The Digs on Pipeline Safety

Whether you’re starting a garden in your back yard or getting ready to dig a few post holes, contact your local utility— first. You could be over a labyrinth of pipe carrying natural gas, countless electrical lines or even cable TV.

Hitting one could be disastrous, particularly around playoff time, but one in particular — that of natural gas — could be quite a bang. While natural gas is safe — when it’s sealed tight inside that pipe — it possesses a few fiery properties.

Composed primarily of methane, natural gas is extremely flammable. If a leak occurs, even through what may seem to be a minor scrape of a pipe from a shovel or backhoe, it can quickly rise (being lighter than air), gather in concentrated areas and, if near a flame or spark, cause a fire or deadly explosion.

Underground natural gas pipelines are designed to keep the gas safely inside. In order to stay that way, there are certain rules for digging.

When excavating, contact your local utility for the location of all nearby pipelines. A simple call will quickly and easily get your underground utility lines marked.

Check the paperwork left by the locator to ensure it covers your dig area, and make sure you understand all the markings. If not, discuss it with the locator.

As a final note on locates: markers only indicate the presence of a pipeline. They should not be used or relied upon to determine the exact location of a pipeline. With that in mind, you must carefully hand dig within three feet (or one metre) of those markings as required by law under TSSA’s Guidelines for Excavations (downloadable from www.safetyinfo.ca).

What to do if you hit a pipe

Even if you happen to cause what seems to be only minor damage to a buried pipeline, notify the utility company immediately. A gouge, scrape, dent or crease to the pipe or coating may cause a future break or leak, so don’t cover it up. Do not attempt to squeeze off the break or control the flow of gas — you could cause an explosion. Applying pressure to the pipe could potentially cause a static spark, ignite the gas and create a catastrophic explosion.

It is imperative that the utility company, and only those qualified to do so, inspect and repair any damage to the line – for everyone’s safety. If you become aware of such an incident or potential incident, please contact your local utility immediately.

Pipeline hits as a whole have decreased for the fourth year in a row in Ontario, thanks to the efforts of TSSA, the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance and various industry stakeholders, but there is still a way to go yet.

With your help, we’ll keep the gas flowing — safely in the ground where it belongs. You dig?

Call Before You Dig: Ontario One-Call
To arrange for free natural gas pipe location service at your site, call Ontario One-Call at least five working days in advance.
1-800-400-2255