April Marks National Safe Digging Month
Posted on: Apr 17, 2026Calling 811 ahead of any excavation project is not just the safe thing to do, it’s the law.
PHILADELPHIA (April 14, 2026) – During National Safe Digging Month this April, Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) reminds contractors and residents to call 811 or visit pa1call.org, before underground excavation (digging) or any building demolition work, regardless of a project’s size.
Pennsylvania One Call System (PA 811) triggers alerts to all utilities and notifies all possible affected property owners within the intended digging area so their underground structures can be marked ahead of excavation or demolition work. In coordination with PA 811, PGW processes the requests and marks gas lines to help prevent injuries, property damage, and inconvenient and costly utility outages. In 2025, working in coordination with PA 811, PGW safely addressed over 77,000 One Call tickets to mark underground utility lines across Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania law requires residents and contractors to call PA 811 three to 10 business days prior to beginning an underground excavation project. Creating even a minor trench or hole can lead to significant problems if mishandled before breaking ground. The PA 811 service is free and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Pennsylvanians can dial 8-1-1 to connect with PA One Call and out-of-state residents or businesses can call 1-800-242-1776. PGW encourages Philadelphia residents to call 811 to report any contractor suspected of digging without a valid Pennsylvania One Call ticket, which will alert all property owners of a possible safety concern. Job sites that do not have visible paint or flag markings should be reported to 811 immediately. Natural gas lines are identified and marked by yellow paint or flags. The yellow color is the standardized safety color specific to natural gas, steam, petroleum, and other flammable materials.
At any time, the smell of gas should be reported immediately to PGW’s emergency hotline at 215-235-1212.
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