National Grid Tips of the Trade

Welcome to National Grid’s Tips of the Trade. National Grid is committed to your safety, and these tips are intended to help you work safely near our facilities. Please review these tips with your coworkers at your tailgate or toolbox meetings before work begins.

Working safely after storms

Use generators safely

To prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, use generators outdoors in open areas only and at least 20 feet away from doors, windows and vents. If a CO alarm sounds, evacuate the structure and seek fresh air outdoors.

NEVER plug a generator into a wall outlet. Power can energize utility lines, making them unsafe for repair crews and possibly delaying power restoration.

Avoid natural gas hazards

•

Notify 811 before you dig to have buried gas lines and other utilities located and marked.

•

Confirm with the property owner the location of natural gas meters and piping before working in or around any structure.

•

Make sure vent lines for dryers, water heaters or other gas-fueled equipment are properly connected and have not been blocked or compromised by floodwaters, storm debris, snow or ice.

•

Do not operate any gas appliance that has been affected by floodwaters until a qualified professional inspects it and any necessary repairs have been made.

Avoid electrical hazards

•

Stay out of flooded basements.

•

Do not touch electrical appliances or equipment if you are wet or standing in water.

•		If you must work in wet conditions, use tools and extension cords that are suitable for outdoor use and plug them into ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) for shock protection.
•		If you see a fallen power line, assume it is energized and dangerous. Stay far away from the line and anything it is contacting and report it to 911. Avoid walking and driving through floodwaters, as they may hide fallen power lines.

Disconnect utilities before major repair work

If the job involves demolition or major repairs or renovation to a structure with active electric or gas service, contact National Grid at least 15 days prior to starting work to arrange for the utility lines and meters to be properly disconnected.

•

Do NOT start work until you receive a Service Line Disconnect Letter.

Would you like to know more?

Additional utility safety tips, case studies, instructional videos and training tools can all be found, at no charge to you, on National Grid’s e-SMARTworkers website.

Please help us improve our safety tips to meet your training needs. Take our two-minute survey.

Take survey

For more contractor safety information, visit ngridsafety.com.

To report emergencies, call 911 and National Grid immediately.

Smell Gas. Act Fast.

In case of gas emergencies:

Long Island and the Rockaways:
911 and 1-800-490-0045

Metro New York:
911 and 1-718-643-4050

Upstate New York:
911 and 1-800-892-2345

Massachusetts:
911 and 1-800-233-5325

Rhode Island:
911 and 1-800-640-1595

In case of electric emergencies:

Upstate New York:
911 and 1-800-867-5222

Massachusetts:
911 and 1-800-465-1212

Rhode Island:
911 and 1-800-465-1212