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811 Day

AUGUST 11TH is National “811 DAY”

Help us spread the word of safe digging and download our Awareness Toolkit.

Awareness Toolkit


AUG. 11 (8/11) SERVES AS CONVENIENT REMINDER FOR NORTH CAROLINA
RESIDENTS TO ALWAYS CALL 811 BEFORE DIGGING
North Carolina 811 encourages people to make a free request 3 working days before digging to avoid damaging buried utilities

Aug. 11th is almost here, and North Carolina 811 hopes that the 8/11 date on the calendar will serve as a natural reminder for residents to call 811 prior to any digging project to have underground utility lines marked. Every few minutes an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first calling 811.

When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to North Carolina 811, the local one call center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig. Single address ticket request can also be made online at https://newtin.nc811.org/nc811oa/ Professional locators then arrive at the requested digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both.

Striking a single line can cause injury, repair costs, inconvenient outages, and fines. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants contacting 811 by phone or online. Installing a mailbox, building a deck, planting a tree and laying a patio are all examples of digging projects that require a free request at least three days before breaking ground.

“On Aug. 11 and throughout the year, we remind homeowners and professional contractors alike to the free 811 service before digging to reduce the risk of striking an underground utility line,” said Louis Panzer, Executive Director for North Carolina 811. “It really is the only way to know which utilities are buried in your area.”

The depth of utility lines can vary for a number of reasons, such as erosion, previous digging projects and uneven surfaces. Utility lines need to be properly marked because even when digging only a few inches or digging in a location that has previously been marked, the risk of striking an underground utility line still exists. Visit www.nc811.org for more information about 811 and safe digging practices.

Download this Press Release


Help us share the 811 message by posting these 8/11 Day
social media messages on Facebook and X

X

(For Aug. 1 posting) Aug 11 is 811 day. Learn more & help us spread the word! https://nc811.org/811day #National811Day
(For Aug. 3 posting) Call 811 before you dig to find buried utility lines. www.nc811.org #National811Day
(For Aug. 4 posting) Aug 11 is 811 day. Learn more & help us spread the word! https://nc811.org/811day #National811Day
(For Aug. 8 posting) An underground line is damaged once every nine minutes because someone didn’t call 811! www.nc811.org #National811Day
(For Aug. 11 posting) It’s 811 Day! Just a reminder, stop and make the call to 811. https://youtu.be/JnqLM87DO9w #National811Day

Facebook

(For Aug. 1 posting) Aug 11 is 811 day. Learn more & help us spread the word! https://nc811.org/811day #National811Day
(For Aug. 4 posting) Don’t forget to stop and make the call to 811 on 8/11 day and every day of the year when you plan on digging! #National811Day https://youtu.be/JnqLM87DO9w
(For Aug. 8 posting) Aug 11 is 811 day. Learn more & help us spread the word! https://nc811.org/811day #National811Day
(For Aug. 11 posting) It’s August 11th – 8/11 Day! North Carolina 811 wants you to know that Calling 811 to get buried utility lines marked is the first step to staying safe during your digging projects. Do the right thing. Call 811 before you dig. #National811Day

August 11th Talking Points for our stakeholders
Many NC811 stakeholders often begin each meeting with a safety message. Below NC811 has provided talking points that can be presented at your company’s next safety meeting on or around Aug. 11 to help educate employees about 811 and its role in protecting the safety of workers, customers, and entire communities.

Key messages:

Every digging project requires a call to 811.
Calling 811 three full working days prior to digging notifies utility companies of the intent to dig and gives representatives time to mark the appropriate lines.
Aug. 11 is 8/11 on the calendar, a natural reminder for people to call 811


How 811 works:

811 can be called from anywhere in the country.
A representative from NC811 will answer the call to find out the location and description of the digging site.
The affected utility companies will be notified of the intent to dig.
The utility companies will send a professional locator to the digging site to identify and mark the approximate location of the underground lines.
Once lines have been marked, you should respect the marks and dig carefully around them.

Types of projects:

Lines need to be marked for each separate project, such as installing a rural mailbox, putting up a fence, planting trees or building a deck.
Call 3 full working days prior to digging to allow time for professional locators to mark the utility lines.
Even if you’ve hired a contractor, make sure the contractor calls 811 to have lines marked.

Consequences:

Every nine minutes an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first calling 811.
Hitting an underground utility line while digging can cause serious injuries, disrupt service to entire neighborhoods, and potentially result in fines and repair costs.


Download these talking points

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