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August 11 is 811 Day
Play it cool this summer — call before you dig!
Call 811 for all your digging projects, and have underground utilities located for free!
Friday, August 11th (8/11) is National Safe Digging Day, reminding anyone digging to contact South Carolina 811 a minimum of three (3)-business days prior to starting any project that requires digging, no matter how large or small. 811 is a free service, and utility workers will mark the location of any underground lines, helping individuals to dig safely and avoid injuries and potential fatalities, as well as repair costs and fines. Summer is a peak time for home improvement projects, so remember to dig safely!
According to Glen Boatwright, Vice President, Regulatory Compliance & System Planning, “Safety is always our top priority! While August 11 highlights the need to use 811 for utility damage prevention, we encourage homeowners and contractors to use this free service year round as our partners in safety.”
WHAT TO EXPECT
When calling 8-1-1, homeowners and contractors are connected to SC811, who then notifies the appropriate utility companies of the proposed digging project. Professional locators are then sent to the requested digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground facilities with flags, paint or both. Each type of utility has designated marking colors to clearly identify the type of underground facilities.
Safe Digging Contest
Take the 811 Day Quiz for a chance to win a cool prize!
Prize includes 2 River Tubes and a Cooler Float, plus other ‘cool’ YCNGA gear.
5-question quiz ends on Sunday, August 13
Winner will be notified on Monday, August 14th – entry must include contact information to win.
– Take the Quiz Now! –
Striking a natural gas pipeline can cause injury, significant repair costs, fines and inconvenient outages. Every digging project, no matter how large or small requires a call to SC811. Installing a mailbox, building a deck, demolition, installing an irrigation system and planting a tree or garden are all examples of digging projects that should only begin after utility lines have been located.
As part of National Safe Digging Day, York County Natural Gas encourages homeowners to take the following four steps and dig with care this spring:
Step 1 – Plan ahead – Always contact SC811 at least 3-business days before digging. Start your request online at sc811.com, or call on or before Tuesday to insure utilities will be marked for weekend projects.
Step 2 – Allow required time for marking – Utility companies have 3-business days (not including weekends or official state or Federal holidays) to mark facilities.
Step 3 – Respect and protect the marks – Do not cover up or destroy the utility markings as they indicate the approximate location of underground utilities. Contact the utility if marks are destroyed.
Step 4 – Excavate carefully – Do not dig with mechanized equipment within 24 inches to either side of the utility markings – hand dig only. Once the utility line has been exposed protect the integrity of the facility while digging.
