Grand Canyon Times

In April, residents and professional excavators in Arizona are reminded of the crucial step to "know what's below" before digging as the month marks National Safe Digging Month. The Arizona Corporation Commission emphasizes the importance of contacting 811 prior to any excavation activities. This effort seeks to prevent injuries and safeguard the essential buried infrastructure.

AZ811 is a free damage prevention service available to both individuals and companies planning to dig. It is a one-call notification system designed to assist excavators in identifying all underground electric, gas, water, telephone, sewer, and communications lines before starting their work. By placing a call or submitting an online ticket to AZ811, a professional will visit the site and mark the locations of these lines without any cost. Facility owners are required to mark their lines within two working days, or they risk a fine of up to $5,000.

The Arizona Corporation Commission's Office of Pipeline Safety (AZOPS) is responsible for inspecting and overseeing a pipeline network that spans 45,037 miles and 1,456,602 services. In the previous year, AZ811 received over 900,000 calls, and operators reported 676 pipeline hits or damages. Arizona ranks among the top states with the lowest number of hits per 1,000 tickets.

Further information can be found at http://www.arizona811.com/ or https://azcc.gov/safety/pipeline-safety/pipeline.