How Deep Is A Typical Natural Gas Service Line Underground In Michigan

How an underground utility line can lose the battle with your garden shovel

The various colors of flags used to marking hole-and-corner utility lines.

A garden shovel and construction equipment tin can be equally dangerous tools when it comes to outdoor digging projects.

You may not realize it, but gas, water, sewer, electrical and telecommunications lines are buried at various depths throughout Michigan. If you don't know where they're located before you intermission ground, you run the hazard of personal injury or fifty-fifty worse.

That's why the Michigan Public Service Commission urges all Michiganders non to get caught starting a digging project without first making a gratis call to MISS DIG 811.

Thousands of times every twelvemonth public utility lines are struck in Michigan considering someone failed to call 8–1–one to have the lines clearly marked.

There were seven,471 incidents of utility line damage reported to the MPSC in 2018. Of those, more than than 47 percent were caused past contractors and eight percent by homeowners. In nigh 37 percent of the cases, or more than than 2,750, indications are that no one called MISS DIG 811 outset.

Nationwide, every nine minutes an underground utility line is damaged by digging, according to Common Ground Brotherhood, the national association defended to protecting underground utility lines.

That's only not acceptable when it'due south so piece of cake to have someone come out and marking the location of utility lines. Hitting a line can potentially be very dangerous to workers and the community.

If construction equipment strikes a natural gas or liquid pipeline it could cause pregnant holding harm, injury, or even expiry, not to mention interrupt service to the area or harm the environment. If yous strike an electrical line, you could exist electrocuted. Damage caused to telecommunication lines and cables would cut service to your business firm, business, or neighborhood. Fifty-fifty hitting a water line tin can upshot in belongings impairment.

It was obvious recently how unsafe information technology tin can be to dig without checking for the location of utility lines kickoff. In Durham, Northward Carolina, a work crew appears to have severed a natural gas line, which led to an explosion that killed 1 person and injured upwardly to 25 others.

In light of the perhaps dire consequences, why wouldn't y'all telephone call viii–1–1 first?

In social club to stay safe, whether you're planting a tree, starting a exercise-it-yourself home comeback project, expanding a business, or working on the farm, call 8–ane–i or fill out an online request form at least three working days earlier starting your projection. Providing information well-nigh the digging location will merely take a few minutes.

MISS DIG 811 volition relay the information to the local utilities and they will send technicians to the chore site where they'll place color-coded flags or spray markings to indicate where utility lines are cached:

Yellowish flags point a gas or liquid pipeline.
Orange means in that location'due south a telephone, cable, or signal line.
Greenish is used to mark a sewer line.
Blue means a h2o line is in the area.
Cerise means in that location's electric or lighting cables below.

Once the area is marked y'all can start working, just exist sure to stay about four feet away from any marked lines. Keep in mind, too, that the markings don't indicate the depth of utility infrastructure. When you're working around whatsoever marked utility line, advisedly employ mitt tools to expose the utility infrastructure.

Even if you've hired a contractor to do your project, brand sure they've chosen 8–1–1 starting time.

The MPSC supports efforts to brand certain contractors are the best-trained when it comes to identifying hugger-mugger utility infrastructure. I manner a contractor tin can indicate they have employees who are trained in safe diffing practices is to get Gold Shovel Standard certified. The certification means a contractor has shown a commitment to training, rubber excavation practices, and continued employee grooming.

If you or a contractor strike a utility line, telephone call 9–ane–1 immediately, and then call the utility visitor.

The Michigan Public Service Commission wants all Michiganders to stay safe when they piece of work outside. Call 8–1–1 before yous dig so you will know what'southward beneath before your project is a "go".

Learn more: Visit world wide web.missdig.org for more data.