Digging around a gas line?

[John White]

We bought a couple of acres inl the country a couple of years ago and built a new house. We noticed of a evening when the air was heavy we could smell gas. We had to close our bed room window at night it got so bad. Complained to the gas co. and they didnt seem intersted or worried. Said there were old abandoned wells and old lines in the area and would get a gas smell. Called the EPA and of course they werent interested. Called the fire dept. and they wouldnt investigate. About 6 months ago we had alot of rain and high water. I could see the water bubbling and could smell gas over the bubble. I called the gas co and finally they come out. Dug down and found a old active gas line. Found it was leaking in several places. Question is, when they used the backhoe to dig it out they did'nt seem at worried about a explosion. If there was a spark, wouldnt it set it off. I talked to a neighbor and he said on his farm, in places it is leaking so bad that it has killed the vegitation. Gas co says it would cost more to replace the lines that what it costs in loss of gas. I guess the people around here wont press the issue because the gas co says it is a old line installed in the 30's and with complying with all the regulatlions now to replace it, that they would just shut the gas line down. Leaving people with no gas. Again how do you dig around a gas line that is leaking without a risk of fire?

 

[D5G]

Someone has to take it a little more seriously, IMO. You just can't have a line leaking in several places and not do anything. Is this a 'big' gas company, or a smaller company?

 

[John White]

Someone has to take it a little more seriously, IMO. You just can't have a line leaking in several places and not do anything. Is this a 'big' gas company, or a smaller company?

I would say it is a smaller gas co. I think it belongs to the "Energy co-op".

 

[alco]

One thing to keep in mind is that the gas has to be in the right concentration with oxygen to be a real explosive or flammable threat, so not just any spark will set it off. Now, that being said, no one should ever take for granted that the percentages are not right. Not to mention, natural gas is poisonous.

I'm always amazed at how unconcerned they seem to be about leaks and improperly buried lines.

 

[Buckethead]

One thing to keep in mind is that the gas has to be in the right concentration with oxygen to be a real explosive or flammable threat, so not just any spark will set it off. Now, that being said, no one should ever take for granted that the percentages are not right.

The gas companies have meters that can measure that. I would think they used one in this case. If a diesel engine breathes in natural gas, it can run on it, and run out of control. The natural gas is not regulated by the governor, so the engine could overspeed until it pushes a rod or something. Which will probably cause a spark.

I'm always amazed at how unconcerned they seem to be about leaks and improperly buried lines.

If it gets damaged they will just blame the contractor, you know that.

 

[John White]

One thing to keep in mind is that the gas has to be in the right concentration with oxygen to be a real explosive or flammable threat, so not just any spark will set it off. Now, that being said, no one should ever take for granted that the percentages are not right. Not to mention, natural gas is poisonous.

I'm always amazed at how unconcerned they seem to be about leaks and improperly buried lines.

Sure makes me nervous digging around one. Seen some pretty bad pictures of what happens when one does explode.

 

[lgammon]

not to sound reckless but over the years we have hit a few of them digging and never had a problem. if you got one on fire it would just blow a flame not blow up. i remeber we where demoing a house and the gas was supposed to be disconnected from the house and i pushed the brick chimney on to the gas meter and broke it off, no flame just a hissing and kinda made me nervous but nothing happened

 

[Dirtman 61]

not to sound reckless but over the years we have hit a few of them digging and never had a problem. if you got one on fire it would just blow a flame not blow up. i remeber we where demoing a house and the gas was supposed to be disconnected from the house and i pushed the brick chimney on to the gas meter and broke it off, no flame just a hissing and kinda made me nervous but nothing happened

This being my first post on this board, I hate for it to be this, but, I wouldn't hire you to run my equipment on any job with the attitude I see here.
Natural gas lines are nothing to fool with.
Now for the gas company, they should be reported and reported until SOMEBODY does something about the leaks. Poisonous and potentially explosive.

 

[John White]

Now on the subject of digging around them. I think any one who does digging long enough will eventually hit one. I have hit probably 3 in the last two year. Area was marked and no active gas line was supposed to be in that area. Sure makes me nurvious. Hit one in a trailer park, told neighbors to leave immediately, called the fire dept and gas co. The gas man who came out did'nt seem that concerned, just crawled down in the ditch, bent the pipe back and put a pair of vice grips on it. Since then I carry about 3 different size tapered wooden plugs, and a small hack saw, and a couple of clamps. I have worked for another construction co. and seen them hit them all the time. Sure makes me nervous. They just did what the gas co did, bend it over and clamp it off till gas could be shut off. I wont even dig in a area if I know it has a gas line.

 

[monkey]

realize this is somewhat of an old thread but this who is responsible for policing gas lines http://www.puco.ohio.gov/PUCO/Utilities/OneStop.cfm?OneStopKeyword=GA

If anyone else ever has a problem similar to this and can't get a adequate response
http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/portal/sit...0d110VgnVCM1000009ed07898RCRD&vgnextfmt=print

There are serious fines for companies that do not maintain their lines, for a larger company it may not be a a big hit, would think for smaller companies they would be very interested in repairing leaking pipes

 

[RonG]

The gas guru told me to set the bucket on the gas line until help arrives.Ron G

 

[dist3]

Next time you don't get the response you think you should drop a call to the State Fire Marshals office in Ohio. Tell them the history of the problem. Gas company employees work with the product daily and look at the hazard differently. Ron states that an employee told him to place a bucket on pipe. He might do that a hundred times but the one hundred and first time may result in a differtent ending. At some point the flammable range is going to meet an ignition source. Being involved in responding to Natural Gas incidents and witnissing the damage that it can do has changed my ideas about working around the product.

 

[RonG]

Now hold on here.............I didn't hit it a hundred times..............well maybe close.LOL.Ron G

 

[Tmerr]

Sorry for being off topic, but are any of you part of a safety committee and if so, can you comment on the effectiveness of the committee? Do you feel you get better buy in from the employees?

 

[Dirtman 61]

A well functioning safety committee is something that can be a very effective tool. When employees are allowed to participate in governing their own actions, they're more likely to accept rules.

However, such a committee that is there in name only as the opposite effect. Management, whether at the home office or the jobsite bosses, need to be able to hear things they don't like and still be able to be objective about it and act in a professional manner. THAT is where many companies fall flat.

 

[Tmerr]

Safety Committee

Thanks, I appreciate you taking time to respond to my question, the information is very helpful!