If You Dig Safety, Always Call 811

There's strength in numbers, truth in numbers and safety in numbers.

And when it comes to digging safely, the most important number is 811, the number to always call before beginning any digging project - it's the law.

With National 811 Day on Aug. 11 and the Common Ground Alliance, in a national survey, finding 26.9 million homeowners planning do-it-yourself digging projects without plans to contact 811, this is an essential reminder.

Customers must either call or schedule an appointment online at least two-three days before any digging project.

By doing so, a professional will come out and mark nearby underground utility lines for free.

Without calling, do-it-yourselfers - often believing shallow digging does not require a call to 811 or citing unfamiliarity with the 811 process - put themselves and their communities at risk of utility service disruptions, costly fines and repairs, and even serious injury or death.

Pre-mark the planned digging area with white paint, stakes with white flags, chalk or materials like flour or sugar before the professionals identify underground utilities.

"No matter how small the digging project is, it's critical to contact 811 to have underground utility lines marked for free," said Ted Gribble, principal manager of Wildfire and Public Safety at Southern California Edison. "We remind homeowners and professional excavators alike that calling 811 before any dig is the only way to perform this work safely, protecting you and your community."

Data shows about 40% of homeowners and professional excavators do not call 811, leading to most of the thousands of underground utility strike incidents in California and hundreds of thousands nationwide that cause an estimated $30 million in damages annually.

Calling 811 can avoid all of that.

To prepare for the professionals who will identify and mark underground utilities, homeowners and contractors should pre-mark the area where the digging will occur with white paint, stakes with white flags, chalk or materials like flour or sugar.

Once done, the professional utility markings should be maintained throughout the job. If they become difficult to see, submit another ticket for re-marking.

SCE offers these additional safety tips for digging projects:

• If a contractor is digging, confirm that they have called 811. No work should begin unless the utility lines are marked.
• Consider moving your project if it is too close to utility line markings.
• Use a fiberglass shovel when digging around buried electrical lines.
• Hand tools should be used when digging within 18-24 inches of underground utilities.
• Utility flags, stakes or paint should be left in place until the project is finished.
• If the utility line is visible, dig in parallel with it and be cautious when removing the soil from around the utility line.
• If you hit a utility line or encounter any other electrical hazard, such as a downed wire, stay at least 100 feet away and call 911 immediately.

For more information, check out digalert.org/calaw.
For more safety information, visit sce.com/safety.