Know What's Below Before You Dig: National Safe Digging Month
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Months of snow and bitterly cold
temperatures finally appear to be behind us and now we can enjoy the spring
weather! You’re probably eager to start those outdoor digging projects, but
before you grab the shovel, make sure you grab your phone first.
You need to call 811 to ensure that
your buried utility lines are marked. April
is National Safe Digging Month, and we want to remind customers to
know what’s below before you dig. Buried in the dirt is a complex underground
infrastructure of pipelines, wires and cables.
Striking an underground utility line
while digging can cause harm to you or those around you, disrupt service to an
entire neighborhood and potentially result in fines and repair costs.
A call must be placed to 811 before every
digging project, from simple landscaping projects like planting trees
or shrubs, to building a deck or installing a rural mailbox.
Every eight minutes an underground
utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first calling
811.
Here’s how it works:
-- One free, simple phone call to
811 makes it easy for to notify all appropriate utility companies of your
intent to dig.
-- Call at least two
business days prior to digging to ensure enough time for utility lines
to be properly marked.
-- When you call 811, a
representative will ask for the location and description of your digging
project.
-- The representative will notify
affected utility companies, who will then send a professional locator to the
proposed dig site to mark the approximate location of your lines.
-- Once lines have been properly
marked, roll up those sleeves and carefully dig around the marked areas.
More on natural gas safety:
Your safety is our top priority.
Visit our website for more information on
natural gas safety, and check out this handy guide below to help you and the
family stay safe.
