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National digging awareness reduces Georgia injuries suffered on the job

On Behalf of | Apr 16, 2011 | Georgia Work Accidents, Utility Accidents |

The National Safety Council wants to remind us all that April is Safe Digging Month.

Our Georgia workers’ compensation lawyers want you to “Call Before You Dig”. Whether you are a homeowner planting a tree or a contractor building an addition, you need to know what is below to avoid a potentially deadly accident.”Spring is the time many of us take on outdoor projects and home improvements. We need to remember that there can be danger just below our feet. That is the reason we need to call 811 before beginning any type of digging, whether we are planting petunias, installing a sprinkler system, fence posts, mail boxes or building a deck.” Georgia 811’s President and CEO Claudette Campbell said.

The 811 hotline was created to protect our underground utility infrastructure from being damaged by digging projects. Common Ground Alliance (CGA) is the group specifically created to work with all industries in this effort. The 8-1-1 campaign was launched to increase the public’s awareness of the dangers of damaging underground utility lines.

811 is an easy means of getting your underground utility lines marked before starting your digging project. All you need to do is tell the call center operator about your digging project, in turn, they will call your local utility companies. Within a few days of your call your underground cables and pipes will be marked for you.

Universal colors mark your utilities including red for electric and yellow for gas. A complete list of color markings can be found here.

Don’t take the chance of not calling 811, you could be held responsible for fines and repair costs if you damage an underground utility line. Knocking out power to an entire neighborhood is also a possibility. It goes without saying that hitting a gas line could have disastrous consequences to you and those around you.

Georgia’s 811 four Dig Safely practices include:

-Call before you dig.
-Wait the required amount of time for marking.
-Respect the marks.
-Dig with care.

Georgia 811 local information can be seen here.

Our experienced Georgia work accident attorneys at the Law Offices of J. Franklin Burns, P.C. , have the knowledge to assist clients with obtaining all of the benefits they are entitled to under the Georgia workers’ compensation program. We carefully review all the facts of your accident to determine whether additional claims can be filed against someone other than your employer. For a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights, call 404-920-4708 .