Greer CPW Cares About YOUR Safety!

While pipelines are a safe and reliable means of transporting natural gas, the leading cause of pipeline damage is accidental contact during excavation activities. Even slight disturbances to pipeline coating or the soil supporting the pipeline can lead to future failure of the pipeline. Contact with pipeline with excavation equipment may lead to serious injury or death. To maintain safety for all those who work and live around pipelines, please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself, and your fellow workers about key safety information.

Thank you,
Greer CPW

Pipelines in Your Vicinity

Greer CPW operates pipelines in your vicinity to move produced natural gas from where it is produced to where it is processed into pipeline quality gas. These pipelines are subject to federal (and state) safety regulations and are routinely maintained and inspected.

How to Recognize an Odorized Gas Leak

Even though pipelines have an exceptional safety record, a leak or damage may cause a release of natural gas from the pipeline, in which case you may:

Smell

A rotten egg or sulfur odor. DO NOT depend on your sense of smell for indicating a hazardous concentration or continuing presence of gas; odor sensitivity may fade.

Hear

A hissing or roaring sound (caused by gas escaping from a pipeline).

See

Flying dirt or debris, flames or bubbling in water at ground level. A slow leak may cause localized dead vegetation near a pipeline.

If You Suspect a Leak

  • LEAVE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY IN AN UPWIND DIRECTION.

  • CALL 911 to report the leak.

  • Avoid contact with, or inhalation of, the gas. Gas is non-toxic but may cause irritation, dizziness and/or difficulty breathing.

  • Avoid creating sparks or flames; gas is highly flammable.

  • Do not operate electrical devices, vehicles, tools, or equipment in the area.

  • Natural gas is lighter than air and will rise and disperse if not confined. Confined gas may form an explosive mixture. Do not attempt to ventilate or disperse gas.

If You Expose or Contact a Pipeline

If you contact, expose, or suspect damage to a pipeline, you must notify Everline immediately. If the pipeline was disturbed during excavation activities, state law requires notification. Any disturbance to a pipeline may cause a future leak or failure resulting in injury, death and/or property damage.

Rights-of-Way Encroachment Prevention

Rights-of-way (ROWs) are access areas above and adjacent to pipelines that are used for inspection, maintenance, construction and emergency response. It is important to keep buildings, fences, structures and landscaping away from these ROWs as encroachment may inhibit the required access. Some ROWs are marked with pipeline markers.

Temporary and Permanent Pipeline Markers

Temporary Marking of Underground Facilities

Temporary colored flags and/or paint may be placed on the ground in preparation for excavation activity. These markings are placed by facility operators in response to “One Call” (811) requests to indicate the approximate location of buried facilities. PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE OR RELOCATE these markings as it could lead to damage, injury, or death.

Natural gas pipelines are marked in YELLOW.

Permanent Marking of Pipelines

The appropriate location of select pipelines may be marked with permanent markers either along their length or at specific locations, notably at major road or highway crossings, water crossings, and railroad crossings. These markers contain contact information for the operator. Not all pipelines are permanently marked. THESE MARKERS CANNOT BE USED IN LIEU OF 811 NOTIFICATIONS.

You Must Call 811 Prior to Excavation

Excavation activities are the leading cause of pipeline damage and related injuries. Per TAC Chapter 18, you must notify 811 prior to any planned excavation. Underground facility operators must locate and mark their facilities in planned excavation area within three business days of notification. DO NOT DIG UNTIL TICKET IS COMPLETE; contact with an underground pipeline or other facility may cause injury, death and/or property damage.

Contact South Carolina 811, 888.721.7877, at least three business days before beginning any excavation, construction, farming or digging.

For Additional Information on Safe Digging Practices

There are a variety of safe digging practices that can reduce risk to you, fellow workers, and the public when excavating in the vicinity of pipelines. Materials and additional information are freely available to you through South Carolina 811 at sc811.com and the Common Ground Alliance at commongroundalliance.com.