Peoples Urges Safety-First Approach to Spring Projects During National Safe Digging Month
Peoples reminds customers and contractors this April and beyond: Call 811 Before You Dig
PITTSBURGH – Spring has sprung in Southwestern Pennsylvania, but before shovels hit the ground on those seasonal projects, Peoples, an Essential Utilities, Inc., company, urges everyone to Call 811 at least three business days before digging – no matter how small or simple the work may seem.
Research from the Common Ground Alliance found that more than 49 million Americans will dig without calling 811 beforehand. This oversight puts communities at risk, and leads to an underground utility line being damaged once every six minutes. Those concerning figures also explain why April is National Safe Digging Month. Thousands of landscaping and home improvement projects kick off in April, making it critical for contractors and Peoples customers to take advantage of the Pennsylvania 811 One Call system to avoid potentially dangerous situations. It’s free to homeowners, it’s simple, and it’s the law:
• Use Pennsylvania 811 by calling 811 or 1-800-242-1776 (for out of state callers) at least three (3) business days before the planned start of digging;
• Peoples and other utility companies serving your home will be notified, and send locators out to mark the location of any underground lines;
• During the project, respect the markings and excavate with due care; and
• In the event of any damage to pipelines, line markers, locator wires or warning tape, promptly notify the appropriate utility.
Contractors are required to Call 811 on behalf of their customers, but the service is not just for major projects. Planting trees and bushes and installing a mailbox or basketball hoop require an 811 call just as much as building a swimming pool or perimeter fence.
“Calling 811 before digging begins is an important safety precaution for everyone in our community,” said Deborah Vergenes, Peoples Damage Prevention Manager and a member of the Pennsylvania 811 Board of Directors. “The most frequent cause of gas incidents is when lines are hit and damaged, so we urge all Pennsylvanians to take the extra step for safety and call 811 before you dig.”
Peoples is a longtime supporter of Pennsylvania 811 and strongly encourages everyone this National Safe Digging Month: Call Before You Dig! For more safe digging advice, visit Peoples-Gas.com.
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About Peoples
Peoples, an Essential Utilities company, provides clean, safe, affordable and reliable natural gas service to approximately 750,000 homes and businesses in Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky. Peoples is committed to its customers, its employees, the environment, and to the regions it serves.