D2

FIELD PROCEDURES FOR

GAS ESCAPES

MARCH 1995

J324 ( Rev 11/97 )

Name : ..................................................
District : ...............................................
FOREWORD CONTENTS

This second edition of the Field Procedures (previously Section

16), designated D2, incorporates various amendments. The Page
original issue dated April 1993 is no longer valid.
1. INTRODUCTION 3
These Procedures are intended to cover the essential requirements
for gas escape work normally undertaken by Transco personnel. 2. PRIORITIES 3

In the event of queries arising out of any aspects of work covered 3. SITE ACTIONS 3
by these Procedures, you will be expected to refer to the Transco 4. RESPONSIBILITIES 4
Procedures for Dealing with Reported Gas Escapes SFP4
MD/102, via your Manager. Do not hesitate to seek advice if you 5. INVESTIGATION OF GAS IN BUILDINGS -
need further assistance. UNCONTROLLED GAS ESCAPES 5
You are expected to have these Procedures with you at work at all 6. INVESTIGATION OF GAS IN BUILDINGS -
times, and in the event of loss or severe damage, you should ask CONTROLLED GAS ESCAPES 8
for a replacement immediately. 7. WORKS ON LIVE GAS 8
Compliance with this specification does not confer immunity from
8. SITE INVESTIGATIONS 9
prosecution for breach of statutory or other legal obligations.
9. LEAVING THE SITE 11
DISCLAIMER 10. ESCAPES OF LIQUEFIED
PETROLEUM GAS 11
This specification is provided for use by Transco and such of its
contractors as are obliged by the terms of their contracts to comply 11. BARHOLING 12
with this specification. Where this specification is used by any 12. INCIDENTS 12
other party it is the responsibility of that party to ensure that the
specification is correctly applied. 13. USE OF GASCOSEEKERS 13

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-2- Gas Escapes
FIELD PROCEDURES FOR GAS ESCAPES 2. PRIORITIES

1. INTRODUCTION Priorities of action

These Procedures have been prepared to ensure that work carried REPORTED GAS
out by all Transco districts when dealing with gas escapes is ESCAPES MUST TAKE
consistent and compatible. PRIORITY OVER ALL
These Procedures are intended for issue to personnel required to OTHER WORK.
attend emergencies including gas escapes, fires, explosions and Emergency action checklist
reports of fumes, and assume the use of a Gascoseeker or other
approved gas detector to measure the atmospheric gas All personnel investigating reported gas escapes will have been
concentration. issued with an 'Emergency Action Checklist' which includes the
following priorities and evacuation criteria:
The Procedures use the terms 'controlled gas escape', and
'uncontrolled gas escape', which are taken to be: • priorities:

- controlled gas escape is a gas escape which has been - safeguard life;
stopped by turning off the meter/ emergency control - safeguard property;
valve;
- find and secure the escape;
- uncontrolled gas escape is a gas escape where it
- carry out a final site investigation.
cannot be ascertained that the gas escape is controlled.
Transco standards of service require personnel to arrive on site • evacuate where:
within one hour of receipt by Emergency Control Centre of the - occupants' safety is at risk, or
report of an 'uncontrolled' gas escape. Where the escape is
- persons are overcome by gas, vapours or products
confirmed as 'controlled', this period is extended to two hours.
of combustion, or
Adequate documentation will be available for the issue and
- gas concentrations are 20% LEL or above.
progression of work, and the recording of completion details.
Consider the need to evacuate adjacent and opposite properties.
3. SITE ACTIONS
Initial actions by first on site
• get to address given as quickly as possible.

