PUC Initiates 'Dig Safe' Education Campaign to Increase Public Safety

State's Incident Rate Among Highest in New England

AUGUSTA ME - The summer season is here, and for many property owners that means getting outdoor projects underway. Whether you are installing a new mailbox or septic system, planting shrubs, rebuilding a driveway or building an addition, if you are digging using mechanical methods, you must first call Dig Safe toll free at 1-888-DIG-SAFE for their free underground utility locating service.

Careless digging, drilling or blasting can cause disruption of utility services, costly damage, and personal injury. In a recent tragedy, a Massachusetts homeowner using excavation equipment to plant a tree in his yard hit a natural gas line and destroyed his home. The same weekend, a landscaper damaged another underground line resulting in the loss of another home in that state.

In Maine, recent incidents reported to the PUC include damage to a telephone fiber optic line in Solon, interrupting service to 10,000 customers, and damage to a telephone line in Kezar Falls, resulting in $24,000 in damage. In another incident, Lewiston’s Police Department and City Hall lost telephone service, including 911 capability, for a half hour from an incident that caused $30,000 in damage.

"Every time someone digs with a backhoe or similar equipment without first checking for underground facilities, public safety is at risk," explained PUC chairman Tom Welch. "A single hit can threaten the safety of many people, especially when service interruptions affect critical systems such as 911 emergency service."

Responding to these risks and recent incidents, the Legislature has charged the PUC with actively enforcing Maine’s new Dig Safe law. While Maine has had a Dig Safe law since 1979, enforcement authority was inadequate, and as a result, Maine has had a high incident rate. Available data suggests that Maine’s natural gas facility incident-per-mile (“hit”) rate in the late 1990s was three times higher than those in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and twice the national average.

To inform excavators and property owners of their responsibilities under Maine’s new law, the PUC is launching an educational campaign. This month, the PUC is notifying residential and commercial property owners, and reminding excavators and municipal officials, about the new law.

"The dangers are just as high for property owners as for contractors, which is why the PUC is directing this campaign to both groups," said Welch.

In addition, property owners may own some or all of the underground utility facilities on their land. If damage occurs to any of the facilities, they may be responsible. The consequences for negligence or non-compliance with Dig-Safe rules may include personal financial liability and fines up to $5,000 per violation. These consequences, and the risk of injury or death, should encourage all property owners to learn about, and follow, the Dig-Safe rules.

The message the PUC is sending is simple: if you’re going to be disturbing the ground in any way using mechanical methods, you're required to 'pre-mark' the boundaries of your planned excavation, call DIG SAFE at 1-888-DIG-SAFE at least 3 business days before digging, and follow safe digging requirements.

Utility Companies Must Mark Lines They Own or Maintain

A call to Dig Safe will notify all utilities belonging to that safety organization to mark any underground lines they own or maintain on your property. While not all utilities belong to “Dig Safe,” all must mark their lines, so you or your excavator must also notify even small local utilities about your planned excavation. These utilities generally include water, sewer and smaller electric utilities.

Property Owners Are Responsible for Marking Lines They Own

If you own any underground utility lines, you must mark them before digging. If you're unsure whether you own any lines, call the individual utilities serving you (electricity, natural gas, telephone, cable TV, water and sewer) for clarification. You must mark lines you own regardless of whether you, or a contractor, are doing the digging.

Finding Lines You Own

If you own some utility lines but do not know their exact location, there are several options. You can try to rent locating equipment, hire a locating service, or locate them yourself by seeing where they are marked in the street, where they enter your house, and hand digging test holes in between to confirm the location. Or ask your builder, well digger or plumbing inspector for information about line location. Another solution is to seek the advice of an excavator on how to locate utility lines, or hire the excavator or another service provider to handle the locating and marking for you.

While Maine’s Dig Safe law does not apply to hand digging, it's a good idea to call anyway, for safety reasons. Some utility lines are easily damaged, even by just a hand shovel.

If utility damage occurs, or violations of the Dig Safe law are observed, the affected utility must be notified immediately and an incident report filed with the PUC.

For a free Excavator's or Property Owner's Dig Safe in Maine information kit, contact the PUC at maine.puc@maine.gov or 1-800-452-4699, or get the material on-line at www.state.me.us/mpuc.

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All PUC News Releases maybe found on our website at: http://www.state.me.us/mpuc/newsreleases2002.htm

To arrange an interview with Chairman Welch or Commissioners Nugent or Diamond, please contact Phillip Lindley at 207.287.1598 or by e-mail at phil.lindley@maine.gov. The Commission’s website may be accessed through the Maine School and Library Network at all public libraries in Maine.