General Safety Guidelines

Propane is a safe, clean burning and efficient fuel that can be used to heat your home, provide energy for cooking, clothes drying, hot water, grilling, and many other uses around your home. Much like electricity there are some basic safety and handling rules for you to understand.

Please read and follow these safety guidelines and share them with your family to help keep everyone safe and to reduce the risk of serious and potentially fatal injury, fire or explosion.

Propane is an odorless liquefied gas delivered to your home or business by County Gas. To make propane easier to detect in the event of a leak or spill, a chemical compound is added to give it a distinctive rotten egg smell.  It may be hard for some people to smell propane due to diminished sense of smell or the odor of propane may not be strong enough to awaken a sleeping person.  If you are concerned that you or others in your family may have difficulty smelling propane, consider installing a propane leak alarm in any home, business, or recreational vehicle using propane-powered appliances.  Special 12v propane leak alarms, designed specifically for RVs, are available.

Propane is flammable when mixed with air (oxygen) and can be ignited by many sources, including open flames, smoking materials, electrical sparks and static electricity.  Trust your nose; never ignore the smell of propane.  Always treat it as an actual leak until confirmed otherwise.

Propane vapors, like gasoline vapors, are heavier than air and may accumulate in low-lying areas such as basements, crawl spaces, or along floors.

Severe freeze burns or frostbite can result if propane liquid comes in contact with your skin.

As with any fuel, safety must come first whenever you transport, handle, store or use propane.

 

Carbon monoxide (CO) Gas

CO is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and toxic gas which can be produced from Incomplete oxidation during combustion in damaged or malfunctioning gas appliances.  Since this gas can be deadly, Carbon monoxide alarms should be installed in all residences, businesses, and recreational vehicles with propane burning appliances.  Carbon monoxide detectors are available at most hardware or home improvement stores in Indiana like Menards, Home Depot, or Lowes.

 

What To Do If You Smell Gas

IF YOU SMELL GAS:

  1. NO FLAMES OR SPARKS!  Immediately put out all smoking materials and other open flames.  Do not operate appliances, telephones, or cell phones.  Do not turn lights or flashlights on or off.  Flames or sparks from these sources can trigger a fire or explosion.
  2. LEAVE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY!  Get everyone out of the building or area where you suspect gas is leaking.
  3. SHUT OFF THE GAS.  If it is safe to do so, turn off all cylinder or tank supply valves. To close the valve turn it CLOCKWISE (to the right).
  4. REPORT THE LEAK.  From a safe location away from the gas leak, the County Gas 24 Hour Emergency Contact Number (812) 331-2270. If necessary call 911 or your local fire department.
  5. DO NOT RETURN TO THE BUILDING OR AREA until a County Gas representative or emergency department personnel have told you it is safe to do so.
  6. GET YOUR SYSTEM CHECKED. BEFORE YOU RESTART PROPANE APPLIANCES have a qualified service technician inspect your entire propane system to ensure that it is leak free.

 

Emergency Contacts

In case of fire or immediate danger to yourself or others clear the area and then call 911 from a neighbors house.

County Gas provides 24 Hour Emergency Service 365 Days a year by calling 812-331-2270.

During normal business hours tell the person answering the phone the nature of your emergency and they will direct the proper staff to your location.

After hours and on weekends or holidays your call will be routed to our answering service. Please clearly state your name, phone number where you can be reached during the emergency, address, and nature of your problem. A staff member will be paged to respond. If you need local emergency responders, please call 911 first.

To learn more about propane safety please download this safety brochure from the Propane Education and Research Council and view the tutorials on specific safety subjects below.

Propane Safety Brochure