PRODUCTS/DOT GUIDEBOOK ID#/GUIDE# Hampshire/Portland_Natu… · we understand the crucial role we play in developing and maintaining a safe and efficient pipeline. Since 1999 PNGTS

21 NE STATES_NH CORE20

EMERGENCY CONTACT:1-800-830-9865

PRODUCTS/DOT GUIDEBOOK ID#/GUIDE#:

Natural Gas 1971 115

NEW HAMPSHIRECOUNTIES OF OPERATION:

MAINECOUNTIES OF OPERATION:

VERMONTCOUNTIES OF OPERATION:

_______________________________________Changes may occur. Contact the operator to discuss their pipeline systems and areas of operation.

PNGTS Contact information18 Commons Avenue

Windham, Maine 04062Phone: 207-892-0781

ABOUT PORTLAND NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION SYSTEM (PNGTS)

Transportation of natural gas through pipelines is the nation’s safest method of transporting energy. Portland Natural Gas Transmission System (PNGTS), operated by TC Energy, operates a 188-mile, high pressure natural gas pipeline system in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. PNGTS transports natural gas to customers in the Northeast United States. At PNGTS, we understand the crucial role we play in developing and maintaining a safe and efficient pipeline. Since 1999 PNGTS has succeeded in operating a safe and productive gas transmission system. PNGTS has become a vital economic partner and responsible community member throughout the areas we serve. If you have questions about our pipeline system or would like additional information call us at 800-633-1721 or visit our website at www.pngts.com. You can also call the following:Wayne Oosterman at (800) 633-1721

ABOUT NATURAL GAS

• Natural Gas is abundant, environmentally friendly, and a competitive energy value.

• About 99% of the natural gas used in the United States is produced right here in North America.

• The natural gas transported through our system is virtually odorless and colorless in its natural state. PNGTS odorizes the gas in our pipeline near the USA/Canada border with the characteristic “rotten egg” smell most often associated with natural gas. This is accomplished by injecting an odorant into our pipelines.

• Natural gas is flammable. It will burn when mixed with air and ignited.

• Natural gas is lighter than air and will rise and diffuse rapidly.

• Natural gas is an anesthetic at high concentrations; extremely high concentrations in a confined space can cause suffocation because of a lack of oxygen.

• The natural gas in our pipeline is

under high pressure, around 20 to 30 times that of a properly inflated automobile tire.

HOW SAFE IS THE PIPELINE?

• We design, construct, and test our pipelines to withstand more pressure that they will ever carry.

• We apply corrosion resistant coatings to the inside and outside of the pipe.

• We use a method known as cathodic protection (application of low-level electrical charge) to further safeguard against corrosion.

• We conduct regular surveillance of our system to identify unusual activity or areas of potential concern.

• We perform scheduled preventative maintenance on our pipeline to ensure that valves, equipment, and other facilities are in good working order.

• We operate a state-of-the-art gas control center 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to continuously monitor our system.

• We conduct on-going public education programs and make regular contact with local police, fire and emergency response teams.

• We have an Integrity Management Program that identifies areas where there may be a greater potential for a pipeline leak to affect the public. The program provides supplemental safety measures for these areas.

WHERE IS THE PIPELINE?

• Our pipelines are buried underground within a narrow strip of land (also referred to as “right-of-way”) that is generally free of trees and shrubs. We use our right-of-way to gain access to the pipeline for inspection,maintenance, testing or emergencies. For these reasons, certain activities such as erecting structures and planting trees on the right-of-way are restricted.

• We use a variety of markers and signs along the rightof-way to alert people to the general location of our pipelines. Markers are typically placed where our pipelines intersect streets,

railroads, river, or heavily congested areas.

• Do not rely on pipeline markers to show you the pipelines’ location or path. Instead, in VT, NH and ME call Dig Safe at 1-888-DIG-SAFE (1-888- 344-7233) or the new National “One Call” notification number 811. Our company and other utilities will send a representative to your proposed excavation site to mark buried utilities at no cost to you.

