Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/155946
78 • SEPTEMBER 2013 • WORLD FENCE NEWS WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the nation's leading organization focused on protecting underground utility lines and the safety of people who dig near them, has announced findings from its first-ever National Utility Damage Assessment, which showed Americans unintentionally damage underground utilities approximately once per minute every year, risking serious injuries and costly service disruptions, fines and repair costs. The National Utility Damage Assessment is comprised of data from CGA's Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) that illustrates recent utility damage trends, as well as results from a national public opinion study of "do-it-yourself" homeowners. This information, along with a series of relevant trend data, raises concerns about a likely increase in digging potentially resulting in an increase in utility damages in the future. According to the assessment, people who fail to notify a one-call center before digging cause approximately 40 percent of all utility damages, making it the top reason for these dangerous and costly incidents. This statistic jumps to 60 percent for landscaping and fence building, two types of projects that typically Report shows Americans strike underground utilities approximately once per minute, despite risk of serious injuries and costly consequences occur near homes. The nation's 62 one-call centers, located in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, contact appropriate utility companies after receiving a call from someone who intends to dig. (Editor's note: Call before you dig is now even easier using 811, a federally-mandated FCC designated N-11 number. The new 811 number is a national "call before you dig" phone number designated by the FCC to eliminate the confusion of multiple "call before you dig" numbers and help save lives by minimizing damages to underground utilities.) Locating technicians from these utility companies mark the approximate location of their lines with watersoluble paint or flags to reduce the likelihood of a digger striking into a line. Due to the recent downturn in the economy and housing market, most Americans are planning to stay in their current homes and make improvements on their own, according to a national public opinion study of homeowners that have property. A projected growth in DIY projects is a concern, because, according to a public opinion study by CGA, only 33 percent of do-it-yourselfers bother to contact their utility companies through a one-call center before digging. "The current level of annual utility damages threatens public safety and reliable access to power, heat, water and communication services, and we're concerned it could be worse with the increase in planned DIY projects," CGA commented. "The data in our assessment illustrates the need for a higher level of public awareness about the risks associated with digging without first contacting a local one-call center." Reducing utility damage now and in the future The 811 number was launched as the national call-before-you-dig telephone number on May 1, 2007, as a way to reach all 62 one-call centers with the same, easy-to-remember phone number. The number earned this designa- tion from the Federal Communications Commission in 2005 at the direction of an Act of Congress in 2002. Millions of Americans have made calls to one-call centers since 811's launch, but the data from the assessment indicates that call volume must rise in the coming years for Americans to achieve a higher level of safety and service reliability. "Having a single call-before-youdig number that works in all parts of the country has been one of the largest breakthroughs in protecting our underground infrastructure and the people who dig," according to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a division of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. "The next milestone will occur when all Americans call 811 as the first step in their project planning," the agency said. PHMSA said there are several ways that professional excavators such as fence contractors can help: • Set a good example for the do-ityourself community by always calling 811 before digging, regardless of the depth. • Promote 811 on company vehicles, web sites and through other marketing materials as a symbol of safety. continued on page 80 LOOKING FOR SOMETHING? NEED TO KNOW IN A HURRY? If it's a supplier of fence materials, equipment, services, or supplies that you are looking for, World Fence News will be glad to suggest sources from its comprehensive database of fence industry suppliers. And it's available to all paid subscribers of World Fence News at no cost. Contact us and describe the product and we will do our best to track it down and give you the name, address, telephone number and web site of the product's supplier(s). Again, there is no charge to paid subscribers of World Fence News. 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