You might have to dig deep for that spring planting project, but you don’t have to go to great depths to figure out how to do it safely.
You simply need to call 811 first.
Doing so will help you avoid joining the thousands of Southern Californians who annually, unintentionally, and, most of all, hazardously dig into buried electrical, gas, water, and phone lines as well as fiber-optic cable. These “dig-ins, which number in the hundreds of thousands nationally, can result in power outages, explosions, injuries, and even death — as well as potential liability for the damages.
With April’s National Safe Digging Month upon us, Southern California Edison reminds homeowners and contractors that the only way to safely begin any digging project around the country’s more than 200 million miles of underground utilities is to call 811 or schedule an appointment online at least two working days before. Digalert.org or 811 can arrange to have underground utility lines identified and marked by experts for free.
Digalert.org or 811 can arrange for free markings by experts who can determine the location of underground lines.
Unfortunately, nearly 40% of the country’s estimated 31 million homeowners planning digging projects this year will do so without first calling 811, according to the Common Ground Alliance, leading to an estimated $30 billion in damages nationwide.
To prepare for the utilities’ free markings, homeowners or contractors should pre-mark the area where the digging will take place with white paint, stakes with white flags, chalk or materials like flour or sugar.
SCE offers additional safety tips to homeowners and others working on digging projects, including:
- California law requires that you call two working days before your planned excavation, excluding the date of notification. For more information, check out digalert.org/calaw.
- If a contractor is doing the digging, confirm that they have called 811. No work should begin unless the utility lines are marked.
- Consider moving your project’s location 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 the outside edge of underground utilities, and 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 the utility line and use all precautions when removing the soil from around the utility line.
- If you hit a utility line or encounter any other electrical hazard, such as a down wire, stay away and call 911 or SCE at 1-800-611-1911 immediately.