Who is authorized to work on gas lines in Ohio?

The NTSB said a big reason why it's investigating the downtown Youngstown explosion is because of the agency's long-standing concerns related to third parties working on utility lines.

So what are the rules for who can work on a natural gas line?

After contacting state and local agencies, 21 News couldn't find any specific law that stops people who are not trained or certified from working on their gas line.

Rules for working on gas lines stop at the meter outside, meaning no special permit or license is required by law if someone decides they want to work on gas lines inside their home or business.

21 News spoke with reps from the State Public Utilities Commission, Ohio EPA and the Mahoning County Health Department, among others. All of whom said they don't have oversight over this specific question.

Gas companies have jurisdiction over service lines, which are the pipes outside a home or business. If there is a gas leak, for example, it's state-licensed plumbing companies that fix the leak. Then, the gas company decides if it's safe to turn the gas back on.

The lines inside the meter are the responsibility of the owner, but local plumbing experts said this doesn't mean you work on lines yourself. 

The President of A to Z plumbing in Niles said it has an internal protocol that includes rigorous ongoing training and strict licensing requirements before they ever work on a gas line.

"It's not easy to get to be a licensed plumbing contractor. so there's a lot of requirements and there's also a lot of requirements with continuing education, continuing education," Brian Pritchard of A to Z said, "You have to be bonded in certain roles and pretty much all of the municipalities."

Pritchard said the company offers annual inspections for homes and businesses to mitigate any potential for crisis.

"Some homeowners will do work on their own that involves gas," he said, "But at the same time, there could be something very small and minute... it could end up becoming a bad situation if it's not done properly."

Regarding the Realty building explosion from last week, it's unclear who exactly was working on utility lines, as that situation remains under investigation.

21 News has made calls out to Enbridge Gas Ohio as well as GreenHeart Companies and asked what their specific protocals are.