What is an Emergency?

Gas leaks, an odor of gas, damaged lines, and carbon monoxide symptoms are all considered emergencies. If you have an emergency, call our emergency hotline at 1-800-400-4271 . Our personnel are ready to assist you 24/7. When in doubt, call us immediately.

If you smell gas, do not attempt to locate the leak. Instead, leave the house or building right away. Do not turn on or off any electrical switches, appliances, or lights, as an electrical charge could create a spark. When you are in a safe place, call the Peoples emergency hotline.

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2021
June
Safety

National Safety Month: Staying Safe at Work and at Home

Each June, the National Safety Council observes National Safety Month to remind Americans the importance of being safe at work, on the road, and in their homes and communities. As part of an ongoing commitment to safety, Peoples and parent company Essential Utilities are proud to recognize the 25^th annual National Safety Month.

A culture of safety

The safety of employees, customers, and communities is the foundation of Essential's business, and it's why the company invests in safety improvements, implements policies and procedures, and develops technical training and guidelines for each and every Essential, Aqua, and Peoples employee.

Over the last year, Essential has worked to align safety strategies, leverage strengths and experience across the company, and standardize safety practices. To learn more about how employees across the company feel about the culture of safety, Essential shared a Safety Culture Survey with all Peoples and Aqua employees and learned first-hand about employee concerns, questions, and suggestions. From there, management met with field employees to discuss ideas about new work processes and new tools that could be used to solve safety problems and keep employees safe.

“As a result of the Essential Safety Culture Survey, we’re continuing to develop strategies and solutions for the opportunities recommended by employees. These ongoing planning sessions are focused on collaboration and communication, and this team building is what’s going to make us safer and bring us all closer together under Essential Utilities.”
- Chad Ravotti, Peoples Safety & Training Manager

Safety at home

In addition to Peoples’ ongoing efforts to enhance employee safety, the company also prioritizes the safety of customers. We recommend keeping the following safety tips in mind when it comes to natural gas:

Natural gas safety tips

If you suspect a gas leak:
- Leave the home, building or area of the suspected leak, and get to a safe area.
- Call the Peoples’ 24/7 emergency hotline 1-800-400-4271, or call 911 to notify police and fire officials.
- Warn others to stay out of the area.
Do not:
- Touch, breathe in, or make contact with a leak.
- Light a match, turn light switches on or off, use a cell or home phone, or do anything to create a spark.
- Attempt to extinguish any fire.
- Attempt to operate any valves.
- Start a car or operate an automatic garage door.
- Try to find the source of the leak yourself.

Appliance safety

Have gas appliances inspected regularly by a qualified professional at least every year, or as often as the manufacturer recommends.
- Not performing regular maintenance may result in inefficient appliance operation, and in some cases, dangerous exposure to carbon monoxide.
Never store rags, mops, paper, or other combustibles near any gas appliance.
- Never store anything near a gas appliance that might interfere with normal appliance airflow. Make sure that your gas fired appliances have plenty of air so they can work properly.
Never store or use flammable products in the same room or near any gas or heat-producing appliances.
- Such flammable products include gasoline, spray paints, solvents, insecticide, adhesives, insect foggers, varnish, cleaning products, and other pressurized containers.
Check outdoor appliance exhausts year-round.
- If the vent becomes blocked, an emergency switch should stop the furnace from running. Snow or ice can build up and block the opening, and even bird nests and "stink bugs" have been cited as the cause for some furnace vent problems. Never cover openings with mesh or netting, as this may affect proper operation.

Safe digging

Before doing any digging, whether at work or at your home, call 811 at least three days before you dig.
- 811 is the national call-before-you-dig phone number.
- All utility companies will be notified of your planned work and will mark the location of any underground lines.
- Respect the markings and excavate with due care, and be sure to report any and all damage to pipelines, line markers, locator wires, or warning tape to the appropriate utility.
You should notify 811 before you perform any of the following activities:
- Install a fence, mailbox, yard sign, flagpole, or pole for a basketball hoop.
- Install a deck, porch, patio, swimming pool, or garage.
- Install a sprinkler system, pet perimeter fence, septic tank, leach bed, or sand mound.
- Plant trees or bushes.

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Job Safety Awards

The Energy Association of Pennsylvania recently recognized Peoples with several Job Safety Awards. Peoples earned the following awards for our 2020 safety performance:

Safety Achievement Award
Safety Improvement Award
Safety Sustainability Award
Motor Vehicle Fleet Safety Improvement Award
Motor Vehicle Fleet Safety Achievement Award