Natural Gas utility companies and those within the industry, including Blue Flame Alliance continue to do their part to maintain safety as a top priority at every step of the distribution process. In this post, we’ll share our Resource Guide as to what residential and commercial consumers can do to enjoy the benefits of natural gas safely in their homes and businesses.
America’s natural gas pipeline and infrastructure is the safest energy distribution and transmission system in the country – and the natural gas industry spends $22B every year to make it even safer. In fact, over the past three decades, U.S. Department of Transportation data has shown a reduction in pipeline incidents of almost 50%.
Smell Gas? Don’t Wait to Spring into Action
Natural gas utilities odorize natural gas with Mercaptan to give it its distinctive “rotten egg” smell. Even in small quantities, this easily recognizable scent makes it easy to detect a gas leak. In the event of a leak, take action immediately:
- Leave the building/area immediately and alert others to do the same
- Do not use your telephone in the vicinity of the leak but do call 911 or contact your natural gas utility when at a safe distance
- Avoid any action that could create a spark and lead to an explosion: do not like a match/lighter, do not turn on/off appliances or lights, do not start a car, do not use a flashlight
- Once a utility employee or emergency responder is on site, follow their instructions
Do not wait to report the leak or try to resolve the leak on your own. Always leave leak repair to your natural gas utility.
Cooking Safety Tips
9 out of 10 professional chefs prefer cooking with gas and homeowners who wish to cook like a pro at home do, too!
If you’re new to using a natural gas stovetop, be sure to follow these important safety reminders:
- Natural gas provides instant heat that’s incredibly efficient – always start out with a lower heat setting than your recipe asks for and then slowly turn it up if need be
- Always turn off any burner that does not have a pot or pan covering the flame – leaving a burner on uncovered is a potential fire hazard
- Clean any spills from your burner once your stovetop has fully cooled – food debris can catch alight if left on your burner
Visit CookingWithGas.org for more natural gas cooking tips, tricks and safety pointers.
Call Before You Dig
For your safety and the safety of others in your neighborhood, be sure to check the location of your underground utilities and mark them before starting any outdoor project that requires digging around your house.
No matter where you live in the country, you can call 811, the national call-before-you-dig number, to submit a request for underground utility location assistance. For more information, visit the 811 center homepage.
Check-in with Your Utility
Natural gas utilities work hard to keep their customers and communities safe. Visit your local utility’s website or contact customer service to get more natural gas safety tips and resource guide.