August 11 is National 8/11 Day and UGI Utilities, Inc. wants to spread a safety reminder to all homeowners and contractors: any time you plan to dig, make the simple, and potentially lifesaving, phone call.
At least three business days before a shovel hits the ground, call 811 or go to call811.com to submit a request for your underground utilities to be located and marked. Having the facility owners mark your utility lines with paint or flags can help you or a contractor avoid unintentionally hitting underground lines. Common underground utility lines include gas, water, sewer, electric, phone, fiber optic, and cable television.
If a homeowner is doing the work, they should make the call. If a homeowner hires a contractor to do the work, it is up to the contractor to call 811. The request is free for homeowners and a small annual fee for contractors. Be prepared when calling 811 and have details on the location of the work ready, along with the type of work, details on how the work will be done, and the expected duration of the project.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a small project like installing a mailbox, or a large one, make the call. It is the law,” says Janet Toporcer, UGI Public Safety Administrator. “Calling 811 before you dig is a simple step in the process, but one that could prevent costly damage, loss of service, fines, serious injury, even death.”
This is also a good time to remind homeowners and contractors to be mindful of dangers above when working around electric and other above-ground facilities. Contact of any kind to power lines can be deadly.
Visit www.ugi.com/811 or call811.com for more information about safe digging practices and excavation safety. On www.ugi.com/811, there is also a section to schedule safety training for excavators.
UGI Utilities has headquarters in Denver, Pennsylvania and serves more than 760,000 customers in certificated portions of 46 Pennsylvania counties and one county in Maryland. Customers interested in additional information visit the UGI website at www.ugi.com; on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ugiutilities; X at https://x.com/ugi_utilities.
