prioritize the projects. The method of integrity assessment is also selected for each segment and becomes part of the plan along with the schedule. More than one method may be required depending on the threats identified.
• Integrity assessment - The pipe segments are assessed according to the schedule and methods identified in the Baseline Assessment Plan. There are three primary assessment methods:
  • Inline inspection - an inspection tool (often called a "smart pig") is run internally through the pipeline to evaluate the pipe condition.
  • Pressure test - the pipe is pressured above its normal operating limit to test the strength of the pipe. Water is usually used to pressure the pipe during the test.
  • Direct Assessment - a structured, multi-step evaluation is conducted to identify potential problem areas. Pipe at these locations is excavated and examined.
• Remediation - Potential integrity concerns identified during the integrity assessment are evaluated and actions are taken to eliminate the problems.
• Preventive and mitigative measures - Along with performing the integrity assessments on pipe segments, the process calls for implementing additional measures to prevent or mitigate problems before they occur.
• Continual evaluation and assessment - A continuing plan to evaluate the integrity of the pipeline after completing the baseline assessment is also part of the process. The ongoing plan includes reviewing updated information about the pipe, analyzing risk, and performing reassessments at regular intervals.

Safe and reliable delivery of natural gas is Citizens Gas & Coke Utility's primary concern. The integrity management program is an important part of our efforts toward achieving that goal.