Utility Safety Tips

Electric Safety

  • Never touch a downed or hanging power line, and always keep a safe distance.
  • If your electricity is not working, check your main breaker panel first. If the breaker is still on, call your electric utility and report the outage.
  • Watch for overhead electric lines when working at a home, business, or rural property. Ladders, poles, and tall machinery that come in contact with electric lines could cause serious injuries.
  • Hire a professional to trim trees away from power lines.
  • Call 911 immediately if you or someone has been injured.

Safety is our top priority. Electric utilities are inspected by IUC Safety and Engineering staff to make sure they follow state and federal safety standards.

Natural Gas Safety

If you think you smell natural gas:

  • Leave the building or area immediately and call 911 or your local gas utility.
  • Do not use any electrical equipment or tool that might cause a spark near a possible gas leak area.

Transporting Natural Gas

Moving natural gas through pipelines is the safest method of transportation based on statistics. It is a safe product as long as it moves through a closed controlled system. Natural gas is only a potential hazard when it escapes into the environment. Pipeline failures can be caused by many things. Data from the federal Office of Pipeline Safety shows "outside force" damage is the largest single cause of all pipeline accidents. Outside force damage usually happens when people are digging near a pipeline. Other categories of pipeline damage include:

  • Construction errors
  • Material defects
  • Pipeline corrosion, both internal and external
  • Operator error (incorrect operation by operator personnel)
  • Malfunction of control systems or relief equipment

Pipeline Safety

Pipeline safety is governed by Title 49, United States Code, chapter 601, Safety. The law empowers the IUC to to regulate gas pipeline safety for intrastate natural gas operators. IUC Safety and Engineering staff enforce federal and state pipeline safety rules and inspect the following for compliance with pipeline safety standards: 

  • natural gas distribution system operators
  • LPG distribution system operators
  • intrastate and interstate natural gas transmission pipeline operators

The inspections ensure that gas operators comply with the federal and state pipeline safety standards.  IUC Safety and Engineering works closely with the federal U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's State Programs (PHMSA), to ensure pipelines are safely operated and maintained.

Underground Locate Service (Iowa One Call)

Iowa law requires any excavator — including homeowners — to have the location of all utility lines marked before digging by hand or with equipment. You must ensure a locate request is made to Iowa One Call at 811 or 800-292-8989 a minimum of two days (excluding Saturday, Sunday and state holidays) before digging starts. 

One Call complaints may be filed online with the IUC or the Iowa Attorney General's office. The IUC investigates all One Call complaints and the Attorney General's office oversees enforcement of the law,  which can include issuing civil penalties.

For more information:

Additional safety resources & contacts

Iowa Electrical Safety Code - 199 Iowa Administrative Code chapter 25
Iowa One Call - ticketing portal and locator information
Common Ground Iowa - promoting safety around utilities and damage prevention to underground infrastructure
Call 811 - national 811 campaign
PHMSA Safety Performance Listings by State
Pipeline and Informed Planned Alliance (PIPA)
National Pipeline Mapping System
Natural Gas Operators Map - pdf
Pipeline Map - Iowa  - pdf (March 1999)
Railroad & Utility Emergency Contact Information