Digging Up Trouble During Digging Safety Month

When spring fever rolls around, it seems like everyone from contractors to those working in their gardens are planning projects, and even if it's just a shallow dig, there’s more going on under the surface than you think.

April is National Safe Digging Month, and in the world of construction, landscaping and infrastructure development, digging is a routine task.

Whether you’re supervising an excavation for a new building, planting trees or simply repairing your fence at home, calling 811 before you dig is the law.

“Spring weather brings more digging projects for homeowners and professionals alike. To keep our communities connected to water, electricity, gas and communications lines, everyone needs to contact 811 a few days before beginning an excavation project – whether it’s gardening or major construction,” said Common Ground Alliance (CGA) President and CEO Sarah K. Magruder Lyle. “Utility lines can be buried just inches below the surface. Everyone must contact 811 before every digging project.”

Always Call

Calling 811 before you dig anywhere, and for any reason, is all-too often the step that gets forgotten or ignored while planning for digging activity. The national service is always provided free of charge and is designed to protect underground utilities and infrastructure by providing accurate information about buried lines and ensuring that dig sites are marked before excavation begins.

The call-before-you-dig process begins with a phone call to 811 or by visiting the 811 website. All digging activity, such as the location, depth and purpose is relayed to utility companies that dispatch personnel to the job site, home or dig site to mark the approximate location of underground utilities using flags, paint, or other marking devices. The general timeframe for notification is 48 hours.

The Dangers Lurking Below

Damaging underground utility lines like gas, water, sewer, electrical, telecommunications and cable lines will throw any project off schedule and potentially, over budget as well.

The CGA puts the minimum cost of repairing a damaged gas line at around $3,500, while damage to a water service line supplying potable water to homes and businesses costs several times that. There’s also sewer service lines that carry wastewater from buildings to treatment facilities, which, if damaged, can result in sewage backups and environmental pollution — and huge fines, which average $10,000.

The CGA’s national survey showed that every year, nearly 27 million Americans don’t plan to contact 811 before they dig, putting themselves and their neighbors at risk of utility service disruptions, costly fines and repairs and even serious injury or death.

The advocacy group also found that every year, the number one driver of damages to buried utilities is failure to contact 811 before digging — and the vast majority (70%) of those damages are caused by professional contractors. More than 90% of homeowners don’t call 811.

“With more than $1 trillion in new infrastructure breaking ground across America, contacting 811 before digging has never been more important," Tristan Brown, deputy administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in the U.S. Department of Transportation, said. "Before starting excavation work, homeowners, contractors and landscaping professionals should always remember to contact 811 – every dig, every time."

Do Homeowners Really Have to Call?

Do you really have to call 811 if you’re just installing a shrub or a new patio? 

Absolutely.

The vast and often haphazardly installed telecommunications service lines that carry phone, internet and cable TV signals are the most common digging mishaps. From expensive fiber optics to deadly gas lines, the financial implications of damaging underground utilities extend beyond repair costs and the ensuing headaches that come along with them. Responsible parties may also face legal liabilities, stiff fines and penalties for noncompliance with safety regulations and utility protection laws. Without accurate information about their locations, digging blindly is literally akin to playing with fire.

The complexity and cost to companies for damage investigations, claims recovery and field operations rarely recover the actual repair costs to damaged underground lines. When the hard costs are combined with the soft costs, only about half of that cost is usually recovered; even when the contractor or locator is 100% at fault, which is very rarely the case.

In addition to avoiding financial and legal consequences, calling 811 promotes public safety and environmental stewardship by accurately marking job sites, reducing the risk of accidents, injuries and property damage. This proactive approach to excavation ensures that projects are completed safely, efficiently and without any visits from the authorities.

Everyone Plays a Role

Contractors, in particular, play a critical role in ensuring that proper procedures are followed before digging begins. They are responsible for coordinating with utility companies, obtaining necessary permits all while keeping their workers safe on the job site.

Homeowners and do-it-yourself enthusiasts are also doing themselves a favor by calling before they begin a project. Whether planting a garden, installing a fence or digging a trench, homeowners should always verify the location of underground utilities to avoid the costly “you broke it, you bought it” mistakes.

Digital tools such as online maps and mobile apps that show underground utility locations are becoming more widespread and add efficiency to the coordination efforts. These resources empower individuals to make informed decisions and make it easier to take the necessary precautions before digging.

As the construction and infrastructure development sectors continue to grow, the need for responsible digging practices becomes increasingly important. So, next time you’re planning to dig, no matter how deep, call 811 and save yourself from the trouble lurking underground.