Before Digging Anything, Call 811
By Paul Netter
If you get in a hole, proverbial or otherwise, you can usually dig yourself out.
But, if you start a digging project without calling 811 like over 11 million US homeowners yearly, it could be much more daunting, not to mention extremely unsafe. That is especially true if you become one of the millions of people who unintentionally strike the country’s more than 200 million miles of underground utilities and, most especially, if it disrupts utility service or creates safety hazards like an electric shock or gas explosion.
With National 811 Day on August 11, the safest way to begin any digging project is to call 811 or schedule an appointment online at least two-to-three days beforehand to have underground utility lines identified and marked for free. This will help prevent the outages, property damage, injuries and even deaths that can occur when underground utilities are hit — not to mention you might have to pay for the damages.
“Whether planting a shrub or installing a pool or block walls, calling 811 before digging is the very best way to avoid hitting an underground utility line,” said Andrew Martinez, vice president of Safety, Security and Business Resiliency at Southern California Edison. “We strongly remind homeowners and professional excavators that, no matter how small the project, calling 811 before digging is the safest way to start this work.”
To prepare for the free markings before a digging project, homeowners — or contractors hired by them — should pre-mark the area where the digging will occur with white paint, stakes with white flags, chalk or materials like flour or sugar.
SCE offers additional safety tips to homeowners and others working on digging projects, including:
• Give yourself enough time by calling 811 on Monday or Tuesday for weekend digging projects.
• If a contractor is doing the digging, confirm that they have called 811. No work should begin unless the utility lines are marked.
• Consider moving your project’s location if it is too close to utility line markings.
• Hand tools should be used when digging within 18-24 inches of the outside edge of underground utilities, and utility flags, stake or paint should be left in place until the project is finished.
• If the utility line is visible, dig in parallel with the utility line and use all precautions when removing the soil from around the utility line.
• Call 911 or 1-800-611-1911 immediately if a utility line is hit.
