|
‘811’ Service Stops Diggers From Hitting Utility Lines
 Before workers start digging, one simple call to the national “Call Before You Dig” 811 number can prevent unfortunate expenses and injuries, and even save lives, according to safety specialists at NAHB.
Underground utility lines are buried at various depths, and making assumptions about their location when digging can be dangerous. Underground lines are unintentionally struck quite frequently, which can result in damaged lines, disruption of vital services, fines, repair costs and injury to the person who was digging.
Dialing 811 connects callers to their local One Call Center. The service notifies appropriate local utilities of where the digging is scheduled to occur, and the utilities then send representatives to the site within a few days to mark the approximate location of their lines with paint or flags before the project begins.
The service is available to both professionals and do-it-yourself consumers, who should call 811 before attempting a digging project of any size — from planting a tree to building an addition or deck. Most state or local laws require calling utility companies at least 48 hours before digging is planned.
The 811 number was officially implemented in May 2007, following designation by the Federal Communications Commission in 2005. It was created to eliminate the confusion of multiple “Miss Utility” or "Call Before You Dig" numbers across the country and to provide an easy-to-remember resource.
"Now that there is a single number to call any time, there's no excuse for putting lives at risk by striking a utility line,” said Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters at an event on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to launch the service. “If 911 is the number you call to report emergencies, 811 is the number to call to prevent them."
In conjunction with the new service, the Common Ground Alliance has developed a Web site — www.Call811.com — that is designed to serve as a national resource for professional excavators. It includes a downloadable set of free 811 promotional materials and a "tips and tools" forum for sharing best practices across the digging industry.
NAHB offers a wide variety of safety resources to its members, including the NAHB-OSHA Jobsite Safety Handbook and Jobsite Safety Video, both in English-Spanish editions. To see other NAHB safety materials, visit www.builderbooks.com/safety.
For more information on NAHB construction safety issues, e-mail Rob Matuga at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8507.
 Home Builders’ Safety Program’ Available at BuilderBooks.com
“Home Builders’ Safety Program,” available through BuilderBooks.com, is a practical guide that shows builders how to develop and implement an effective safety program.
An included companion CD presents a model safety program listing safe work practices for the most common residential construction operations. The CD features sample forms and checklists that can be easily customized to meet builders’ specific needs.
To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
|
