N.M. Code R. § 17.10.650.15

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 16, August 27, 2024

Section 17.10.650.15 - SAFETY

A.Protective measures:

(1) Each utility shall exercise reasonable care to protect its employees, its customers, and the general public from hazards to which they may be subjected.

(2) Each utility shall maintain a summary of each accident arising from its operations and make such summaries available to the commission upon request.

B.Safety program: Each utility shall adopt and execute a safety program fitted to the size and type of its operations. At a minimum the safety program should:

(1) require employees to use suitable tools and equipment in order to perform their work in a safe manner;

(2) instruct employees in safe methods of performing their work; and

(3) instruct employees who in the course of their work are subject to the hazards of electrical shock, asphyxiation, or drowning in accepted methods of artificial respiration.

C.Customer piping: Each customer's piping system shall be tested for leaks before original service is provided.

(1) Pressure test: If local authorities do not require a pressure test of a customer's piping as set forth in American standard installation of gas appliances and gas piping, ASA Z21.30-1964, the utility shall advise the customer of the desirability of having their plumber conduct such a test.

(2) Leakage test: Before permitting the use of gas at any location the piping system shall be tested for leaks by a method at least equal to that described in section "leakage check after gas turn on" in the American standard installation of gas appliances and gas piping, ASA Z21.30-1964.

D.Gas leaks:

(1) A report of a gas leak shall be given priority over all other service calls and shall promptly be investigated by the utility at no charge to the customer. Repair work done by the utility on the customer's side of the delivery point may be charged to the customer at the utility's regular rate.

(2) The customer shall be advised of the charges involved prior to the commencement of repair work on their side of the delivery point.

E.Odorization: Any gas which is distributed to customers through gas mains or gas services or used for domestic purposes in compressor plants and which does not naturally posses a distinctive odor, to the extent that its presence in the atmosphere is readily detectable at all gas concentrations of one-fifth of the lower explosive limits and above, shall have an odorant added to it to make it so detectable. However, odorization is not necessary for such gas as is delivered for further processing or use where the odorant would serve no useful purpose as a warning agent. Suitable tests must be made to determine whether the odor meets the aforementioned standards.

N.M. Code R. § 17.10.650.15

6-30-88; 17.10.650.15 NMAC - Rn, NMPSC 650.44-650.48, 6-15-05, Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXI, Issue 21, November 10, 2020, eff. 11/10/2020