National Safe Digging Month Focuses Awareness on Importance of Calling 811
April 13 2018 - 05:03PM
Business Wire
Spring break, blooming flowers and warming temperatures are all
hallmarks of spring time in Northern and Central California. So is
April’s National Safe Digging Month – a public safety initiative
supported by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and more
than 1,000 other utilities – that raises awareness about the
importance of having underground utility lines marked in advance of
any digging project. It’s a nation-wide effort to help keep people
safe while doing projects big and small.
According to the Common Ground Alliance’s damage information
reporting tool, an underground utility line is damaged every nine
minutes in the United States. With spring typically regarded as the
ideal time to begin home improvement projects and new construction,
PG&E is urging customers to help stop dig-ins by placing a
toll-free call to 811 or an online request to have gas and electric
lines marked free of charge three working days before the project
begins.
“Dig-ins are one of the most serious threats to public safety in
our industry. Whether you are digging with a shovel or heavy
machinery, a call to 811 can help keep you, your family and
neighbors safe as well as help avoid costly repair that may result
from striking an underground gas or electric line,” said PG&E
Gas Operations Senior Vice President Jesus Soto.
Key Facts
- In 2017, there were nearly 1,800
third-party dig-ins on PG&E’s underground infrastructure across
Northern and Central California.
- Of the nearly 1,800 dig-ins, nearly
half resulted from not using 811 to have gas and electric lines
marked in advance.
- Of the third-party (customers or
construction crews) dig-ins to PG&E’s lines in 2017, homeowners
accounted for nearly 25 percent.
- Nine out of 10 residential dig-ins had
not called 811 in advance.
811 is a designated toll-free number for homeowners and
professional excavators and is serviced by regional offices.
Operators answering calls and emails will dispatch all necessary
utilities to properly mark underground utility lines with paint or
flags. Underground Service Alert of Northern/Central California and
Nevada (USA North), recently announced that it will now be staffed
24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will provide Spanish and
other translation services.
“I commend USA North for demonstrating their commitment
to safety by extending service hours. Construction work happens 24
hours a day and now crews in Northern California and Nevada will
have the ability to file a ticket as soon as the need arises
regardless of the time of day,” Soto added.
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 go online for a USA
ticket three 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
utility lines. Leave utility flags, stakes or paint marks in place
until the project is finished. Backfill and compact the soil.
- Mind the lines: 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.
- 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.
PG&E urges customers to call 911 and PG&E at
1-800-743-5000 if there’s a suspected gas leak. If an accidental
dent, scrape or other damage is made to a gas pipeline, those
nearby must leave immediately and alert others to avoid the area.
Only when a safe distance away, should anything that might create a
spark such as cell phones, matches, garage door openers, vehicles,
or yard equipment be used.
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
www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.
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Pacific Gas and Electric CompanyMedia Relations,
415-973-5930
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