Gas Escapes -3-

• report any delay caused by vehicle breakdown, accident or
other reason to Emergency Control Centre as soon as
possible.
• report to the Emergency Control Centre on arrival.
• initial site conditions and circumstances will determine the
actions to be taken in the light of experience, training and
Company procedures.
• priority actions inside buildings will be:
- isolation of the gas supply;
- removal of immediate sources of ignition and
ventilation of the building(s) by opening doors and
windows.
Liaison
• if other Transco personnel are already on site, a full report
should be obtained.
Further actions by Transco Service Engineer
• if, after carrying out the priority actions and making safe, the
time required to trace and repair the escape is likely to be
more than 30 minutes, seek authority from Emergency
Control Centre:
- they may need to divert you to a more urgent job;
- if the 'go-ahead' is received, then Emergency Control
Centre should be contacted at 30-minute intervals.
• in all circumstances, contact with Emergency Control Centre
shall be made at periods not exceeding one hour.
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4. RESPONSIBILITIES
• if both an Engineering Team and Transco Service
Engineer are on site, the Team Leader is responsible for
the overall situation. The Transco Service Engineer, if on
site, is responsible for actions inside the property,
including evacuation.
• personnel should liaise with each other and report on
actions taken.
• if field staff cannot locate the escape within two hours of
arrival on site, the responsible manager or his/her
representative shall be informed and a review of the job
should take place at intervals not exceeding two hours.
• if the escape is not considered to be potentially hazardous,
the responsible manager or his/her representative may
decide to defer further action and to incorporate the work
in normal schedules as a priority. The gas escape site
shall be regularly checked until the report is cleared.
Under no circumstances shall a gas escape be deferred
when:
- there is a blowing escape (hear, feel or see), or
- gas is present under a building, or
- gas is present within 500 mm of a building, or
- there is a medium pressure main or service within
5 m of a building which could be the source of the
escape, or
- there is a transmission installation or pipeline
within 5 m of the leakage site unless this has been
cleared as a possible source of the escape.
Gas Escapes
• if investigations result in 'no trace of gas', the responsible
manager or his/her representative shall be notified.
• if gas is not involved or the gas is not supplied by British
Gas, priority actions still apply and personnel should remain
on site until relieved through the Emergency Control Centre.
All relevant information should be given to Emergency
Control Centre who will advise the appropriate authority.
• it is important that Emergency Control Centre is advised of
the following as soon as possible, having regard to other
priorities:
- a fire, explosion, gassing or other injury;
- an evacuation;
- the gas escape is very large;
- the site situation is worsening;
- the gas escape is from, or near to, a medium,
intermediate or high pressure main or transmission
installation;
- gas is detected in ducts, drains or sewers where this
could be hazardous to people or property;
- the Police, Fire Brigade, media or Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) are on site;
- there is no access at the job address;
- forced entry into any building;
- gas is not supplied by British Gas.
Frequent and regular contact with Emergency Control Centre shall
be maintained and assistance (Police, Fire Brigade, etc.)
requested, if required, without delay.
Gas Escapes
5. INVESTIGATION OF GAS IN BUILDINGS -
UNCONTROLLED GAS ESCAPES
Gaining access
• knock on doors, do not use door bells.
• if a building has a security entry phone and the door is not
open, check for zero gas around the entry phone and door
before using the entry phone to call the consumer. Ask the
consumer to open the door manually.
• when access is gained, then priority actions shall include:
- ensure consumer's meter control is turned off;
- check gas concentrations, particularly above head
height and around pipework;
- checks should be made in cellars, voids, basements,
attics, riser ducts, air bricks and sub-divided
premises. Cellars, voids and other enclosed spaces
should be entered with care and gas concentrations
checked before entry;
- if confirmed as uncontrolled, immediately request
the attendance of an Engineering Team through the
Emergency Control Centre. Whilst awaiting the
arrival of the Engineering Team, site investigations
should continue.
• monitor all affected properties and those adjacent and
opposite including any initially found to be clear of gas.
Continue checking for early warnings of change in the
