National Safe Digging Month

With spring comes the start of home improvement projects for many Floridians. Whether that includes building a backyard fire pit or installing a garden fountain, before grabbing that shovel, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) urges you to “call 811 before you dig!”

“April is National Safe Digging Month. Safety is a top priority at the PSC, and we support this campaign and urge safe digging year-round,” said PSC Chairman Art Graham. “Calling 811 before any construction or outdoor project can save lives and prevent damage. If underground utilities or infrastructure are hit by digging, service outages can result and time and money are wasted.”

An 811 call, which is the federally designated call-before-you-dig number, notifies affected utility companies to dispatch crews to mark the location of underground utility lines.  Utility markings show those who dig the approximate location of underground lines to help prevent damage to utility lines.

In Florida, 811 accepts calls from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and is managed by the Sunshine State One Call Center, a nonprofit corporation. It’s recommended that residents call 811 two full business days before beginning their digging project.

For more information on the “call 811 before you dig” campaign, visit call811.com or access the PSC’s Consumer Tip, 8-1-1 Know What’s Below.  The annual campaign, which runs each April, is supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

For additional information, visit floridapsc.com.