DOB Local Law 152
PERIODIC GAS PIPE SYSTEM INSPECTION PRELIMINARY SITE OVERVIEW
Interior Gas Piping Safety Inspections
NYC Local Law 152 Overview
Requires all gas piping systems in all building to be inspected at least once every five years
- Federal regulations have changed the definition of Jurisdictional Piping
- As newly defined, includes piping up to the gas meter
- NYS Public Service Commission may establish a new requirement related to the inspection of service piping
- Inspections must be performed by:
- Licensed Master Plumber (LMP)
- Individual under direct and continuing supervision of a LMP
- Individual with qualifications established by Rule
Inspection scope must include:
- All exposed gas lines from point of entry of gas piping into a building, up to individual tenant spaces
- Includes the gas meter
- Inspectors should identify:
- Atmospheric corrosion
- POE wall penetration not sealed
- Illegal connections
- Non Code-compliant installations
Inspection scope must include:
- In addition to exposed piping, the following must be tested with a portable gas detector:
- Public spaces
- Hallways
- Corridors
- Mechanical rooms
- Boiler rooms
Inspection Due Dates
- To be established by DOB
- 5 Year cycle
- 5 Boroughs
- Further broken down by block
- Alternative timeline for new buildings
- 10th year after letter of completion, certification of occupancy, or completion date as determined by DOB Rule
Visually Inspect Exposed Gas Piping
- Conditions Inspected for are
- Abnormal Operating Conditions (AOC’s)
- Identify Atmospheric Corrosion & Severity
- AOC’s are potentially unsafe conditions such as a gas leak, illegal connections, and atmospheric corrosion.
Abnormal Operating Conditions Requiring Notification To The Gas Company
If conditions allow, please stand-by to ensure utility company access if requested to do so
- ANY LEAK INDICATION Regardless of Odor!!! (fitting indication etc..)
- Inadequate or excess gas pressure
- Inappropriate or illegal piping connections/theft or diversion of service
- Damaged interior piping
- POE wall penetration not sealed
- Insufficient pipe supports, meter and regulator supports
- Inappropriate grounding to gas piping
- Jurisdictional piping not installed to Utility specifications
- Pressure regulator vent piping not installed properly or maintained
- Moderate or Severve Atmospheric Corrosion (Especially at POE!)
- Lack of a gassy odor (odor fade/masking)
- Any condition downstream of the meter which has impact on public safety (improper venting of appliance, improper piping connections, etc.)
Conditions Presenting An Immediate Safety Risk - Get Out!!!
- Gas Lead that Presents Immediate Danger
- Blowing Gas
- Uncontrolled leak
- Any Odor or Gas Reading in Free Air When Entering a Building or Performing an Inspection
- CO Detection
- Odor of Gas in a Building
- Fire or Explosion
- Immediately Exit The Building, Notify Occupants/Building Owner On Your Way Out
- Once Outside The Building, Notify 911 or the Utility Company
- Document Your Findings, Await Assistance
Con Ed – (800) 752-6633
National Grid – (718) -643-4050
Atmospheric Corrosion
Medium Corrosion Severity Level 3 - MUST BE REPORTED
Medium Corrosion Severity Level 4 - REPORT IMMEDIATELY
DO NOT ATTEMPT to move or handle pip as it may break off or cause a leak
Abnormal Operating Condition (AOC)
Example 1
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Example 7
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GMI PS200-LMP Gas Leak Detector
- Utilities are developing an application for Bluetooth connectivity with device to record & report leak inspection results & location in real time.
- The Inspector(s) will have this device & use this device to conduct inspection(s).
- NYC DOB BIN# must be entered in PS200-LMP, verifying test with the NYC DOB.
- Any reading above 0, utility must be contacted.
- 30-day cycle before PS200-LMP locks out & requires calibration.
- Complies with NYC LL 152 and inside gas jurisdiction & distributional inspections.
Gas Op Qual Certified Inspector Requirements
- The US DOT Pipieline Safety & Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) has regulatory authority. The NYC DOB, ConEd, & Nat Grid must follow PHMSA guidelines.