situation.
Access cannot be gained
• check for gas through the letter box, at the top of doors,
windows, ventilators and air bricks.
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• check for signs that occupants may be inside but overcome.
• if gas is suspected in a building, then forcible entry shall be
made, causing the minimum of damage and ignoring burglar
alarms.
• in such cases, try to get help from a police officer or other
witness but do not delay entry if a witness is not available.
• advise Emergency Control Centre.
Non-domestic buildings
• consult the Works Engineer or Building Services Engineer.
Do not delay any action if injury or damage could result.
• in cases of difficulty, assistance should be sought from the
responsible manager or his/her representative via the
Emergency Control Centre.
• personnel should remain on site until the buildings have
been made safe.
• do not undertake hazardous attempts to deal with the escape
regardless of the demands of the user.
When gas is found in premises
• take the following actions in the most appropriate order,
having care for your own safety:
- turn off consumer's meter control;
- turn off service isolation valve or house entry tee;
- ventilate by opening doors, windows and cellar covers.
Wherever possible, ventilation should be by two
openings (e.g. door and window), to give a flow of air;
- extinguish naked flames and remove other ignition
sources, switch off electrical apparatus provided that
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the gas readings above and below the apparatus and
its switch do not exceed 70% LEL;
- where additional light is required, use your safety
torch;
- prevent unauthorized entry;
- erect NO SMOKING signs;
- remove bottled gas containers;
- maintain contact with other Transco personnel on
site;
- remove any people overcome by gas or products of
combustion to a safe location.
• monitor gas concentrations in buildings regularly and
record details.
• monitor all affected properties and those adjacent and
opposite including any initially found to be clear of gas.
Continue checking for early warnings of change in the
situation.
• continue checking until the escape is made safe.
• seek further assistance as necessary.
Evacuation
• evacuate where:
- occupants' safety is at risk, or
- persons have been overcome by gas, vapours or
products of combustion, or
- gas concentrations are 20% LEL or above.
Gas Escapes
• when evacuation is carried out or the property is unoccupied,
provided the gas readings above and below the mains
electrical switch do not exceed 70% LEL, turn the switch
off.
• evacuate adjacent and opposite properties where likely to be
affected.
• evacuate to a safe place.
• keep traffic and pedestrians well clear of site.
• an evacuated building should only be entered to carry out
any necessary monitoring.
• an evacuated building should not be re-occupied until:
- the source of leakage has been secured, or
- the leakage, if from outside the building, has been
ventilated and prevented from entering the building.
IF IN DOUBT, EVACUATE: DO NOT TAKE
UNNECESSARY RISKS
Sources of ignition
• if you suspect gas in property, advise occupants:
- not to operate electrical apparatus on or off;
- not to smoke;
- to avoid using any other sources of ignition
(e.g. doorbells).
• electrical apparatus may be isolated by using its switch,
provided that the gas readings above and below the
apparatus and its switch do not exceed 70% LEL.
• ignition sources outside may include:
Gas Escapes
- vehicles, tramways and electric railways,
compressors, generators, excavators, farm
machinery;
- FID equipment, pipe and cable locators;
- danger lamps, portable traffic lights;
- street lighting, crossing beacons, traffic lights,
telephone kiosks.
None of these may be operated in a hazardous area.
• prevent the discharge of static electricity on PE pipe by
wrapping a damp cloth around the pipe and in contact
with the ground.
Other reports
• the following may have a smell which could be mistaken
for natural gas and you may get a Gascoseeker reading
from some of these:
- landfill sites;
- refineries, coke ovens, animal by-products works,
chemical plants;
- LPG cylinders and pipelines;
- mine workings;
- rotting vegetation or refuse;
- newly creosoted woodwork;
- fuel vapours (e.g. at bus stops or petrol stations);
- sewer vent pipes;
- non-natural gas pipework systems or bottled gas;
- products of combustion from appliances.
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• advise Emergency Control Centre if the situation appears to
be the responsibility of another authority and remain on site
until relieved.
6. INVESTIGATION OF GAS IN BUILDINGS -
CONTROLLED GAS ESCAPES
Gaining access
• knock on doors, do not use door bells.
• if a building has a security entry phone and the door is not
