At Atmos Energy safety is a top priority, a source of pride and a matter of corporate policy. These policies are carried out in specific and universal ways. For example, safety professionals provide ongoing employee safety evaluations, deliver safety training, conduct rigorous system inspections and testing. Atmos Energy employees and contractors also carry out maintenance, perform repair and replacement programs, distribute public safety information and comply with a wide range of federal and state safety regulations and requirements.

Pipeline Markers
Atmos Energy and other companies install above-ground markers to indicate the location of buried pipelines and gas lines. The markers were developed by the gas industry and later incorporated into the federal regulations for the industry. The natural gas industry is cooperating with other utilities to standardize temporary marking of underground utilities to further enhance public safety. Additionally, the pipeline markers have emergency contact numbers. The standard marking color for natural gas facilities is yellow.

Public Education Programs
The natural gas industry conducts a wide range of information and education programs on natural gas safety, primarily focusing on safety education and what to do if you smell gas. A secondary focus is the potential danger of digging into buried lines. Almost all major media are employed in these programs, including television, radio and print messages; direct mail; public presentations; and school materials. Natural gas utilities have joined together with other industries through the Common Ground Alliance to determine the best methods to improve safety around all buried facilities. The industry participates in the Dig Safely campaign, a joint government-industry public education campaign to alert the public to the importance of good safety practices around buried pipelines. In addition, gas companies work with local emergency-response agencies, such as police and fire departments, to coordinate responses in the unlikely event of a pipeline accident and to educate them about pipeline operations.

Additional Resources

Compression Couplings in Texas
Frequently Asked Questions: Safety Information
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