PHILADELPHIA (August 10, 2020) –Tuesday, August 11 or 8/11, will be more than just another hot summer day. It’s a day when Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) reminds City residents and contractors to dial 811 before digging to avoid potential injury and to reduce the risk of damaging natural gas infrastructure or other underground utility lines.
Regardless of the size of the project, anyone planning to pave, excavate, or demolish a building should – and is legally required to – call Pennsylvania 811. It is recommended to call three to 10 business days prior to beginning a project.
The 811 number connects callers to Pennsylvania’s “One Call” system, which alerts utilities to identify the location of service or distribution lines within the scope of the proposed worksite. The respective utilities will then visit the site to either indicate that the site is clear of utility lines or mark and/or flag the location of its infrastructure.
PGW also encourages City residents to call 811 to report any suspect contractor that may be digging without a valid Pennsylvania One Call ticket in place, which alerts all facility owners of a possible safety concern. Jobsites that do not have visible paint or flag markings onsite should be reported to 811.
Calls to Pennsylvania 811 are free, available 24 hours a day, and helps make energy infrastructure safer. Notification to the 811 system can also be made online at pa1call.org. For more information, visit PGW’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2bbAeZm.
PGW is committed to delivering safe, reliable natural gas service to City residents and businesses. In addition to the reminder to call before you dig, PGW also urges anyone who smells a gas odor to leave the area immediately, and then call PGW’s 24-hour gas emergency hotline at (215) 235-1212 from a safe location. To learn more www.pgworks.com/safety.