• If you are interested in learning more about the locations of pipelines in

Portland Natural Gas Transmission System (PNGTS)

EMERGENCY CONTACT:1-800-830-9865

Essex

Coos

CumberlandFranklin

Oxford


your community, contact the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS). The NPMS can be reached at Research and Special Programs Administration, U.S. Department of

Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW, Room 7128, Washington D.C. 20590-0001 or at www.npms.rspa.dot.gov.

DIGGING SAFELY

• Unauthorized digging by contractors, farmers, and homeowners is a leading cause of pipeline accidents.

• Call your One-Call Center before you dig by hand or with machinery. It could prevent accidents, injuries, or death. In VT, NH and ME call Dig Safe at 1-888-DIG-SAFE (1-888- 344-7233) or the new National “One Call” notification number 811.

• Advise others to contact us before performing any activity that might damage our pipeline.

• Contact us if you observe any drilling, excavating, or blasting in the vicinity of our pipeline.

• Call before you dig, it’s the law! 811 is the new number you should call before you begin any digging project.

BEING A PARTNER IN PIPELINE SAFETY

Although leaks on an interstate natural gas pipeline are rare, it is important to know how to recognize the signs of a leak.

Look For…• Dead or dying vegetation on or near

a pipeline in an area that is usually green.

• Water bubbling or being blown into the air at a pond, creek, or river.

• Dirt being blown or appearing thrown into the air.

• Fire coming from the ground or appearing to burn above the ground.

Listen for…• A roaring, blowing or hissing sound.

Smell for…• A possible natural gas or petroleum

odor, with the understanding that lack of odor doesn’t guarantee a problem-free pipeline.

What to do if you suspect a leak…• Immediately turn off and abandon

motorized equipment you may be operating.

• Do not use open flames or operate any electrical or other device that may cause ignition of the gas leak (e.g., cell phones, flashlights, motor vehicles, cigarettes).

• Leave the area quickly and warn others to stay away.

• Do not attempt to operate pipeline valves - leave that to our trained employees.

• From a safe location, call the pipeline operator and your local fire or police department.

• If you notice any suspicious activity on the right-of-way or near our facilities or offices, report it immediately to us and to local authorities.

PNGTS’ 24-HOUR EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER

800•830•9865

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS

The following information is part of our company’s program to acquaint Emergency Responders with public safety along our pipeline in the event that you should be called upon to respond to any emergency at any of our locations. Be assured that emergencies (fires, line breaks, etc.) are extremely rare in our industry.

The following material is intended to help you, and us, in the unlikely event that an emergency might occur. If you would like to talk with a PNGTS representative, please call 800•633•1721.

Our pipeline system consists of a 24 inch diameter Mainline, a12 inch diameter Lateral in Maine and some 8 inch diameter delivery lines in Maine and New Hampshire. The internal pressure of the pipeline system can be up to 1440 pounds per square inch (psi). They transport natural gas from Quebec Canada to Westbrook Maine, Jay Maine and the Massachusetts market area.

The information below provides an outline of points to remember when dealing with a natural gas fire at any of our facilities. Remember, our people are trained in detail on how to deal with high-pressure natural gas. Without their input, the risk to those involved can be greatly increased. Therefore, we urge you to contact us in the event of any emergency. Our emergency telephone numbers, reachable 24 hours a day, seven days a week are 800•830•9865.

Thank you for your cooperation. We hope and expect that reference to the following materials will never be necessary, but if it ever is, we hope you will keep the information available at all times for ready reference.

GUIDELINES FOR RESPONDING TO AN EMERGENCY AT ACOMPANY FACILITY

EVACUATE THE PUBLIC TO A SAFE DISTANCE

A safe distance will be readily apparent to you in case of a fire. However, a major leak that has not ignited will require your judgment. When setting safe-distance parameters, think in terms of miles, not yards.

