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Washington Gas Spring Safety
At Washington Gas, safely and reliably meeting the energy needs of our customers are our highest priorities. Please read the information below and share it with others.
NATURAL GAS SAFETY
What to Do If You Smell Natural Gas
If you suspect a natural gas leak or other gas emergency, evacuate the area immediately and, from a safe location, call 911 and then the Washington Gas Emergency Leak Line at 844-WASHGAS (Select Option 1). Never attempt to locate the source of the odor.
RECOGNIZE
What does natural gas smell like? Natural gas is non-toxic, colorless, odorless and combustible. For safety and detection, Washington Gas adds an unpleasant odorant called mercaptan to the natural gas delivered through our distribution system. Call 202-624-6092 for a "Scratch & Sniff" brochure. Government agencies and officials, schools, businesses, property managers and others are invited to request multiple copies of the brochure for public educations and awareness purposes.
Other Signs of Natural Gas
Because gas traveling through a small portion of our transmission pipelines is not odorized, you should also familiarize yourself with visible and audible signs of a possible leak.
Follow the same precautions described below if you are outside and smell gas; hear hissing or blowing noises; see dirt being thrown into the air; see fire coming from the ground or appearing to burn above ground; see water bubbling or being blown into the air at a pond, creek or river; or see a dry spot in a moist field or dead or dying vegetation on or near a pipeline right-of-way.
REACT
If you smell natural gas, do not attempt to locate the source of the odor. Evacuate the area immediately and, from a safe location, call 911 and then the Washington Gas Emergency Leak Line at 844-WASHGAS (Select Option 1).
If the odor is very strong, or you hear a blowing or hissing noise, vacate the building or area immediately, leaving doors unlocked as you go. Warn others as you exit, if possible. Do nothing that could create an ignition source. Do not light a match or use any type of phone or battery-powered equipment. Do not turn electrical equipment or light switches on or off. Do not start a car or any type of motorized equipment. Call 911 and the Washington Gas emergency numbers listed above, only after you are a safe distance away from the building or area.
Gas Migration
Natural gas is distributed through a network of underground pipes and service lines. If a leak should occur, it is possible for gas to migrate into buildings, including those without natural gas service.
RESPOND
Washington Gas responds 24 hours a day, seven days a week to address natural gas leaks and other emergencies. If a leak poses an immediate threat, the company takes quick action to make the area safe. If a natural gas leak does not pose an immediate threat, corrective action may be scheduled for a later date.
PREVENT PIPELINE DAMAGE - CALL MISS UTILITY AT 811 BEFORE YOU DIG
Digging related damage is a major cause of pipeline accidents. 811 is the national Call Before You Dig/Miss Utility telephone number that initiates the process of marking the underground utility lines in your yard or on your job. Your call to 811 will be routed to your local One Call Center - in the District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia. Local One Call Center personnel then notify member utilities, such as
Washington Gas, to mark the approximate locations of underground utility lines with high-visibility safety paint and/or flags. The service is free.
Everyone, including homeowners and construction companies, should always call Miss Utility at 811, at least two full business/working days - excluding weekends and holidays - before you are scheduled to begin any digging, regardless of size or depth. When using mechanized equipment, it is required by law to call 811 before you dig. Do not begin digging until the lines have been marked or confirmed as "no conflict." If you are unsure whether the underground utilities have been marked in your yard or on your job, check back with your One Call Center to make certain there are no underground utilities where you plan to dig.
Most importantly, dialing 811 can help avoid serious injury and even fatalities, as well as property damage and significant expense that can occur when underground utilities are damaged. Always call 811 before you dig, each dig, every dig.
To learn more, visit washingtongas.com.
NATURAL GAS SAFETY
What to Do If You Smell Natural Gas
If you suspect a natural gas leak or other gas emergency, evacuate the area immediately and, from a safe location, call 911 and then the Washington Gas Emergency Leak Line at 844-WASHGAS (Select Option 1). Never attempt to locate the source of the odor.
RECOGNIZE
What does natural gas smell like? Natural gas is non-toxic, colorless, odorless and combustible. For safety and detection, Washington Gas adds an unpleasant odorant called mercaptan to the natural gas delivered through our distribution system. Call 202-624-6092 for a "Scratch & Sniff" brochure. Government agencies and officials, schools, businesses, property managers and others are invited to request multiple copies of the brochure for public educations and awareness purposes.
Other Signs of Natural Gas
Because gas traveling through a small portion of our transmission pipelines is not odorized, you should also familiarize yourself with visible and audible signs of a possible leak.
Follow the same precautions described below if you are outside and smell gas; hear hissing or blowing noises; see dirt being thrown into the air; see fire coming from the ground or appearing to burn above ground; see water bubbling or being blown into the air at a pond, creek or river; or see a dry spot in a moist field or dead or dying vegetation on or near a pipeline right-of-way.
REACT
If you smell natural gas, do not attempt to locate the source of the odor. Evacuate the area immediately and, from a safe location, call 911 and then the Washington Gas Emergency Leak Line at 844-WASHGAS (Select Option 1).
If the odor is very strong, or you hear a blowing or hissing noise, vacate the building or area immediately, leaving doors unlocked as you go. Warn others as you exit, if possible. Do nothing that could create an ignition source. Do not light a match or use any type of phone or battery-powered equipment. Do not turn electrical equipment or light switches on or off. Do not start a car or any type of motorized equipment. Call 911 and the Washington Gas emergency numbers listed above, only after you are a safe distance away from the building or area.
Gas Migration
Natural gas is distributed through a network of underground pipes and service lines. If a leak should occur, it is possible for gas to migrate into buildings, including those without natural gas service.
RESPOND
Washington Gas responds 24 hours a day, seven days a week to address natural gas leaks and other emergencies. If a leak poses an immediate threat, the company takes quick action to make the area safe. If a natural gas leak does not pose an immediate threat, corrective action may be scheduled for a later date.
PREVENT PIPELINE DAMAGE - CALL MISS UTILITY AT 811 BEFORE YOU DIG
Digging related damage is a major cause of pipeline accidents. 811 is the national Call Before You Dig/Miss Utility telephone number that initiates the process of marking the underground utility lines in your yard or on your job. Your call to 811 will be routed to your local One Call Center - in the District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia. Local One Call Center personnel then notify member utilities, such as
Washington Gas, to mark the approximate locations of underground utility lines with high-visibility safety paint and/or flags. The service is free.
Everyone, including homeowners and construction companies, should always call Miss Utility at 811, at least two full business/working days - excluding weekends and holidays - before you are scheduled to begin any digging, regardless of size or depth. When using mechanized equipment, it is required by law to call 811 before you dig. Do not begin digging until the lines have been marked or confirmed as "no conflict." If you are unsure whether the underground utilities have been marked in your yard or on your job, check back with your One Call Center to make certain there are no underground utilities where you plan to dig.
Most importantly, dialing 811 can help avoid serious injury and even fatalities, as well as property damage and significant expense that can occur when underground utilities are damaged. Always call 811 before you dig, each dig, every dig.
To learn more, visit washingtongas.com.
