This document provides safety tips for working around natural gas pipelines. It advises that if a gas leak is suspected, to move upwind, call 911, and contact PG&E. It lists signs of a possible gas leak as smelling a rotten egg odor, hearing hissing or roaring sounds, and seeing dirt spraying or dead vegetation. The document emphasizes calling 811 before digging to have underground utility lines marked. It also provides PG&E's contact information and resources for natural gas safety education materials.

1. Fold-out
safety tips
poster
Learn how to be safe
around natural gas pipelines
Keepyour
school safe

2. Respond to a gas leak
If you suspect a gas leak, or if you strike, dent
or scrape an underground gas line:
• Alert others and move to an upwind location.
• Call 911 to notify local first responders.
• Contact PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
Spot a natural gas leak
Natural gas pipeline leaks can occur due to
careless or unsafe excavation and may lead to
evacuations, natural gas service outages, fire,
property damage or serious injury. Be aware
of the warning signs of a possible gas leak.
Smell: Smelling a “rotten egg” odor may be
an indication of a gas leak due to the odorant
we add for your safety.*
Sound: Listen for hissing, whistling or
roaring sounds coming from underground
or gas appliances.
Sight: Look for dirt spraying into the air,
bubbling in a pond or creek and dead/dying
vegetation in an otherwise moist area.
Be smart. Be safe around natural gas.
Know what’s below!
Planting a tree? Doing maintenance
work on campus? Make sure your
contractor contacts 811 at least two
working days before beginning any
digging and planting projects on school property.
It’s FREE and it’s the law.
“PG&E” refers to Pacific Gas and Electric Company a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation. ©2019 Pacific Gas and Electric
Company. All rights reserved. PG&E prints its materials with soy-based inks on recycled paper.
Do not use anything that could be a source
of ignition until you are a safe distance away.
Vehicles, cell phones, electric switches,
doorbells and garage door openers might
create a spark.
Call 811 or visit california811.org at least
two working days before you dig and plant.
California law requires contractors to use
this FREE service.
Mark your project area in white.
Leave all colored flags, stakes or paint
marking underground lines in place
until you finish digging. These markers,
placed by utility companies, are valid
for 28 days.
Use hand tools when working within
24 inches of the outside edge of any
underground lines.
Four steps to safety
Order free educational materials at
pgesafetyeducation.com/school.
Download additional teaching resources at
pge.com/educationalresources.
The PG&E
Safe Kids Program
Get free educational materials for teachers
and students on how to stay safe around
natural gas and electricity.
• Teacher guides for developing safety education
plans tailored to their students
• Fun, interactive student website for grades K-8
• Educational safety books for grades K-8; some
also available in Spanish
PROPOSED
EXCAVATION
TEMPORARY
SURVEY MARKING
Color code for marking underground utility lines
ELECTRIC POWER
LINES
GAS, OIL, STEAM,
CHEMICAL
CABLE,
COMMUNICATION
POTABLE WATERIRRIGATIONSEWER,
STORM DRAIN
*Some people may not be able to smell the odor due to a diminished sense of smell,
olfactory fatigue (normal, temporary inability to distinguish an odor after prolonged
exposure), or because it is masked or hidden by other odors. Also, certain conditions
in the pipe and soil can cause odor fade—the loss of odorant—so that it is not
detectable by smell.

3. Your school can play an important role
in educating the community about natural
gas safety.
Please display the safety poster in your teacher
lounge and share this gas safety information with
your maintenance staff to keep your school safe.
Your safety is our priority
DISTRIBUTION
Delivers gas
to your homes,
schools and
businesses
Plastic or steel
pipeline size:
0.25 to 24 inches
Lower pressure: Less than 60 pounds per square inch
TRANSMISSION
Carries gas
across the state
Steel pipeline
size:
2 to 42 inches
Higher pressure: Greater than 60 pounds per square inch
Did you know?
6min.
Nationwide, an
underground utility
is damaged EVERY
PG&E operates and maintains natural gas transmission
and distribution pipelines across California. Because
our most important responsibility is the safety of our
customers, we monitor our gas pipelines 24 hours a day,
7 days a week.
We also regularly conduct ground inspections, aerial
patrols and surveys of our system. Learn about the
pipelines in your area at pge.com/pipelinelocations.

4. CCR-0519-0786
INDICIA
FPO
Work safely above and below.
Know the lines below
pge.com/811
Mind the lines above
pge.com/mindthelines
For assistance in English, please call
1-888-743-7431
Para ayuda en español, por favor llame al
1-800-660-6789
要用粵語/國語請求協助，請致電
1-800-893-9555
Kung kailangang makipag-usap sa
nakakasalita ng Tagalog, tumawag sa
1-888-743-7431
Để được giúp đỡ bằng tiếng Việt, xin gọi
1-800-298-8438
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
P.O. Box 997315
Sacramento, CA 95899
Questions? We’re here for you.
Visit pge.com/safety or contact us at the
numbers below.