April is National Safe Digging Month. Before putting the shovel in the ground this spring, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) wants to increase safe digging awareness by encouraging you to “Call 811 Before You Dig!”
“Spring weather and yard projects are synonymous, making April the perfect Safe Digging Month,” said PSC Chairman Mike La Rosa. “Safe digging starts by calling 811 and following appropriate procedures to help prevent injuries, property damage, and inconvenient outages.”
Chairman La Rosa added, “We are fortunate to have PSC Commissioner Gabriella Passidomo serve on the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ Committee on Gas, where she shares Florida’s safety consumer education and learns about safety education in other parts of the country.”
“Promoting Safe Digging Month is important here in Florida, as well as across the country,” Commissioner Passidomo said. “Buried utility lines are damaged once every nine minutes across the United States, causing severe injuries and/or service disruption to entire neighborhoods. It’s imperative that businesses and residents call 811 to receive the necessary underground utility clearances.”
Calling 811 connects you to your local underground utility operators, who will mark the location of buried natural gas, electric, telecommunications, water, and sewer lines that are near your planned digging site. Failing to call before you dig can result in fines, penalties, and repair costs.
In Florida, 811 is managed by the Sunshine State One Call Center. Hours are 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call at least two working days before your digging project start date. This gives the utility companies time to find and mark buried lines on your property. In addition to calling 811, you can reach the Sunshine State One Call Center at 1-800-432-4770.
For more information on safe digging, consumers are encouraged to view the Commission’s Consumer Tip video on 811 here.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration supports April’s Call Before You Dig Campaign. The Sunshine State One Call Center’s website is www.sunshine811.com.
For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.
