Are you unsure what’s below? Wait to dig until you know!
With the snow melting, a ground that is ready for spring planting is beginning to reveal itself. Many are gearing up to start those outdoor digging projects that they have been planning all winter. However, before you reach for the shovel, it’s important to remember a vital task – call 811. Dialing 811 and making a simple, free phone call to the national call-before-you-dig number can ensure that any buried utility lines are clearly marked. A call to 811 will also help ensure that no unplanned disturbances occur during your project, which could cost you time, money, and the safety of yourself and others, from your work crew to your neighbors.
Did you know that failure to call 811 before digging results in damage to a buried utility once every six minutes across the United States? Disturbance to an underground utility line can cause damage to the environment, serious personal injuries, and disruption of service for the neighborhood leading to expenses in fines and repair costs. National Safe Digging Month, which is celebrated each April, symbolizes the start of many spring digging projects. Although installing a new mailbox, building a deck, and planting a tree or garden may seem like a simple task, it still warrants a call to 811.
All digging projects, large or small, should begin with a call. Whether a seasoned professional or a homeowner digging for the very first time, your safety, and the safety of those around you, is in your hands. Every dig should always start with 811, a process that is free and consists of five (5) simple steps:
Notify your local one call center by calling 811 (or making an online request) a few business days before work begins. This lead time may vary from state to state; therefore, visit www.call811.com to locate the rules for your state.
Wait the required amount of time for affected utility operators to respond to your request.
Confirm that all affected utility operators have responded to your request and marked underground utilities.
Respect the marks or markers.
Dig carefully around the marks with care.
Since children are curious and love to dig, it is never too early to teach them about the importance of safe digging. At Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® programs offered throughout North America, activities and demonstrations have been designed to reinforce underground utilities safety using verbal, visual, and hands-on learning opportunities. Children learn the importance of calling or clicking 811 before digging in the United States, the purpose of the colored marker flags, and pipeline leak recognition and response.
The “Safety Day Corner” is a safety message by the Progressive Agriculture Foundation® (PAF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, with the mission to provide education, training, and resources to make farm, ranch, and rural life safer and healthier for all children and their communities. Recognized as the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America, the Foundation’s Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program, has reached millions of individuals since 1995. For more information about PAF and its programs, visit: www.progressiveag.org.