American Gas - August/September 2010 - (Page 22)

safety first safet y | securit y | reliabilit y alleviating the strain Newer products can mean a less painful experience for leak-repair workers. FindinG buried gas leaks can be a physically daunting experience for workers. The process often requires pounding a bar into the ground and pulling it back out again—both of which can be grueling tasks. Workers determine if there is a leak by waiting for the natural gas that is in the ground to fill the hole left behind by the bar, poking a combustible-gas indicator into the hole and determining the concentration of gas. The higher the gas concentration, the closer they are to the leak. This operation is known by various names: barholing, pinbaring and leak probing. On average, 12 holes are needed to locate a leak, and at any time thousands of leaks are occurring in U.S. distribution main and service lines—so that adds up to a lot of holes. A surprising number of utility workers are still banging metal rods into the ground with sledgehammers, which can lead to worker injury. In fact, several utilities have determined that barholing is a cause of significant losttime injuries and medical costs. While some companies have been using the same tools and techniques for the last 100 years, others are experimenting with newer products and processes. What options are available today, and how can leak probing be made safer and easier? How It’s Done Now Typically, the best way to find a gas leak under a paved street is to drill a hole. Today’s crews most commonly use handheld pneumatic rock drills and electric hand drills. A specialty pneumatic drill mounted on a lightweight cart was developed a while back by the natural gas industry and the E-Z Drill company. George Ragula, distribution technology manager at PSE&G, worked on the development of the E-Z Drill Model 20 UTL. “We got started with the E-Z Drill in 1994 after seeing it at an equipment show where it was used to automate the process of making barholes for leak-pinpointing operations,” Ragula recalls. “The process back then was both time-consuming and labor-intensive, causing worker fatigue [and injury] and often leading to less-than-favorable pinpointing results combined with low productivity. “The original E-Z Drill we saw was used for BRUCE K. CAMPBELL manages the a worker uses the e-Z Drill 20 utL to prospect for leaks. Ergonomic Tool Development website, www.ErgonomicToolDevelopment. com, an information source for innovative tools for natural gas distribution field operations. For 25 years, Campbell has worked in gas distribution field operations, developing and testing new tools that minimize costs and improve safety. He may be reached at bruce@ErgonomicToolDevelopment.com. AmericAn GAs 22 august/september 2010 http://www.ErgonomicToolDevelopment.com http://www.ErgonomicToolDevelopment.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - August/September 2010

American Gas - August/September 2010
Contents
President’s Message - Energy Efficiency: Consider the Source
In the Know - Natural Gas in the Wake of Climate Change Legislation
Industry News
Safety First - Alleviating the Strain
More Power to You
An Online Power Boost
Vendor News
Places to Be
Noteworthies
Marketplace
Advertisers’ Index
Jobline
Facts on Gas

American Gas - August/September 2010