April is National Safe Digging Month and is a way to bring awareness to hazards brought about by excavation and the potential for striking underground pipelines and utilities.
Many people do not realize that all workers and homeowners should contact 811 prior to beginning any outdoor projects to keep utilities safe from accidents and damage. 811 is the designated call-before-you-dig service that helps prevent dangerous and costly utility strikes and is free to use.
According to Texas811.org, Texas law requires excavators and homeowners to contact 811 at least two business days before excavating, excluding weekends and holidays.
Therefore, before beginning any underground project, always call 811 first to get the lay of the land and to know if where you are planning to dig is safe.
National Safe Digging Month was started in 2008 to promote digging safety awareness by Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the national association “dedicated to preventing damage to underground utility infrastructure and protecting those who live and work near these important assets”.
Striking an underground utility line, be it gas, electric, water, sewer or communications, can cause serious injury, service disruptions for entire neighborhoods and repair bills that are far higher than any potential savings. Utilities are often shallower than people expect as lines can be buried just inches below the surface.
"Calling before you dig is the simplest way for Americans to protect themselves, their neighbors and our critical energy infrastructure," said Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Administrator Paul Roberti.
According to the 2022 DIRT report by the Common Ground Alliance, 40 percent of active diggers don't contact 811 before digging because they think their project is too shallow to require the information. However, in the 2024 DIRT Report, the top 10 damage root causes drive 85% of all damages, with the number one cause continually being no locate requests by diggers.
Therefore, one solution to drive down the incidences of damage includes spreading awareness of the 811 number and the importance of utilizing it any time outdoor digging projects are planned, regardless of the project scope or size.
Before starting any digging project:
- Contact 811 at least two- to three days before digging - regardless of the project size or depth
- Request utility markings prior to starting ANY work
- Plan ahead by submitting a free 811 request early in the week for weekend projects to ensure enough time for marking
- Confirm all utility lines are marked prior to beginning work
- Don't allow work to begin if the lines aren't marked
- Adjust work plans by relocating projects if they are too close to marked utility lines
- Verify 811 contact with contractors to ensure they have requested utility markings prior to starting work
- Learn more at www.811beforeyoudig.com.
How 811 Works
Everyone who contacts 811 is connected to a local 811 center, which communicates the request to utility companies in the caller’s area. Professional locators visit the potential dig site and mark the approximate location of underground utilities using color-coded paint or flags. After utility areas are marked, it is safe to begin digging (while also avoiding the designated lines).