open, check for zero gas around the entry phone and door
before using the entry phone to call the consumer. Ask the
consumer to open the door manually.
• where access is gained and the gas escape brought under
immediate control by isolation of the gas supply and
ventilation (where necessary), further actions should
include:
- soundness test to confirm escape is controlled;
- trace and repair the gas escape;
- soundness test to ensure that problem is resolved;
- use Gascoseeker to ensure gas not entering from
outside (i.e. around service entries);
- test appliance connections.
• where the installation has been made safe (but not repaired),
the consumer should be advised that remedial work by an
approved CORGI installer will be necessary.
Access cannot be gained
• check for gas through the letterbox, at the top of doors,
windows, ventilators and air bricks.
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• check for signs that occupants may be inside but
overcome.
• if gas is suspected in the building, then forcible entry
shall be made, causing the minimum of damage and
ignoring burglar alarms.
• in such cases, try to get help from a police officer or other
witness but do not delay entry if a witness is not
available.
• if gas is not suspected in the building and there is no
danger to life or property, forcible entry may not be
required. Seek advice from Emergency Control Centre.
Non-domestic buildings
• consult the Works Engineer or Building Services
Engineer. Do not delay any action if injury or damage
could result.
• in cases of difficulty, assistance should be sought from the
responsible manager or his/her representative via the
Emergency Control Centre.
• personnel should remain on site until the buildings have
been made safe.
• do not undertake hazardous attempts to deal with the
escape regardless of the demands of the user.
7. WORKS ON LIVE GAS
• if you have to work in a potentially gaseous atmosphere,
be careful to minimize the risk of ignition and danger to
yourself and others by taking the following actions:
- maximize the amount of ventilation;
Gas Escapes
 - position vehicles and equipment to avoid ignition
dangers;
- use continuity bonds where necessary;
- prevent smoking;
- have fire extinguishers positioned and ready for use;
- provide an unobstructed exit from any excavation;
- use special tools, safety clothing and safety equipment
provided. Where there is no danger from electrical
sources, wet the work area to prevent sparking by
tools, taking care not to wet any electrical equipment
or cables;
- wear breathing apparatus when necessary.
8. SITE INVESTIGATIONS
Preventing ingress of gas into buildings
• if gas is getting into property below ground, you should find
the point of entry as soon as possible.
• you may be able to stop gas entering the building by
excavating across the line of gas, water, electricity,
telephone and other services to the building. Raising
manhole covers may also assist with ventilation.
• if a gas escape from the service is suspected, isolate and
pressure test at working pressure. If the source of the escape
is the service, then cut off or temporarily repair.
• be careful when interference damage has caused an escape:
damage may have occurred at more than one location.
Tracing outside gas escapes
• gas in ground:
Gas Escapes
- determine the position of mains, services and other
Utilities' plant;
- use a cable locator to check the position of cables,
but remember that no signal from a cable locator
does not guarantee that the ground is clear of
cables;
- carry out all excavation work in accordance with the
relevant Sections of the Field Procedures Dl. Ensure
the safety of pedestrians and road users in
accordance with the Department of Transport
booklet Safety at Street Works and Road Works
(D4);
- if you have to dig within 10 m of a high pressure
pipeline, a governor installation, pressure-
regulating station or a gasholder station, then the
responsible manager or his/her representative
should be contacted for further information;
- check surface boxes and cracks in the road surface
using your Gascoseeker;
- if gas appears to be escaping from a main or
service, you should barhole along the line of the
pipe to determine the location of the escape in
accordance with the barholing procedure;
- test all barholes using your Gascoseeker to
determine which gives the highest reading. The gas
readings should be confirmed and recorded after
allowing the barholes to vent for approximately 10
minutes;
- an excavation should be made at the highest barhole
reading. If this does not locate the escape, you
should excavate around the main or service and
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 barhole horizontally in both directions. Where
possible, the excavation should be left open until the
gas escape has been found;
- if gas is suspected to be escaping from a service, this
