Network Safety

What to do if you smell gas

Natural Gas is completely odorant free in its original form. In order to ensure the safety of all users, an odorant similar to rotten eggs is added to ensure it can be easily detected by the public whether it be in the street or in your home. If you smell gas in the house, you should immediately turn off all gas appliances, including any pilot lights. You should then turn off your gas meter (the majority of meters are mounted at the front or side of your premises) and keep people clear of the area to ensure there is no risk of ignition. You must then immediately call us on 132 691.

The safe operation of our gas networks is the most critical thing we do. Multinet implements new technology and best practice network management systems to ensure a high level of public safety and reliability of supply. We are fully aware of the dangers in operating a gas network, and we regularly look at innovations to better protect our workers and our community.

Multinet Health and Safety Culture

Our vision is to create a culture where managing health and safety is a way of life and where we are always looking to improve. Key principles that help us realise our vision include:

Creating a culture and environment where every employee is personally committed to their own health and safety and that of their colleagues and the public
Expecting responsible leadership, management, commitment and ownership of HSE issues
Establishing a risk-based approach to HSE by having processes and systems to identify, assess and control health and safety risks and ensure continuous improvement in health and safety performance
Commitment to reduce business impacts on the environment
Creating a learning environment. Training and educating employees, and encouraging them to report hazards and incidents
Constantly review HSE policies and procedures for currency, legal compliance, relevance and effectiveness
Setting, monitoring and communicating meaningful performance measures for the benefit of our employees and other stakeholders.

Before You Dig

Before You Dig service will help you stay safe and follow the rules when excavating near underground electricity, gas, communications and water lines. Locators, Excavators, Electricians, Plumbers, Planners, Developers, Farmers, Land Surveyors, Builders, Contractors, Home Owners and Landscapers all over the country are taking advantage of our convenient referral service. If you are planning excavation works then you must ensure that any work undertaken will not damage electricity cables, gas pipelines, water and communications infrastructure. Tough laws and penalties apply to protect you and the community from accidental damage. Before You Dig Australia is a free national community service that provides your plans to underground utility owners who will respond directly to you with the cable and pipe location information.

You can access this free service by visiting the Before You Dig website at least two working days before you intend digging.

Further information to help companies improve their safety systems has been published by Worksafe Victoria under the title ‘Guide to undertaking work near underground services’. Click here to find out more.

Emergency Response

The safe operation of our gas networks is the most critical thing we do. New technology and best practice network management systems ensure a high level of public safety and reliability of supply. Should a significant incident occur, our emergency response plan is activated. Our number one priority at all times is the safety of the community and our workers and we will work closely with emergency services and local authorities. If gas equipment has been damaged, you must clear the area and remove all ignition sources from the vicinity, then contact our faults and emergency number 132 691.

Working near our Network & ‘No Go Zone’ Works

If you are undertaking work near the Multinet network, or in a Multinet network “No Go Zone” you may need a Permit to Work (PTW) from us before you start work. When you submit a Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) request, the response provided by MGN will identify if a permit is required and will outline the process for obtaining it.

Safety in the home

It is important to maintain and always be careful around gas appliances in your home. Following the simple tips below could prevent a serious injury.

When installing new gas or electrical equipment ensure they are located more than 1m away from your gas meter.
When doing renovations/landscaping please refer to our builders pack for meter location requirements - it is the customer responsibility to ensure meter location remains compliant.
Regularly clean gas appliances after use to prevent a build-up of dust and dirt.
Always use a licensed plumber for gas maintenance. When in doubt about even the simplest tasks, please contact a professional.
When using a gas bottle for your BBQ or porch heater, always remember to turn off supply at the bottle.
Always keep heaters away from combustible materials such as curtains, clothes and bedding.
Never leave children unsupervised around heaters or BBQs.

Gas safety and bushfire mitigation

During the Bush Fire Season, periods of High Fire Danger and on days of Total Fire Ban, we recommend following these basic safety tips to protect yourself, your family and your community.

Immediately turn off your gas supply if there is imminent danger of bushfire to your premises.

If you make the decision to leave your premises, please remember to turn off your gas supply by following these simple steps

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Turn off all your household appliances (gas cooker, oven, heaters, hot water service), including the pilot lights.
Locate your gas meter.
Turn the gas supply service valve to the “OFF” position by rotating the handle 90º from the vertical “ON” position.
The meter is off when the handle is horizontal and parallel to the ground.
If you are unable to turn off the gas supply service valve or are not confident about doing so, please contact our faults and emergency number 132 691.

Following the passing threat of a bushfire, under no circumstances should you turn on the gas supply without first consulting a gasfitter or your gas retailer. In some cases, we may be required to shut down the local gas main network for safety precautions. In this instance, it may be several days before gas supply can be restored. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our faults and emergencies team on 132 691 .