Raising Awareness of What’s Below
Posted on: Apr 11, 2023National Safe Digging Month Reminds Residents and Contractors to Call 811
Philadelphia residents in every zip code may notice the city streets and sidewalks blanketed with yellow, red, blue, or orange lines. These colorful markings indicate critical underground infrastructure such as natural gas lines, power lines, electrical cables, sewers, water pipes, and more. If not marked properly in advance of underground construction or maintenance, digging projects can potentially cause property damage, costly utility outages, or injuries.
While this is a year-round practice, April kicks off National Safe Digging Month and 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.
The 811 service is free to any homeowner and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In 2022, PGW marked over 80,000 underground natural gas lines with yellow paint or yellow flags ahead of contractors, residents, and excavators breaking any ground. Following a call to 811, PGW inspectors mark the underground natural gas lines.
Warmer springtime temperatures are arriving in Philadelphia and residents may be eager to begin outdoor landscaping and home improvement projects. Projects such as installing a fence, mailbox, sprinkler system, planting trees, or shrubbery require a call to 811 three to 10 business days before any digging.
Matthew Crosby, Field Supervisor in PGW’s Distribution department, stressed the importance of calling 811, “Safety is PGW’s priority. Not only for our customers but for everybody in the city.”
Hear more from Matthew about the importance and responsibility of calling before any digging occurs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn_IpxRdKMI
According to a study by The Common Ground Alliance, more than 49.3 million Americans put themselves and their communities at risk by not contacting 811 before digging. By calling 811 before digging, you’re ensuring the safety of yourself and those around you.
PGW identifies underground natural gas lines and marks them with yellow paint or flags. Yellow is specific to natural gas, steam, and petroleum pipelines.
PGW Employee holding yellow flag and line marker to mark natural gas infrastructure.
At any time, the smell of gas should be reported immediately to PGW’s emergency hotline at 215-235-1212.
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