can be confirmed by cutting off, testing at working
pressure and re-checking gas readings to confirm that
the source of the escape has been removed.
Alternatively, if gas from the leaking service is not
entering the building, the service may be replaced
using live insertion as a permanent repair. Re-check
the gas readings to confirm that the source of the
escape has been removed;
- take care at all times to prevent ignition of gas;
- a mechanical excavator shall not be used in the
vicinity of a gas escape without permission from the
responsible manager or his/her representative;
- a temporary repair should be made as soon as possible
and the excavation left open until a permanent repair
is carried out; where it is not possible to effect a
temporary repair without reducing gas pressures, you
should contact the responsible manager or his/her
representative;
- the location of a gas escape may be indicated by:
- dead or dying vegetation;
- signs of ground movement;
- damage to ground surface by vehicles or plant.
• gas in ducts or manholes:
- if gas is detected in ducts or manholes, immediate
ventilation must take place. Use proper lifting
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equipment and take care to avoid sparks or damage
to underground plant;
- test all manholes in the vicinity to see which has the
highest gas concentration. Request the attendance of
the responsible manager or his/her representative if
there could be a hazard to life or property;
- to test for gas in a manhole, the probe should be
inserted through a hole in the cover, or the cover
lifted and checks made at all levels in the chamber;
- ensure the safety of pedestrians and road users by
positioning barriers and cones around open
manholes in accordance with the Department of
Transport booklet Safety at Street Works and Road
Works (D4);
- refer to the responsible manager or his/her
representative if access is required to an
underground chamber or other confined space;
- check along each duct line using a long probe. By a
process of elimination it may be possible to
determine between which two manholes the gas is
entering;
- when an escape has been repaired, allow time for
venting before making further checks to ensure that
ducts and manholes are free of gas.
• gas in sewers and drains:
- the line of the sewer should be surveyed using FID
equipment or barholing, and the same procedures
used as for dealing with gas in ducts or manholes.
Gas Escapes
• gas in air:
the location of a gas escape may be indicated by:
- the wind direction;
- visible service pipes, governor vent pipes, gas lamps;
- demolition sites;
- gully grids, manholes, surface boxes;
- Transco sites, compounds or marker posts;
- other Transporters' pipelines, etc.
9. LEAVING THE SITE
• when only the Transco Service Engineer attends site, the
Transco Service Engineer shall remain on site until:
- in his/her opinion, it is safe to leave, and
- the gas concentration in any room, cellar, wall cavity
or any other enclosed space which has been tested as
part of the normal investigation is less than 5% LEL
and falling, provided that this is achieved by natural
ventilation rather than air-moving devices.
• Where the Transco Service Engineer and Engineering Team
are on site, the Transco Service Engineer shall act as above
and may then leave site with the agreement of the
Engineering Team Leader.
• the Engineering Team shall remain on site until:
- the gas escape has been secured and the site is clear of
gas, or
- the responsible manager or his/her representative has
decided that the gas escape is not potentially
hazardous and that further action has been deferred.
Gas Escapes
• where there are significant amounts of residual gas in the
ground, the responsible manager or his/her representative
may decide to leave the excavation open to vent.
• inform Emergency Control Centre when you are leaving
site.
10. ESCAPES OF LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS
• Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and LPG/air mixtures
have different characteristics and different flammable
limits to natural gas. The most important as far as gas
escapes are concerned is that they are heavier than air, so
that any escape of this gas will flow along the ground and
into drains, etc., sinking to the lowest level it can find.
• when testing for gas concentrations, always sample at the
lowest level. Probes should be pointed downwards when
testing through letterboxes.
• ventilate property in the normal way by opening doors and
windows, but remember that this may allow the gas to
move to a lower level. Suitable air-moving equipment
may help to clear gas when dealing with LPG or LPG/air.
• a Gascoseeker specially calibrated for LPG should be
available to operatives for investigation in LPG or
LPG/air districts. When this is used, the evacuation
criteria and electrical switching criteria are the same as
