# Office of Pipeline Safety — Pipeline Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** PI-97-007
- **title:** Office of Pipeline Safety — Pipeline Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 1997-06-17
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** PI-97-007 response to Office of Pipeline Safety concerning 192.615.
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- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1997/PI97007.pdf
**body:**

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1
June 17, 1997
Mr. Edward J. Ondak
Director, Western Regional Office
Office of Pipeline Safety
Suite A-250
12600 W. Colfax Avenue
Lakewood, CO 80215
Dear Mr. Ondak:
This responds to your letter of April 22, 1997, about emergency procedures under
49 CFR 192.615(a)(3)(I) for handling notices of gas detected inside buildings. You ask
if we have an official position on what operators should tell someone who calls to report
smelling gas inside a house. The question arises because some operators tell callers
to leave the house immediately without first opening windows and doors. In contrast,
the traditional response has been to tell callers to open all accessible windows and
doors before exiting. In either case, the operator sends personnel to the site to
investigate the report.
Section 192.615(a)(3)(I) allows operators latitude in responding to notices of gas odor
inside buildings. As long as an operators response is prompt and is effective in
minimizing the hazard, there would be little reason, if any, to challenge the
appropriateness of the operators procedures. Given the pros and cons of taking time
in a gas emergency to open windows and doors before exiting, we do not think there is
sufficient reason to challenge the effectiveness of a response that tells callers to exit
quickly without stopping to open windows and doors.
If you need additional information, please contact me.
Sincerely,
Richard D. Huriaux
Director for Technology and Regulations
Office of Pipeline Safety
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