4 Tips To Embrace Earth Day Safely

Happy Earth Day!

With perfect weather to enjoy the great outdoors Friday, homeowners and contractors should use caution before sticking your shovel into the ground.

Elizabethtown Gas is providing the following safe digging guidelines:

• Call 8-1-1 Before You Dig: When starting an outdoor project involving digging, customers are advised to contact 8-1-1 or 1-800-272-1000as part of their plans. Calls to the free locating service can be made up to 10 days in advance. Customers must wait three business days before digging. The requests to have public utility operators mark underground facilities, including natural gas, electric, water, sewer, telephone and cable lines, can be made 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
• Allow the Required Time for Marking: Before doing any digging, customers are urged to call 8-1-1 and wait the required time to have underground utility lines marked. The approximate location of underground utility lines will be marked with color-coded spray paint, flags or stakes that correspond to the utility. The color used for natural gas is yellow.
• Respect the Marks: Once the lines are marked, use the appropriate digging methods, which may include hand tools, and dig no closer than 24 inches from the marked utility lines.
• Excavate Carefully: Make sure to maintain the marks during the project. If they are illegible or removed, customers are encouraged to call 8-1-1 to have the lines re-marked. If a natural gas line is accidentally damaged or the distinct odor of gas is present, first call 9-1-1 then 1-800-492-4009 from a safe location. Do not operate any machinery or any equipment that might cause a spark.