RSS Feed
Safety and National Safe Digging Month
The most important issue for our members, and the one that comes up most often around the AGA offices, is safety. Without a doubt and for good reason. With that in mind, we’re once again celebrating and promoting National Safe Digging Month.
National Safe Digging Month is “dedicated to increasing awareness of safe digging practices across the country and to celebrate the anniversary of 811, the national call-before-you-dig number.” In plain English, what that means is if you can dial 811 on your phone you can notify utilities that you will be digging on your property. The utility companies will then come to your property and mark the approximate locations of all utility-owned lines with paint or flags. It usually only takes them a few days to come out. And, best of all the 811 service is free and worth the time to prevent an accident.
Here’s some great stats from the “Did you know” section on call811.com
Did you know?
- More than 200,000 underground utility lines are struck each year in the U.S.?
- 37% of all U.S. digging damages result from not calling before digging.
- Utilities are buried only a few inches underground, making them easy to strike even during shallow digging projects.
You can read more in the press release on National Safe Digging Month we issued at the beginning on the month. I worked my way through college on construction sites so I can testify that the “utilities are buried only a few inches underground, making them easy to strike even during shallow digging projects” line is a real concern.
Get the full scoop at call811.com. While you’re there you can also view their page with state specific information on 811. All of our members have their own safety programs and usually something that goes along with this month so feel free to leave a link in the comments below to anything that is helpful.
Congress Calls for June 10th to be Named National Pipeline Safety Day
Largely due to the efforts of Congressman Rick Larsen (D-WA), the House of Representatives has voted to designate June 10th National Pipeline Safety Day. Larsen proposed that this day fall on the anniversary of a tragic natural gas explosion in his district of Bellingham, Washington that killed three people on June 10, 1999. His remarks commemorating the incident can be found here.
Before making its way to the House floor, the resolution was shepherded by Larsen through the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, calling for an increased awareness of the nation’s underground pipeline infrastructure and increased safety measures to ensure that pipelines remain the safest form of transportation of energy products.
Most people have no clue about the magnitude of our country’s pipeline system. For instance, did you know that there are there are 2.3 million miles of distribution and service pipeline in the United States? That’s enough pipe to wrap around the earth 92 times!
While these millions of miles of pipeline are housed underground and out of sight, they should not be out of our minds, which is precisely why we are encouraging state and local governments to not only observe National Pipeline Safety Day but to renew their commitment to safety and the prevention of excavation damage.
In April, we teamed with the Common Ground Alliance to establish National Safe Digging Month, which urges those embarking on any digging or excavation project to place a free phone call to 811 beforehand in order to make sure the area is secure for digging.
Please spread the word about National Pipeline Safety Day and don’t forget to call 811 before you dig this summer.
Safety first
I don’t think there is anything more important to our members than safety. On virtually every survey we run where safety is an option, it floats to the top in terms of importance. They spend billions of dollars every year to maintain the system’s excellent safety record.
This is a good thing.
Last month, we blogged about Call before you Dig month. The call before you dig program is important. Many people call it the most important part of the safety program for most natural gas utilities because nearly 60 percent of the incidents on utility distribution pipelines are due to excavation damage.
Of course there are many other tools that natural gas utilites use to help keep us safe. The other day I came across this chart from We Energies that contains general guidelines to maintain safe clearance distances between structure and landscaping projects. The best part about the chart in my opinion? The first thing it does is remind you to call before you dig.
Leave a comment if you’ve found a tool that people can use.
True Blue Natural Gas Blog from the American Gas Association (AGA)- Beating the Heat with Summer LIHEAP Action Day
- “The Future of Natural Gas,” Meet Dr. Ernest J. Moniz, MIT
- Renewable Gas – Vision for a Sustainable Gas Network
- The Natural Gas Revolution
- The natural gas grid…the really smart grid
- Meeting the Route 66 guys
- Drilling 101
- ‘Drive To Inspire’ Rides Through Tulsa
- Congratulations to the AGA Awards of Merit Recipients
- Summer LIHEAP Action Day