- NYC DOB, ConEd, & Nat Grid have the authority to request proof of a workers Gas Operator Card, which must always be carried.
- All gas inspections, maintenance, or installation work.
- Must be a Plumbing Foundation member, complete training & pass exams.
- Covered Task 86: Interior jurisdictional piping safety inspections.
- Covered Task 87: Interior jurisdictional piping construction & maintenance.
- Must pass written & practical exams.
- Random drug testing.
- Must take refresher course every 3-years to maintain active status.
COVERED TASK 86:
Conducting Interior Jurisdictional Piping Safety Inspections
COVERED TASK 87:
Conducting Interior Jurisdictional Piping Construction and Maintenance Activities
Inspection Period & Reporting Guidelines
Inspections must be performed and submitted once every 5 years, with different due date cycles for each borough: (SEE AMENDED SCHEDULED)
- January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019: Staten Island
- January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020: Bronx
- January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021: Manhattan
- January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022: Queens
- January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023: Brooklyn
- If your building does not have a gas piping system, you are still required to comply with this law.
Amended Schedule
Gas piping inspections will be conducted on a cycle based on Community Boards (CB) within each Borough:
- Between 1/1/2020 and 12/31/2020 and every 4 years, CBs 1, 3, 10 in all Boroughs must have building gas piping systems inspected,
- Between 1/1/2021 and 12/31/2021 and every 4 years, CBs 2, 5, 7, 13, 18 in all Boroughs must have building gas piping systems inspected,
- Between 1/1/2022 and 12/31/2022 and every 4 years, CBs 4, 6, 8, 9, 16 in all Boroughs must have building gas piping systems inspected,
- Between 1/1/2023 and 12/31/2023 and every 4 years, CBs 11, 12, 14, 15, 17 in all Boroughs must have building gas piping systems inspected.
- New buildings will first be inspected the 10th year from the date of certificate of occupancy and then subject to the above cycle.
Reporting Requirements
Submit to the Owner within 30-days
- Inspection Report – Includes a list of unsafe conditions leaks, non-compliant conditions, and illegal connections.
- Certification of Licensed Master Plumber (LMP) and any other Gas Operator Qualified worker who performed the inspection under the LMP’s supervision.
Submit to NYC DOB on due date or up to 60-days prior to due date
- LMP’s certification that the inspection has been completed.
Submit to the Utility Company within 90-days of inspection
- Inspection Report
Submit to NYC DOB within 120-days of inspection
- LMP’s certification that all conditions previously identified were corrected or will take additional time to correct. (see failure notes on next page)
- Building Owner’s certification report submitted to the Utility Company.
Potential Non-Compliance & Inspection Failure
- Building owners/managers who fail to submit the required inspection certification reports on or before the specified borough filing due date, will be liable for a civil penalty of TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($10,000).
- If AOC’s or leaks are detected, the appropriate corrective actions must be taken to repair/replace gas piping as per regulations to become compliant.
- Failure to report and resolve non-compliant gas piping will result in a gas shutdown to the building.
- The estimated average cost to restore gas service to a building after a gas shutdown ranges from TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($20,000) to TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($200,000) or more depending on the scope of work.
- A gas shutdown can last for 6 months or longer.
The following is the standard procedure to restore gas service.
- Building must hire a Gas Operator Qualified Licensed Master Plumber (LMP) to perform testing & necessary remediation until the gas test passes the Final Inspection.
- The LMP files appropriate permits/documents with the NYC DOB, ConEd & Nat Grid before repair/replacement work commences.
- After repair/replacement work completion, the LMP will schedule required DOB Inspection(s) to gain Gas Authorization. Depending upon building’s gas pipe size a pressure test of 3 PSI for 30 minutes or 50 PSI for 30 minutes will be required.
- Once the NYC DOB issues gas authorization, the LMP notifies ConEd or Nat grid.
- ConEd or Nat Grid Inspector(s) will perform a Final Inspection per ConEd Yellow Book or Nat Grid Blue Book standards, codes & specifications.
- Once the inspections pass all tests, ConEd or Nat Grid will schedule a time to restore service.
Please Note: The above is the current process to resolve gas piping failures and is subject to change to comply with Local Law 152.