National Safe Digging Month: Why it’s important to call 811 before digging
AES Indiana is reminding customers to put safety first during National Safe Digging Month.
Kelly R. Young, AES Indiana public relations director, joined us today to share exactly what you need to do before digging a hole in Indiana.
She says the first step is to call 811 to have utility lines marked. Here’s more from her:
AES Indiana, a subsidiary of The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES), recognizes April is National Safe Digging Month and encourages all customers to understand the importance of digging in a safe, responsible way. Whether your project involves construction or planting a tree, put safety first and be sure to call 811 at least 2 days ahead of your scheduled start. Customers can also submit requests online via 811NOW.com.
With warmer days ahead, are you planning outdoor improvement projects or yard work?
To ensure safety, you want to be sure you know where electrical, gas and other utility lines are located on your property. Not only will doing so avoid headaches and make your job easier, but you will steer clear of potential utility outages, repair costs and serious or even fatal injuries. AES Indiana reminds customers to exercise social distancing and the utmost caution, cooperation and patience as you plan and perform your work.
AES Indiana is a member of the Indiana Underground Plant Protection Service (IUPPS), a free statewide service that will notify your utility companies to send representatives to the site and clearly mark the location of their underground lines and pipes. If you do not complete your digging or construction projects within 10 business days after the initial marking, you will need to call back to have the utility lines remarked for verification.
To learn more, go to aesindiana.com and download our Right Tree Right Place brochure and for tips to plant smart with the utilities in mind.
Be sure to visit aesindiana.com/hellofuture to learn more about our recent name change and how we are accelerating the future of energy, together.
In addition to Earth Day, I can mention that we’ll be celebrating Arbor Day with our annual Indy Free Tree event:
AES Indiana celebrates Arbor Day with our annual Indy Free Tree event. Since 2008, AES Indiana has worked with community partners to give away 11,000 trees. This year’s Indy Free Tree event will take place on Friday, April 29, beginning at 11 a.m., on Monument Circle, in front of the AES Indiana building. Be one of the first 800 people and get your free tree. First-come, first-served. Limit one per family.
AES Indiana recognizes April is National Safe Digging Month and encourages all customers to understand the importance of digging in a safe, responsible way. Whether your project involves construction or planting a tree, put safety first and be sure to call 811 at least 2 days ahead of your scheduled start. Customers can also submit requests online via 811NOW.com.
To ensure safety, you want to be sure you know where electrical, gas and other utility lines are located on your property.
811 protects you and your community! Hitting a buried line while digging can disrupt utility service, cost money to repair, or cause serious injury or death. Always contact your 811 center, wait the required time for utilities to respond to your request, and ensure that all utilities have responded to your request before putting a shovel in the ground.