those for natural gas.
• the standard Gascoseeker is not calibrated for LPG or
LPG/air. However, this instrument can be used for
pinpointing escapes of LPG. In situations where LPG is
known to be the escaping gas, buildings should be
evacuated at a reading on the standard Gascoseeker of
10% LEL.
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• all other standard procedures for dealing with gas escapes
should be followed.
11. BARHOLING
• always wear protective clothing including goggles, gloves
and footwear.
• if time permits, obtain as much information as possible
about the location of cables and other underground plant
before barholing. Utilities may be contacted 24 hours per
day if required. Do not delay further action if no information
is immediately available.
• lift covers of manholes or other boxes to determine the
direction of cable ducts.
• survey the area using a cable locator and mark the line of
cables.
• carry out vertical barholing using a rock drill or percussion
searcher bar to a maximum depth of 200 mm in footpaths or
380 mm in roadways. Do not use excessive force to drive in
the searcher bar and cease barholing if you feel any
obstruction.
• in exceptional circumstances you may be required to barhole
deeper, down to the depth of the main. This should only be
done after first locating the position of all buried cables. In
any case, deep barholes should not be driven within 250 mm
of the line of these cables.
• a horizontal probing along the line of a main should be
carried out after using a cable locator and with care to avoid
damage to cables. Horizontal probing should be carried out
at the sides of the gas main only, not along the top or
bottom. A percussion searcher bar should not be used for
probing in open excavations.
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• only equipment approved and supplied by your District
and in good condition should be used for barholing and
cable location.
12. INCIDENTS
Initial site action
• Contact the senior Police or Fire Officer on site and
check:
- what assistance is required (e.g. make safe);
- whether gas was involved in the incident;
- extent of damage;
- details of casualties.
Site investigations
• make safe by turning off at the meter/emergency control.
• request further assistance via the Emergency Control
Centre as necessary.
• report all details to the Emergency Control Centre.
• do NOT disturb any appliance or any part of an
installation involved in the incident.
• if the Police or Fire Brigade request that equipment be
moved, explain that vital evidence could be destroyed and
that an expert examination should be carried out first.
• remain on site until the responsible manager or his/her
representative arrives or until instructed otherwise by
more senior Transco personnel.
Gas Escapes
Statements • gas can enter a building along the line of any service,
particularly if the ground is frozen or surfaced (e.g. by
• do not offer statements to the police or the HSE unless
concrete or tarmac).
required to do so. If possible, refer them to Public Relations
or to some Transco person as appropriate. If required to • when barholing:
make a statement, then answer questions carefully and
- all barholes should be tested using the Gascoseeker
factually.
and the readings recorded;
• incidents attract publicity and media attention. Statements
- all barholes should vent for 10 minutes, before the
should not be given to the media. Refer them to Public
gas concentration is measured;
Relations.
- take care not to suck any water from the barhole.
13. USE OF GASCOSEEKERS
• the Gascoseeker batteries shall only be changed in a gas-
• ensure that your Gascoseeker is within the marked
free atmosphere.
calibration date.
• the standard Gascoseeker is calibrated for natural gas. A
• carry out the daily checks before using the equipment.
specially calibrated Gascoseeker is required for LPG
• carry out the weekly checks using the Depot checking installations. (See clause 10 when dealing with LPG
device. escapes). Other gases will require specially calibrated
Gascoseekers.
• when taking samples through a letterbox, the longest sample
probe must be used and the probe pointed upwards
(downwards where LPG is suspected).
• when taking samples from the gaps around doors and
windows, the sampling should start at the upper edges.
• low readings through a letter box indicate that there could
be much higher readings within a building. Take great care
when entering and carefully monitor the atmosphere before
proceeding further inside the building.
• when inside property, readings should be taken around
skirting boards, under suspended floors, in roof spaces and
where pipes and cables enter the building. Readings at these
positions can indicate gas in a cavity wall, under the floor, in
a cellar and entering from outside.
Gas Escapes - 13 -