April is National Safe Digging Month, and we at Lake Apopka Natural Gas District use this month as an opportunity to educate our communities to work smarter, not harder, by emphasizing the importance of verifying the location of your underground utilities before you dig.
Did you know construction industry experts estimate that an underground utility line is damaged every six minutes in the U.S.? Florida continues to be ranked as one of the top states in the country for construction activity (i.e., ABC.org), especially underground excavation-related projects. Now more than ever, Florida residents and visitors need to remember to call 811 before we dig. Calling 811 is free, and it is the law to notify Sunshine 811 before you start digging anywhere in Florida!
In 2008, the Common Ground Alliance created National Safe Digging Month. As a collaborative industry effort, the consortium – primarily consisting of the natural gas industry members and its partners – implemented proactive initiatives that reduced damage caused by unsafe digging practices. Florida law requires that before any project requiring digging moves forward, you should call 811 and connect with a company in your area to locate and mark any gas, public water, electric or other utility lines with paint or flags so you can dig and work safely.
We are also happy to use this month to highlight Locator Safety Appreciation Week, which takes place April 24-28. Locator’s diligent efforts to chart the subsurface infrastructure allows us to avoid costly mistakes and work around any obstacles in our excavation plans while we expand our natural gas network. We know we would be lost without their specialized skills and training to help us map all our cables, pipes and lines lying under the surface in our communities.
Sunshine 811 – the state’s go-to resource for education and training on safe digging practices – is celebrating 30 years of work to make Florida the safest place to dig. Their efforts are all about preventing underground utility damage, which has the potential to cost Florida billions of dollars annually and comes out of taxpayer pockets.
Our very own Administrator of Regulatory & Safety Compliance, Terrill Booker, is a member of the board of directors at Sunshine 811. Below are four tips he shared to help ensure utility damage prevention, prevent gas leaks and promote proper construction restoration:
The public should immediately report any gas smells to your local Natural Gas utility.
- The public should report contractors digging, crews operating boring equipment in roadside areas that have no small colored flags implanted, or contractors digging in areas without colored lines marked on the ground to the Sunshine 811 customer service.
- The public should report unsafe hole openings that do not have secured construction mesh fencing rope-offs and other unsafe site hazards to utility management to protect children and pedestrians.
- When daily roadside construction has ended, the public should ensure the local contractors leave no site debris and that the proper cones, flagging, vest or protective gear, and traffic warning signage are used on site. If not, these violations should be reported to utility management or code enforcement.
Whether you are a business owner, excavator, contractor or homeowner starting on a small project, join us this National Safe Digging Month in reminding your neighbors and others to call 811 before you dig. To contact the Sunshine 811 team or learn more, visit 811beforeyoudig.com. You can also learn more at commongroundalliance.com/Tools-Resources.
Considering switching utilities and seeing what natural gas can do for you? Get connected with the District’s marketing team at (407) 656-2737 x307, marketing@langd.org or visit www.langd.org for more information.
