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Everyone’s resources have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. You
can help prevent locate delays by pre-marking your proposed dig area in
white and notifying 811 of your planned excavation with as much lead time
as possible: up to 10 business days in Oregon and Washington. To learn
more about NW Natural’s response to COVID-19, click here. |
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| Always Notify 811 Before You Dig—It's Free, and It's the Law! |
| Review these tips with coworkers at your tailgate or toolbox meetings before work begins to help avoid potential hazards when working near natural gas pipelines or other utility lines. |
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Order a free worker safety training kit on
NW Natural’s Work Safe website. |
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| Do you have a project that involves digging? If so, don’t forget to include notifying 811—your local one-call utility locator service—in your excavation plans. Third-party dig-ins are the most common cause of natural gas pipeline damages, and we need your help to prevent them! |
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| Notify your state’s 811 service at least two full business days before you dig or move earth in any
way—even for small jobs. It’s the law! Call 811 or use the online request system: |
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| The 811 service will notify any utilities that have underground facilities in your dig area, so they can mark out the utility locations. Once you know where utility lines are located, you can dig a safe distance away from them. (You must hire a private locating contractor to locate non-utility-owned lines, such as gas lines to grills or power lines to swimming pools.) |
| Know the Dangers |
| If you don’t notify 811 before digging, you risk contacting a buried utility line. Damaging a natural gas line can result in thousands of dollars in damage and the risk of injuries. You can avoid property damage, personal injury, and possible fines and repair costs by notifying the 811 service before you start to dig. Even small digging jobs require this. |
| Play It Safe |
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Pre-mark your proposed excavation area with white paint and/or flags. |
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WAIT for utilities to be marked before you dig. |
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Follow state laws for digging within the “tolerance zone,” a safety area that spans the width of an underground facility, plus 24 inches from its outside dimensions. |
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Respect the marks, hand expose to verify the location of marked utility lines, and dig with care! |
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| Free Online Excavation Safety Training |
| Now being offered — Excavation Safety 101 |
| This online course will strengthen your understanding of common safety issues as well
as educate you on laws and best practices for safe excavation. The course is designed
to take a minimum of 60 minutes to complete, although there is no maximum time limit.
Successful completion of Excavation Safety 101 with a 100% grade will earn you a
certificate, proving that you've completed the course and giving you a way to earn
continuing education credits. |
| The course is available to anyone. Simply create an account,
enroll in the course, and complete the material at your own pace. |
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