Gas Safety and Reliability Branch

Ensuring that intra-state natural gas and liquid petroleum gas pipeline systems are designed, constructed, operated, and maintained according to safety standards.

Mission statement

The Gas Safety and Reliability Branch (GSRB) ensures that intra-state natural gas and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) pipeline systems are designed, constructed, operated, and maintained according to safety standards set by the CPUC and the federal government. GSRB gas safety engineers are trained and qualified by the federal government. GSRB enforces natural gas and LPG safety regulations; inspects construction, operation, and maintenance activities; and makes necessary amendments to regulations to protect and promote the safety of the public, the utility employees that work on the gas pipeline systems, and the environment.

GSRB endorses the system safety approach embodied in the federal government’s regulation of Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). State and federal regulators are tasked with ensuring that pipeline and hazardous materials operators have risk management programs in place, that those programs are designed in conformance with state and federal laws and regulations, that the programs are effective in enhancing public safety, the operator’s employees' safety, environmental safety, and that the safety of the entire system and operation continues to improve.

GSRB conducts operation and maintenance compliance inspections, accident investigations, reviews utilities’ reports and records, conducts construction inspections, conducts special studies, and takes action in response to complaints and inquiries from the public on issues regarding gas pipeline safety.

GSRB also conducts audits and inspections of gas facilities owned and operated by mobile home parks and conducts inspections of propane gas pipeline distributions systems.

Intra-state hazardous liquid pipelines are regulated by the Office of the State Fire Marshall (OSFM). Interstate pipelines are regulated by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).