Are any special precautions suggested by customers and installers against the discharge of static electricity during maintenance works?
PE pipe has a high electrical resistivity and static charge can accumulate on the surface of the PE pipe. Normal handling from pipe slings, cloths, etc generates the static charge, particularly in dry conditions. Static occurs inside PE pipe in gas distribution systems because gas is electrically resistive. That means that electrons that have been scraped off gas molecules by friction as they flow against the PE pipe surface are resisted from reinserting themselves into gas molecules that have lost electrons. Instead, the free electrons build up on the interior PE pipe surface creating a negative charge with the ever-present possibility of arcing and igniting the gas any time the pipe is breached. Dust particles in gas also generate tension which needs to be discharged. High static electric charges can develop on PE pipes during squeeze-off, when repairing a leak, purging, making a connection, etc. Safety procedures have been developed by the major gas utilities to prevent static elect