DO NOT TRY TO EXTINGUISH A NATURAL GAS FIRE

The most effective way to fight a natural gas fire is to shut off the gas. Personnel from PNGTS will do this.

COORDINATE YOUR EFFORTS

PNGTS personnel will be at an emergency scene as quickly as possible. Please contact them as soon as they (or you) arrive and coordinate your efforts with theirs. They are trained in handling natural gas emergencies and will be in contact with other employees who will close the nearest upstream and downstream valves (these valves are several miles apart). PNGTS mainline valves are remotely operated by our gas control. The valves may already have been closed prior to any PNGTS personnel arriving on site.

CONTAIN SECONDARY FIRES

Secondary fires in surrounding vegetation may occur during a natural gas fire. If so, please contain them and institute other damage control measures as necessary.

Line Marker Aerial Marker Vent Marker Warning Sign



POST EMERGENCY

PNGTS personnel will restore the pipeline to service as quickly as possible, normally by doing around-the-clock repairs. They may need your assistance with crowd and traffic control.

24-HOUR EMERGENCYTELEPHONE NUMBER

800•830•9865

OUR FIELD OPERATIONS EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN

RESPONSIBILITIES

PNGTS’ Area Manager is responsible for the development and maintenance of the Emergency Action Plan for each facility. This includes the adequate training of facility employees, designation of Emergency Leaders at each facility, the production and maintenance of an Emergency Evacuation Map for each station, and lists of all major fire hazards for each facility as described below.

When an emergency situation develops within the facility, the employee or building occupant who first discovers the condition will either immediately initiate emergency action and/or notify the facility Emergency Leader, depending upon the situation. The Emergency Leader will then assess the situation for the appropriate level of response and whether the emergency shutdown system and/or emergency alarm system should be activated to evacuate the building or facility.

In the absence of the Emergency Leader, all other employees are authorized to fulfill this role. For example, if there is a small fire and a trained individual can safely put out the fire in a timely manner with a fire extinguisher, it may not be necessary to suspend operations and evacuate the entire facility.

The Operations Area Manager will en-sure that all fire protection equipment (e.g., smoke detectors, fire hoses, fire ex-tinguishers, sprinkler systems, fire doors, etc.) is in proper operating condition, and is regularly inspected and tested.

GENERAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIONS

Listed below are the steps that Operations Area Managers would generally follow in the event of a reported emergency:

1. Receives notification indicating an emergency or potential emergency exists.

2. Evaluates the information received and determines if immediate action is required or if further checks should be made.

3. Advises Operations personnel of the action to be taken to protect the public, property, environment and facilities and evaluates whether service can be maintained.

4. Evaluates additional information as it becomes available and, if an emergency situation exists or may exist, orders an on-site investigation. Assistance of other Operations and Engineering personnel may be requested.

5. Communicates with personnel to determine conditions at the scene and what facilities are affected. May establish a communication center (Incident Command Center) to direct communications with on-site personnel. If necessary, assigns an Incident Commander or determines if a transfer of incident command responsibility to Emergency Responders under the Incident Command System is required (see Interfacing with the Incident Command System below).

6. Makes all required notifications of local emergency responders and provides updates to necessary Company personnel and emergency responder representatives.

7. Initiates and maintains the required Emergency Event Log until the emergency response activities are completed.

8. Determines what further corrective action is necessary and what manpower, equipment, materials, or other assistance is required to contain/stabilize the emergency condition.

9. Directs field operations from the Incident Command Center or from the scene, if necessary.

10. Arranges with Engineering for return of the facilities to normal operation.

11. Arranges for the replacement of emergency materials used on the job.

The site specific facility Emergency Action Plans are available for review by local emergency response officials. Please contact PNGTS at 800- 633-1721 to schedule an Emergency Plan review and discussion meeting for your individual communities.

