Be Safe, Be Smart and Know What’s Below - BGE Reminds You to Call 811 Before You Dig
12 August 2016 - 12:00AM
Business Wire
August 11 (8/11) is National Call Before You
Dig Day
Today, 8/11, serves as a natural reminder for all customers and
contractors to call 811 to have utility-owned underground lines
marked before digging. Nationwide, every six minutes someone
damages an underground utility line because of digging without
first calling 811, according to the Common Ground Alliance, the
national association that promotes the 811 phone number and safe
digging practices. More than 150 incidents occurred last year alone
on the BGE system because someone failed to call before
digging.
Striking an underground electric or natural gas line can cause
serious injury, damages and service interruptions. Every digging
project, no matter how large or small, warrants a call to 811.
Installing a mailbox, building a deck, planting a tree and laying a
patio are all examples of digging projects where a call to 811
should be one of the first steps. Customers and contractors also
are required to call 811 before clearing blocked sewer lines to
determine if any utility lines are nearby as well.
BGE has nearly 16,000 circuit miles of underground electric
lines—more than 60 percent of the electric distribution system.
Additionally, there are nearly 14,000 miles of BGE natural gas
distribution and service lines throughout central Maryland. Aside
from BGE’s lines, there are underground communications cables,
water and sewer lines, and other utilities. Even properties that
are not served by a particular service may still have utility lines
running below ground.
When calling 811, customers and contractors are connected to
Miss Utility, the local one-call center, which notifies BGE and
other utilities of the intent to dig at a location. The utilities’
professional locators are then sent to the requested digging site
to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags,
spray paint or both. Once lines are located, customers and
contractors doing work also must understand the markings and look
for evidence of unmarked lines, such as water and sewer lines on
private property. Sewer clean-outs and water valve covers are
examples of equipment that can indicate the presence of underground
lines. Once lines are marked, customers and contractors must
proceed carefully. Hand dig with caution and never use mechanized
excavation equipment within 18 inches of marked utilities.
BGE joins the Exelon family of utilities in recognizing National
Call Before You Dig Day and is a member of the Common Ground
Alliance to share best practices to promote safe excavation and
decrease instances of damage to underground lines. The company also
provides customers and local contractors with important information
about safety around overhead and underground utility lines through
mailings, customer newsletters, social media and print
advertising.
To learn more, visit www.bge.com/811.
BGE, founded in 1816 as the nation’s first gas utility, is
Maryland’s largest natural gas and electric utility. Headquartered
in Baltimore, BGE delivers power to more than 1.25 million electric
customers and more than 650,000 natural gas customers in central
Maryland. The company’s approximately 3,200 employees are committed
to the safe and reliable delivery of natural gas and electricity,
as well as enhanced energy management, conservation, environmental
stewardship and community assistance. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon
Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive energy
provider. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, YouTube and
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160811005595/en/
Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE)Justin Mulcahy,
justin.mulcahy@bge.comBGE Media Hotline: 410.470.7433
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