By Ian Nikkel, FOX23.com News Staff
OKLAHOMA — Oklahoma Natural Gas is reminding homeowners and contractors to know what’s below before starting their next digging project as the country recognizes 811 Day.
Observed on Aug. 11, 811 Day is a national reminder to contact 811 before digging, whether the project is large or small.
Oklahoma Natural Gas Public Relations Manager Carson Cunningham said contacting 811 is free and helps prevent damage to underground utilities, including natural gas, electric, cable and internet lines.
The reminder can apply to projects as simple as installing a mailbox or doing work around the yard.
“If you’re having a mailbox installed, don’t just assume because it’s on the sidewalk that it’s okay,” Cunningham said.
Under Oklahoma law, 811 must be contacted at least 48 hours before a digging project, excluding the day the request is made, weekends and holidays. Utility locators then mark underground lines so people know where they need to use extra caution.
Oklahoma Natural Gas says about one in four excavation damages happen when people fail to contact 811 beforehand.
“Contacting 811 really makes things a lot more preventable in terms of excavation damages,” Cunningham said. “We have learned among all the excavation damages, we do have about one in four a result of people not contacting 811, not taking that simple and easy step.”
Failing to make that call can also become costly. Cunningham said someone who damages a utility line after failing to contact 811 could be held responsible for penalties, repair costs and other damages.
But he said the larger concern is safety.
“The bottom line is it could be costly in terms of safety,” Cunningham said. “That’s paramount here at Oklahoma Natural Gas. That’s one of our core values, is safety.”
The precautions don’t end once the lines are marked.
Oklahoma Natural Gas recommends maintaining a two-foot tolerance zone on either side of marked utility lines. Anyone who needs to dig near those markings should use hand tools or other soft-digging methods to reduce the chance of striking a line, which Cunningham said can sometimes be close to the surface.
Cunningham said the message for 811 Day is simple: Call before every digging project.
“It’s very preventable, very easy to do,” Cunningham said. “And you want to make sure you contact 811 anytime you’re starting any digging project, both big and small.”