INTERFACING WITH THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM

1. If emergency responders have setup an Incident Command Center prior to the arrival of PNGTS personnel:• The first PNGTS employee

to arrive at the site should be introduced to the Incident Commander as the PNGTS representative, and

• That employee should remain the Company point-of-contact with the Incident Commander until relieved of duty by another PNGTS representative.

Note: It is likely that the local emergency responders will arrive at the site prior to PNGTS personnel. The average response time to various locations along our pipeline system may exceed 2 hours depending on time of day, incident location, weather conditions etc.

2. When emergency responders are not yet on the scene:• The first PNGTS employee to

arrive at the site should serve as Emergency Leader and/or Incident Commander (if assigned by the Operations Area Manager), and

• That employee assesses the situation and, through communication with the Operations Area manager and Gas Control, takes all necessary actions to protect people and property, and secure the flow of gas.

3. If emergency responders arrive after a PNGTS employee and set up an Incident Command Center:• The PNGTS Emergency Leader

should be introduced as the PNGTS point-of-contact, brief the Incident Commander of the event status, and

• That employee should remain the Company point-of-contact until the incident has been made safe or until relieved of duty by the Operations Area manager or another PNGT representative.

SPECIFIC EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIONS

The PNGTS Area Manager shall ensure the investigation of each report of a gas leak or line failure. If a gas leak is reported, Operations personnel shall be dispatched to the reported site to determine its severity. If there is no obvious indication of a leak, by sight or



sound, the area will be checked with gas detection equipment to determine the presence and concentration of gas.

In all cases where a potentially hazardous leak is found, emergency response officials will be notified those living within 1,000 feet of the site will be evacuated, and the area will be isolated until the unsafe condition has been eliminated. A potentially hazardous leak is one that could possibly escalate to a state of failure under the existing operating conditions.

If a line failure occurs, emergency response officials will be notified and operations personnel will be dispatched to the main line valve sites on each side of the affected segment of pipeline to assure main line valves have closed (All main line valves have low pressure controls that, when activated, will automatically close the valve. In addition, many main line valves can be remotely controlled by Gas Control).

Once an emergency has been confirmed and efforts to preserve life and property are underway, Gas Control will be immediately notified. The Gas Controller will follow Company notification procedures.

When an emergency is confirmed, the emergency site must be secured and made safe for employees and the public. This may require barricades at the site and posting of Personnel to control unauthorized access. When investigating a reported emergency, personnel shall be trained to take the following actions:

1. Gas Leak - Inside a Building If gas is venting or detected by use

of leak detection equipment inside a building, the following actions are to be taken:• Clear the building of all people.• Use every practical means to

eliminate sources of ignition.• Ventilate the affected portion of the

building.• Keep others out of building and

away from the area.

2. Gas Leak - Outside and Near a Building If gas is venting or detected near a

building, by leak detection equipment, the following actions are to be taken:• Clear the building and area of

people.

• Close windows, doors or other openings in nearby buildings.

• Remove and extinguish all open flames. Prohibit smoking in the area and take any other precautions to prevent ignition.

• Restrict or reroute traffic until gas flow is under control.

3. Fire If a fire occurs at a pipeline facility, all

precautions shall be taken to prevent it from spreading to other facilities. If a fire directly involves a compressor station, control building, office, garage, or meter building, the gas will be shut-in and vented from the facility. The employee discovering the fire will call the local fire department for aid and then contact the Gas Controller and then their Operations Area Manager.• The Operations Area Managers

will provide an annual educational program to familiarize employees with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage firefighting. Employees not involved in fighting the fire must follow the facility Emergency Action Plan and evacuate to predetermined locations.

• EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY if ;• the fire involves solvents,• the fire covers more than 60

square feet,• the fire is hidden behind a wall

or ceiling, or if the fire cannot be reached with the extinguisher from a standing position,

• respiratory protection is needed,• the heat from the fire is easily

felt on exposed skin making it difficult to approach within 10-15 feet of the fire,

• the smoke, heat, or fire may block the evacuation path.

