Governor Nixon Proclaims April as Missouri Safe Digging Month
Mar 31, 2011 | Headline News |
Governor Jay Nixon has issued a proclamation announcing April as Missouri Safe Digging Month. The proclamation reminds Missouri homeowners to call or click Missouri One Call System three working days before they dig. No matter how small the job, anyone planning to excavate needs to call 1-800-DIG-RITE or 811 or click on www.mo1call.com before starting any outdoor digging projects.
"We join the governor in strongly encouraging individuals and companies to call or click before they dig," said John Lansford, Executive Director of Missouri One Call System. "By having underground lines marked, homeowners are making an important decision that can help keep them and their community safe and connected."
April marks the start of spring digging season, so the Missouri One Call System and Governor Nixon are encouraging homeowners to call or click three working days before they dig to prevent injuries, property damage and inconvenient outages. A utility line is damaged by digging once every three minutes nationwide, and one-third of these incidents are caused by failure of the professional excavator or homeowner to call or click before beginning their digging project.
When calling 1-800-DIG-RITE or 811 or by clicking on www.mo1call.com, homeowners are connected to the MOCS call center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of the intent to dig. Professional locators are then sent to the requested digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags or spray paint. Once lines have been accurately marked, digging can begin around marked lines.
Striking a single line can cause injury, repair costs, fines and inconvenient outages. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, necessitates a call to 1-800-DIG-RITE or 811.
Installing a mailbox, putting in a fence, building a deck or laying a patio are all examples of digging projects that need a call to Missouri One Call before starting.
As part of National Safe Digging Month, Missouri One Call encourages homeowners to take the following steps when planning a digging project this spring:
€ Always Call or Click 3 working days before digging, regardless of the depth or familiarity with the property. 1-800-DIG-RITE or 811 www.mo1call.com
€ Plan ahead. Call on Monday or Tuesday for work planned for an upcoming weekend, providing ample time for lines to be marked.
€ Confirm with your local one call center that all lines have been marked.
€ Learn what the various colors of paint and flags represent at www.mo1call.com.
€ Consider moving the location of your project if it is near utility line markings.
€ If another location is not viable, respect the marks and avoid using mechanized digging equipment near them.
€ If a contractor has been hired, confirm that a call to Missouri One Call has been made. Don’t allow work to begin if the lines aren’t marked.
Visit www.mo1call.com for more information about Missouri One Call System and the call-before-you-dig process. For more information, contact Dave Jones, Operations Manager – 573-635-1818, [email protected]
