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| Welcome to National Grid’s Tips of the Trade. National Grid is committed to your safety, and these tips are intended to help you work safely near our facilities. Please review these tips with your coworkers at your tailgate or toolbox meetings before work begins. |
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| Protect exposed natural gas pipelines |
| Natural gas and propane pipelines that are exposed during construction activities can shift, separate or be damaged when they are not adequately supported by the soil around them, so protecting them is critical. Properly supporting and protecting these pipelines ensures their continued safe operation and helps protect your crew and the public from the very serious risk of a fire or explosion. |
| There are several ways to safely support exposed pipelines. The best method for your jobsite depends on the type and condition of the pipeline, the depth of construction activity and the nature of the surrounding soil. |
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| Work carefully around exposed pipelines |
| Once pipelines have been safely supported, exercise caution when working around them: |
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Do not walk on, climb on, strike or attempt to move exposed pipelines. Even a slight impact or load can separate pipeline joints, damage protective coatings or destabilize supports. |
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Protect the pipeline’s coating. The coating on the pipeline is critical to preventing corrosion. Any wooden beams in contact with the pipeline must be structurally sound and free of nails, and they must be removed prior to backfilling. Cover or pad any support material with dense rubber or polyurethane padding. |
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Supporting slings must be made from nylon and in good condition. Each sling must be properly rated for the load. All slings must be carrying equal loads at intervals no greater than the maximum allowed span of unsupported pipe. |
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Do NOT weld or do other work involving open flames in the vicinity of exposed gas pipelines without the consent of National Grid and implementation of safeguards required to ensure the integrity of plastic pipes and protective coatings. |
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Assure that all backfill materials are free of rocks, concrete and sharp objects. |
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| Report all damages |
Even a slight gouge, scrape or dent to a pipeline or its coating may result in eventual corrosion and cause a break or leak in the future. Any damage to the tracer wire attached to or running alongside the pipe will make it impossible for locators to find the pipeline in the future. Check the pipeline regularly for nicks, dents or other damage. When your excavation work is complete and before you backfill around the pipeline, check it again. Report any damage to National Grid so crews can inspect the line and make the necessary repairs. |
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