|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Spring is here, and the warmer season means Floridians are getting their shovels ready for a multitude of outdoor improvement projects, ranging from planting new landscaping to installing a fence or deck to working on their home’s overall curb appeal. However, homeowners should take caution with these activities as dangers lie below.
While it is the most active season for outdoor to-do work, it also is a time when telecommunications, water and gas lines are increasingly hit. Last year, there were more than 26,000 reported damages to buried lines in Florida. Sunshine 811 encourages homeowners and professional contractors to take the right steps to dig safely, especially as landscaping and fencing combined cause the most damage to underground utility lines (some of which are just inches to a foot or two below the surface). Damage from hand tools and digging equipment can result in costly repairs, service interruptions and potential injuries.
Even if you consider yourself an expert in landscaping and other spruce-up work, Sunshine 811 wants to help you avoid these five all too-common mistakes:
1. Not contacting 811 before you dig. This is the No. 1 cause of damage to underground utilities and is completely preventable. By contacting 811, you ensure your safety and avoid potential inconveniences and accidents by having buried lines marked by your utility companies. Contacting 811 before you dig is also the law.
2. Not waiting the required time to dig so underground utility lines can be marked. While no one likes waiting to get started on a project, the law requires you to wait two full business days (after requesting a locate ticket with 811) to have underground lines marked and to begin digging.
3. Not understanding the difference between public and private lines. While utilities mark public lines such as gas, electric, telecom and water mains, it’s your responsibility to have private lines marked including the water line from your meter to property, irrigation, landscape lighting, pool pumps and gas lines to grills.
4. Not realizing the rules around easements. Easements or rights-of-way on your property mean others, like a utility company, have access to part of your land, for example, to dig around a pipe or cable.
5. Not considering the damage hand tools and equipment can cause. Heavy foot pressure on a shovel can inadvertently hit a shallow buried line, while a backhoe or stump grinder can easily dig up close-to-the surface and deeper underground lines leaving you with steep repair costs. That is why it’s important to contact 811 and have all lines marked.
“This time of year, people love to beautify their property. We want them to start by being informed, taking the right steps and digging safely,” said Wendy Schaefer, education and awareness manager for Sunshine 811. “What may seem like an easy or small project can turn into a serious and dangerous situation if you don’t follow the process, starting with contacting 811. You can’t put a price on safety and protecting human life.”
811 can be accessed by entering those numbers directly on your phone or by visiting digsafeflorida.com and clicking on “Create a Ticket.” Sunshine 811 also is Florida’s go-to resource for education on safe digging. The organization’s online Learning Center offers in-depth information, resources and videos on a variety of topics, including the six essential steps for safe digging, safe planting tips, damage prevention and more.
For more information about being safe and smart while digging, visit digsafeflorida.com.
ABOUT US:
For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.
This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.
Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://communitynewspapers.com.
If you have any questions, feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com or Grant@communitynewspapers.com.
