April Marks National Safe Digging Month
Posted on: Apr 08, 2025Calling 811 ahead of any excavation project is not just the safe thing to do, it’s the law.
PHILADELPHIA (April 8, 2025) – During National Safe Digging Month this April, Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) reminds contractors and residents to call 811 or visit pa1call.org, before underground excavation (digging) or any building demolition work, regardless of a project’s size.
PA One Call notifies all possible affected property owners to mark out their underground structures ahead of evacuation or demolition work. PGW, in coordination with 811, processes the requests and marks lines to prevent injuries, property damage, and inconvenient and costly utility outages.
Pennsylvania residents and contractors are legally required to call the Pennsylvania One Call System three to 10 business days prior to beginning an underground excavation project. Creating even a minor trench or hole can lead to significant problems if mishandled before breaking ground. The 811 service is free to any homeowner and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Working in coordination with Pennsylvania 811, PGW safely addressed 69,000 One Call tickets in 2024 to mark underground utility lines across Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania law requires contractors and residents to contact PA One Call at least three business days prior to excavation – triggering alerts to all utilities within an intended digging area and prompting utilities to mark where their facilities are located. Pennsylvanians can dial 8-1-1 to connect with PA One Call, while out-of-state residents or businesses can call 1-800-242-1776.
It is vital to call 811 ahead of a project because according to Common Ground Alliance:
- Nearly 56 percent of homeowners plan to dig without calling 811.
- Avoiding calling 811 results in an annual $30 billion societal cost of damages to underground infrastructure.
- Previously digging in the same spot does not make it safe to do so again. Erosion and earth’s movement can shift the location and distance of buried lines.
PGW also encourages Philadelphia residents to call 811 to report any contractor suspected of digging without a valid Pennsylvania One Call ticket, which alerts all facility owners of a possible safety concern. Job sites that do not have visible paint or flag markings should be reported to 811. Natural gas lines are identified and marked by yellow paint or flags. Yellow is specific to natural gas, steam, and petroleum pipelines.
At any time, the smell of gas should be reported immediately to PGW’s emergency hotline at 215-235-1212.
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