Tomorrow, (8/11), is the Easiest Day of the Year to Remember to Call 811 Before Any Digging Project
August 10 2018 - 12:00PM
Business Wire
Tomorrow, August 11, is National 811 “Call before you dig” Day,
the easiest day of the year to remember the free one-call service.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is urging customers and
contractors to call 811 to have all underground utility lines
marked two business days ahead of digging projects.
The 811 one-call service is free and it’s illegal in California
not to call 811 before most digging projects.
“The safety of our customers, employees and the communities we
serve is our absolute highest priority and that includes safe
digging. Guessing or assuming the location of an underground gas
line is dangerous, and the consequences of hitting the unmarked
line are often severe and can even be fatal. No digging project is
too small. Whether you’re a contractor building a high-rise
building or a homeowner installing a fence, calling 811 can prevent
damages and injury and even save a life,” said Jesus Soto, PG&E
Senior Vice President for Gas Operations.
A call to 811 is the best safeguard and the first line of
defense to preventing strikes on underground utility lines. Most
commonly, these strikes or “dig ins” occur with a shovel or heavy
construction equipment. Callers are connected to their local 811
center that notifies the appropriate utility of their intent to
dig. That utility operator sends a specially trained and qualified
technician to the digging site to mark the approximate locations of
underground lines with flags or spray paint.
Top 10 PG&E Cities with the Most Dig-Ins in 2017:
1. Sacramento – 105
2. San Francisco – 90
3. Oakland – 81
4. Fresno – 61
5. San Jose – 60
6. Bakersfield – 59
7. Modesto – 56
8. Berkeley – 36
9. Stockton – 36
10. Mill Valley – 27
PG&E Safe Digging Tips:
- Mark project area in white:
Identify the digging location by drawing a box around the area
using white paint, white stakes, white flags, white chalk or even
white baking flour.
- Call 811 or submit an online
request two working days before digging: Be prepared to
provide the address and general location of the project, project
start date and type of digging activity. PG&E and other
utilities will identify underground facilities in the area for
free.
- Dig safely: Use hand tools when
digging within 24 inches of the outside edge of underground lines.
Leave utility flags, stakes or paint marks in place until the
project is finished. Backfill and compact the soil.
- Be aware of signs of a natural gas
leak: Smell for a “rotten egg” odor, listen for hissing,
whistling or roaring sounds and look for dirt spraying into the
air, bubbling in a pond or creek and dead/dying vegetation in an
otherwise moist area.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas
and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San
Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers
some of the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in
Northern and Central California. For more information, visit
www.pge.com/ and pge.com/news.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180810005074/en/
PG&E CorporationMedia Relations, 415-973-5930
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