South San Francisco, CA March 4, 2015 Submitted by Sheri Boles, CPUC
Because we know that “home is where the heart is”, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) wants to ensure that you and your family stay safe and out of harm’s way in and around your homes by offering the following safety tips. Statistics show that the majority of accidents happen at or near your home. We encourage you to practice these safety tips and share them with your relatives, friends, neighbors, and colleagues because it is true that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
- If you see a downed power line, call 9-1- Stay at least 10 feet away and always assume that the power line is active.
- If you smell a natural gas leak, get away from your current location, and from a different building call 9-1-1. As natural gas is odorless and colorless; utilities add a sulphur-like odor that smells like rotten eggs to help residents identify leak
- Do not return phone calls or texts from unfamiliar area codes. Area codes such as 809, 284, 649, and 876 are from scam artists who may tell you that your family member has been involved in an accident and that you need to call him/her back immediately by dialing the 809, et al. area code followed by a seven-digit phone number. If you do not recognize an area code, call your 4-1-1 operator or do an Internet search to determine its locati
- Never open the door for strangers. Scam artists often pose as utility workers to try to gain access into your hom If someone is at your front door and claims to represent a utility, verify through the closed door that he/she is in fact a utility worker by asking for (1) the employee’s full name and (2) his/her employee number. Call the utility to confirm the representative’s employment with the company. You can find the utility’s phone number on your monthly utility bill, 4-1-1 operator, or Internet. If the individual refuses to provide this information, do not open the door, report the incident to the utility company in question, the CPUC at 1-800-649-7570, and your local police department.
- Before you rent a limousine, airport shuttle bus, or take a trip on a charter bus, call the CPUC at 1-800-894-9444 to confirm that the company is license In order to be licensed with the CPUC, these companies need to secure the proper insurance.
- Before you hire an intrastate moving company, call the CPUC at 1-800-366-4782 to confirm that the company is license In order to be licensed with the CPUC, the moving company needs to secure the proper insurance, pass a criminal background check, and pass a mandatory test on moving regulations in California.
- Always call 8-1-1 before you dig. If you are planning a home-improvement project planting a tree, and/or installing a fence or deck, always call 8-1-1 before starting each jo Every digging job, no matter how small, requires an 8-1-1 call.
- Stay alert around railroad tracks and never try to beat a train. Do not attempt to cross railroad tracks while the lights are flashing or drive around lowered gate Don’t talk on your cell phone, text, or wear headphones – these prevent you from hearing approaching trains.