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Electrical safety: Don't dig for trouble – Call 8-1-1 before your next project.
If you're like many of us, you're using this season of social distancing to do some home improvement projects. You might be painting rooms, organizing the cabinets, or giving your space that deep clean it's been needing.
If you're doing any outdoor work – like installing a fence, building an addition or starting up a landscaping project – always call 8-1-1 to make sure you don't dig into an underground power line or other utility.
The 8-1-1 call will connect you with the Pennsylvania One Call System. A crew will come out to mark any areas where digging could be a problem. If there's a power, water, sewer or gas line on your property, the crew will mark it with spray paint or flags so you can avoid those areas.
It'll keep you safe, and it'll keep the power flowing for your neighborhood.
Calling 8-1-1 before you dig isn't just a good idea, it's the law. In Pennsylvania, you have to call 8-1-1 at least 3 business days before you break ground. That goes for any dig, whether you're using an old-fashioned shovel or machinery.
When you call 8-1-1, have this information handy:
- The county and municipality where you'll be digging.
- The street name and address.
- The nearest intersecting/cross street.
- Details of the dig – where will you be digging on the property and what kind of work is being done?
- The dates of the project.
- The name of the company doing the work, if you're working with a contractor.
According to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, each year there are about 6,000 incidents where someone hits an underground utility line because he or she didn't make the call.
Stay safe! Call 8-1-1 before you dig.