As I write Part IV of the Emergency Preparation & Response Blog Series, yet another hurricane is making its way toward the Gulf Coast of the United States, Hurricane Delta.  Having steamrolled the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula she is now over warm Gulf waters gaining strength and heading toward the western Louisiana Coast.  More than any words we might write about the importance of disaster planning, nature herself is putting an exclamation mark to the subject. In this installment I want to discuss steps that can be taken in the event of a gas outage.  Gas outages can occur within gas distribution systems for many reasons some of which may not be associated with a natural disaster such as damage to the line from excavation or pressure equipment malfunction.  Regulated natural gas utilities typically have an emergency plan for restoration after large-scale outages.  These plans will vary by individual gas utility and by individual State requirement, and typically incorporate a process for locking-off affected services, prioritizing according to criticality, and for restoring services after repairs have been made.

In this installment I want to discuss steps that can be taken in the event of a gas outage.  Gas outages can occur within gas distribution systems for many reasons some of which may not be associated with a natural disaster such as damage to the line from excavation or pressure equipment malfunction.  Regulated natural gas utilities typically have an emergency plan for restoration after large-scale outages.  These plans will vary by individual gas utility and by individual State requirement, and typically incorporate a process for locking-off affected services, prioritizing according to criticality, and for restoring services after repairs have been made.

As you contemplate your own emergency plan for gas service interruption keep these considerations in mind:

• Review the gas emergency procedures provided by the local gas company including procedures for relighting appliances after service is restored
• Maintain contact information for a plumber and the local gas utility company
• Determine all the equipment in your facility that uses natural gas and assess its impact to store operations.  The most common gas appliances are stoves, ovens, water heaters and furnaces
• Stock a first aid kit with necessary items
• Where applicable, determine if water heaters are securely anchored to the wall to prevent them from shifting or falling during an earthquake
• If a water heater is elevated, determine if the platform will withstand the weight of the water heater if it moves during an earthquake

Assessing a gas leak:

• If an odor of rotten eggs or sulfur is encountered upon entering the food establishment, check all gas appliances to ensure the pilot lights are burning and that there are no open, un-lit burners
• If an actual gas leak is found, shut off the gas supply to all appliances.  An unsafe condition may exist.  Call the gas utility to turn off the gas supply
• If all pilot lights are burning and there are no open un-lit burners, there may be a gas leak in the appliances, appliance connections, or building piping. Shut off the gas supply to all appliances.  An unsafe condition may exist.  Call the gas utility to turn off the gas supply
• If an odor of rotten eggs or sulfur is encountered upon entering an UNOCCUPIED facility immediately vacate the premises.  Call 911 but DO NOT CALL from inside the facility; make certain you place the call outside and far away from the building

If you intend to maintain business continuity during a gas service interruption, the following must be considered.

• What is the Indirect impact on the business from non-cooking appliances like HVAC or the water heater?  How will you provide hot water for handwashing and dishwashing for example?
• Evaluate whether alternate cooking/heating appliances (i.e. electric) are available to support continued operation
• Pre-establish an abbreviated menu of items not requiring preparation with gas appliances
• Determine whether continued business operation without natural gas would conflict with applicable ordinances and/or adversely impact food safety

Active Food Safety is excited to bring you Part IV in our Emergency Preparation & Response Series.  In Part I we introduced the concept of emergency planning and outlined a few first steps including a discussion of the importance of building relationships with the regulatory authority and writing an approved emergency operating plan.  In Part II we took a closer look at the concept of a master planning matrix.  In Part III we introduced EmergiProtect ©, our free, at-your-fingertips digital solution for responding to critical emergency situations quickly and properly to protect public health and prevent foodborne illness outbreak.  You can review Parts I, II and III below:

Part I

Part II

Part III

Please continue watching for the next installment in this series where we will discuss some top-line items of concern when closing your food facility in preparation for an evacuation order.  Closing correctly on the front end facilitates a smooth reopening on the back end and should not be left to haphazard chance.

At Active Food Safety we have the expertise to help you on your emergency planning journey whether you are just beginning or already have robust plans in need of review.

Mark Miklos, CP-FS