Employees will be trained for the use of fire extinguishers upon initial employment and then annually. This training will include the circumstance when it is acceptable to fight a fire with a hand held extinguishers. Use the following sequence as a guideline for fighting a fire with a portable fire extinguisher.1) Sound Emergency Evacuation

Alarm, contact fire department2) Identify a safe evacuation path

before approaching fire3) DO NOT allow fire, heat or smoke

to come between you and your evacuation path

4) Select an appropriate type of extinguisher

5) Discharge the extinguisher within its effective range using P.A.S.S. technique (pull, aim, squeeze and sweep)

6) Back away from an extinguished fire in case it flames up again

7) EVACUATE immediately if the extinguisher is empty and the fire is not out.

8) EVACUATE immediately if the fire progresses beyond the Incipient Stage.

4. Explosion If an explosion occurs near a pipeline

facility during normal working hours, the first employee aware of the explosion will contact their Manager and Gas Control.

The responsible Operations Area Manager is required to ensure that the immediate area is inspected for visual damage to pipeline facilities and the area checked with leak detection equipment to be assured there is no presence or concentration of gas.

5. Natural Disasters When a natural disaster occurs, e.g.,

an earthquake, flood, or tornado, the facility shall be monitored during the disaster and inspected for damages afterwards. If the facility is damaged or threatened by the disaster, all precautions shall be taken to protect life and property.

Flooding• If a PNGTS facility is in danger of

being flooded station personnel should maintain contact with officials as to any road closures that may hamper access to the facility. All but essential personnel should be evacuated. If necessary, all employees will be evacuated.

Forest Fires• All PNGTS employees shall

immediately notify the Area Manager and Gas Control of any fire observed or reported in the vicinity of a compressor station, meter station, or other remote facility. Gas Control shall then make the necessary internal notifications.

• The Area Manager or his/her designee should maintain communication with the appropriate forest management personnel regarding the status and direction



of the fire and on any road closures that may hamper access to PNGTS’ affected facilities.

6. Bomb Threat – Terrorist Action• Refer to the Emergency Procedures

Manual, Arson and Bomb Threat Checklist for instruction on how to respond to and document the contact.

7. Work Place Violence• All threats are to be taken seriously

and immediately reported to the Area Manager. If immediate contact with Area Manager is unsuccessful, contact the Director of Operations or the Human Resources representative.

• If necessary contact police departments immediately for control of the situation.

• Seek a safe location, or evacuate.

8. Procedures for Employees Performing Rescue or Medical Duties Employees are not trained to conduct

rescue operations of any kind. Some employees have training to enter confined spaces, but are not authorized for the rescue of personnel. Emergency Response personnel should be contacted to assist with any needed rescue.• Facility or Area personnel will

coordinate emergency services with a local hospital or medical provider in the event of a medical emergency.

• In remote areas, an employee trained in first aid and/or CPR may provide a reasonable level of care to the individual until medical help arrives.

• Each facility will have at least one fully stocked medical first aid kit readily available.

8. Toxic Gas or Chemical Spill If a PNGTS facility is notified of

a potentially dangerous situation involving an outside source of toxic gas or chemical spill, the Emergency Leader or designated employee will maintain contact with local officials

and determine evacuation routes, if necessary. For on site PNGTS chemical spills, the area surrounding the spill will be evacuated and all individuals will remain upwind of outdoor spills

until the chemical is identified and proper safety procedures for clean-up are identified. Refer to the Emergency Response Guidebook for evacuation distances for specific chemicals.


Documents

PRODUCTS/DOT GUIDEBOOK ID#/GUIDE# Hampshire/Portland_Natu… · we understand the crucial role we play in developing and maintaining a safe and efficient pipeline. Since 1999 PNGTS