Propane Gas Safety Tips

Awareness of Hazards: Damage to gas piping can cause a fire or explosion.

Prevention Measures Undertaken: propane gas companies are required by law to perform leakage tests on all jurisdictional main lines and service lines before activating them with natural gas or propane gas. Periodic leak surveys are also required as a method to locate and/or repair a leak before it becomes hazardous.

The propane pipelines we operate and maintain are mostly not visible to the public. The pipelines are buried below ground in our right-of-ways. The approximate locations of our pipelines are identified by pipeline markers that are placed within the right-of-way. In accordance with federal regulations, our pipelines are patrolled on a regular basis to inspect for any leakage, corrosion problems, encroachment, etc. 

Propane gas pipelines are identified by markers placed at intervals along pipeline right-of-ways. The markers display the name of the owner of the pipeline and display a 24 hour emergency telephone number. The markers are generally placed whenever needed to indicate the presence of a pipeline, such as where a pipeline easement intersects a highway, railroad, creek, or river crossing, and in heavily congested areas. The markers are used to show the approximate location of the pipeline.

Remember the three ways to recognize a natural gas or propane gas leak:

• SMELL: To help you SMELL a leak from a gas line or appliance, a familiar odor like rotten eggs is added to natural gas and propane gas.
• SEE: Near a gas leak, you might SEE blowing dirt, bubbling water, or an unusual area of dead vegetation.
• HEAR: A leaking pipeline might make a hissing sound you can HEAR.

Please note that natural gas transported by gathering pipelines may not be subject to fluid protection, may have varying levels of btu content, and does not have the odorant mercaptin added, although the gas may still have a distinct natural odor.

If you recognize even one of the above signs, walk away.

• Don’t try to stop or repair the leak yourself or use anything that might create a spark such as a cell phone.
• Avoid using potential ignition sources such as telephones, 
  doorbells, electric switches, or motor vehicles.
• From a safe distance, call 911. Never try to extinguish a gas fire or operate any pipeline valves. Then contact The Energy Cooperative immediately at 1-800-255-6815.

Do Not Rely on Your Sense of Smell Alone to Detect Propane

This notice is to provide members and contractors who work on propane piping, equipment, and appliances with additional safety information on natural gas and the potential for odor fade.

The Energy Cooperative odorizes the propane that is delivered to you. Even though a distinctive odor (smells like rotten eggs) is added to propane to assist in the detection of leaks, you should not rely solely on your sense of smell to determine if a gas leak exists or if propane is present. You may not be able to detect the odorant because of a weakened sense of smell or because the odorant is masked by other odors. Rare conditions, such as odor fade (loss of odorant), could occur which may cause the odor to diminish so that it is not detectable.

Loss of Odorant

Odor fade (loss of odorant) can occur when physical and/or chemical processes cause the level of odorant in the gas to be reduced. This can occur more often in installations of new gas pipe than in existing pipe. If a propane gas leak occurs underground, the surrounding soil may cause odor fade. Other factors that may cause odor fade include, but are not limited to,

• The construction and configuration of the member’s gas facilities
• The presence of rust, moisture, liquids, or other substances in the pipe
• Gas composition, pressure, and/or flow.

Intermittent, little, or no gas flow over an extended period of time may also result in the loss of odorant until gas flow increases or becomes more frequent.

Never purge the contents of a gas line into a confined space. Only a qualified professional should purge a gas line. Purging should be done in a well-ventilated area or by venting the contents to the outside atmosphere away from potential ignition sources. Gas detection equipment should always be used during purging operations or when working on gas piping systems to determine that no natural gas is present that may result in a combustible or hazardous atmosphere. Click here to learn more.

Be prepared. Practice safety drills for getting your family out of the house at night before an emergency occurs. Don’t turn lights on or off. 

• Don’t light matches or cigarette lighters.
• Don’t use a flashlight during the drill because an electric arc might ignite the gas.
• Don’t use the telephone or cell phone because an arc might ignite the gas.
• Plan what you’re going to do and move slowly and carefully.
• Practice the drill in the daylight first.

Before you break ground at any construction site or begin a project around your home, be sure you have taken the proper measures to achieve the highest level of safety possible. A simple phone call at least two days before starting the excavation work to the Ohio Utilities Protection Services (OUPS) will result in a representative locating buried facilities at your construction site or at your residence. This FREE service can help protect you from personal injury or property damage, and prevents interruption of your Energy Cooperative and other utility services.

• To contact the Ohio Utilities Protection Service, call 811, or 1-800-362-2764, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• In case of emergency call The Energy Cooperative at 1-800-255-6815.