With warmer temperatures and April kicking off the best time of year to plant, spring means more people are heading outdoors to upgrade their landscaping, start a garden, install a fence, and work on their home’s curb appeal. Given that it’s the most active season for outdoor home projects, Sunshine 811 encourages homeowners and professional contractors to dig safely, especially as landscaping and fencing cause the most damage to underground utility lines – resulting in costly repairs, service interruptions, and injuries.
“The majority of underground utility damages across the country occur from not contacting 811. In Florida, it’s the law to contact 811 before you dig. When you call 811, we send your information to our member utilities, who then mark or clear their lines, ensuring public safety and helping you dig safely. Our priority will always be protecting communities across our state,” said Mark Sweet, Sunshine 811’s executive director.
811 can be accessed by entering those numbers directly on your phone or by visiting digsafeflorida.com and clicking on “Create a Ticket.” Sunshine 811 is also Florida’s go-to resource for education on safe digging. The organization’s online Learning Center offers in-depth information, resources, and videos on a variety of topics, including safe planting tips, damage prevention, and more.
Sunshine 811 encourages homeowners and contractors to follow these six fundamental steps for safe digging:
For more information about being safe and smart while digging, visit digsafeflorida.com.
About Sunshine 811
Celebrating more than 30 years of work to make Florida the safest place to dig, Sunshine 811 is the state’s go-to resource for education and training on safe digging practices. It’s also the organization the law requires you to call before starting any digging project. Sunshine 811 maintains a toll-free number and a 24/7 online system to notify its member utility companies of pending excavation projects so buried utility lines can be located and marked to protect the underground infrastructure. The organization also works with enforcement entities throughout the state to ensure compliance with Florida laws.
It’s estimated that a utility line is damaged every six minutes in the U.S. Sunshine 811’s efforts are all about ensuring public safety and preventing underground utility damage. With Florida’s continued ranking as one of the top states in the country for construction activity and related jobs, safe digging in Florida and Sunshine 811’s role has never been more important.
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