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Safety & Training
Springfield Gas System acknowledges the importance of public safety. In doing so we have made extensive efforts to build relationships with fire departments and emergency management whom service our area. Fire personnel are typically first on the scene as first responders. Our goal is always to foremost protect life and property first. Our staff has been trained under the National Incident Management System. Our response plan for any type of incident is provided to all first and emergency responders.
Interstate natural gas pipelines are America's safest transportation networks. We have achieved this safety record through the diligent efforts of the gas pipeline industry working closely with state and federal agencies, and the public. Natural gas is flammable. If its release is not controlled, it could result in a fire or an explosion. As an industry, our goal is to improve public safety by continuing to improve our safety record. You can help. How? Simply follow these steps:
- Be Aware of Pipelines in Your Area.
- Call Before You Dig.
- Report Unusual Conditions.
- Know What Steps to Take in an Emergency.
Occasionally a plow, post-hole digger or other excavation equipment strikes a pipeline. While the impact may not seem significant, damage to the pipe and coating creates a concentration of stress and corrosion on that part of the pipeline. The company will inspect the damage and make any necessary repairs or maintenance.
The washout of soil on the pipeline right-of-way, or along river and stream banks can expose a pipeline to damage from machinery or the elements. The company will take action to protect the pipeline.
There are several signs that can indicate a leak is present. These include distressed or dead vegetation in a pipeline or right-of-way that can be caused by a small leak in a gas pipeline, or a hissing sound or odor of gas in the pipeline right-of-way. If you see, hear or smell any of these signs, please notify the Springfield Gas Department and we will investigate the situation.
Natural gas is odorized to give it a distinctive odor as a means of early gas leak detection. Workers in the natural gas industry add odorants and maintain an odorant level in the gas to make it detectable if there is a gas leak. The Springfield Gas Department has "Scratch and Sniff" cards at the office to help you become familiar with this distinctive odor.
Because natural gas pipelines are underground, the public often is unaware of their presence. Pipelines may be in your neighborhood, or even on your property. How do you know?
One of the easiest ways to locate a pipeline is to recognize pipeline markers. The Springfield Gas Department paints these markers with high-visibility yellow, and installs the markers at road crossings, railroads and other points along the pipeline right-of-way. The markers identify the pipeline company and include telephone numbers to call to reach a company representative.
You can be an important addition to a pipeline company's safety program by being alert to conditions or situations that could threaten the integrity of pipelines in your neighborhood.