State officers are urging Bay Staters to not be one of many estimated 27.2 million People who will put themselves and their neighborhoods in danger over the subsequent yr by not calling Dig Protected at 811 earlier than beginning an outside digging mission.
Gov. Maura Healey proclaimed April to be Safe Digging Month to advertise using Dig Protected as the bottom thaws and yard work season will get into gear. The Division of Public Utilities, utility corporations, and different states throughout the nation are emphasizing Dig Protected reminders in April.
To keep away from unintended strikes of underground utility strains, it’s the legislation to name 811 at the least three days earlier than beginning to dig on or close to your property in Massachusetts. Many utilities are buried simply inches under floor, and householders are urged to name 811 to have officers come mark any close by utilities earlier than embarking on tasks like backyard or mailbox installations.
DPU mentioned excavation tasks the main trigger of injury to underground utility infrastructure. It investigated 2,537 excavation-related incidents involving potential violations of utility infrastructure in Massachusetts final yr and DPU’s investigations resulted in additional than $14.1 million in civil penalties assessed to violators.
DPU additionally supplies academic seminars for first-time offenders, which have been attended by virtually 258 totally different contractors in 2024. These efforts, DPU mentioned, have led to a “steady discount within the whole harm fee per thousand tickets.”
