FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – April 5, 2022 — April is National Safe Digging Month, and with the arrival of warmer weather, homeowners and construction crews will be anxious to get outside and begin new projects. We offer the following checklist to do before digging in order to get the job off to a safe start.

• Call or Click Before You Dig. Whether you are a homeowner planting a tree or shrub or a contractor using a backhoe, always “Call Before You Dig” at least two full business days in advance to have utility lines marked. You can call 811 or schedule online at arkansas811.com. It’s free, it’s safe and it’s the law. 
  
  After you call, utility specialists will respond within two days to mark the approximate location of buried utility lines at your site with color-coded paint or flags — at no charge to you. Yellow, for example, marks gas lines and red marks electric lines. 
• Mark your planned excavation site. Spray paint a white line, or place white flags, around your planned excavation site before you call. “White-lining” helps the line locator understand your plans and reduces the chance for project delays if the line locator must return to mark additional areas. 
• Respect the marks. Always carefully hand-dig with a shovel near any utility facilities as opposed to using heavy equipment. Use extreme care around all utility lines. Just a nick can create a weak spot that may develop into a gas leak, cause an electrical or internet outage or result in injury.
• Don’t rely on old line locate marks. Project delays? If you do not dig within 10 business days of having lines marked, contact Arkansas 811 again. At no charge, line locators will gladly return to re-mark the lines as quickly as possible. Underground conditions can change, so never rely on outdated information.    

“From installing a mailbox, fence or deck to planting a new garden or landscaping to beginning any construction project, we urge Arkansans to first call or click 811,” said Chad Kinsley, vice president of operations at Black Hills Energy in Arkansas. “Every successful outdoor project starts with 811. No project is too small to double check for safety. Safe digging practices are critical to avoiding an incident.”

Failure to comply with “Call Before You Dig” laws can result in civil penalties or the cost of expensive repairs to utilities and private property. More importantly, remember that hitting an underground utility line can cause widespread service outages, injury or death.
 
If a natural gas line is damaged accidentally or you smell the distinctive rotten-egg odor associated with natural gas, leave the area and then call 911 or the Black Hills Energy 24-hour emergency phone line at 800-890-5554. Do not operate any machinery or equipment that might cause a spark or create an open flame.

Visit call811.com or arkansas811.com for more information about 811 and safe digging practices.