A chance to win a free tree just for practicing safe digging? Yes, it’s that easy!
April is National Safe Digging Month, which serves as a reminder of the importance of contacting 811 before any commercial or residential digging projects and practicing safe digging techniques. And the best part? In partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, we’re shipping a free tree to 50 lucky winners in Texas who take the Safe Digging Pledge! ! The winners will be randomly drawn from those who take the pledge this April.
It takes only a few seconds to damage a buried pipeline, but the consequences could last much longer. Hitting underground facilities can cause outages and damage your home or community. At Texas Gas Service, we want everyone to join us in digging safely to avoid injury and protect the community.
Big or Small, Give 811 a Call
Make the free call to 811 or visit texas811.org at least 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, before digging starts. From planting a garden to installing a deck, all digging projects require contacting 811.
After all underground facilities, such as cables and pipelines, are marked, remember to practice safe digging techniques in the tolerance zone, a minimum of 18 inches plus half the pipe diameter from either side of the flag or paint marks, by using only hand tools or soft digging. No mechanized equipment should be used in this area.
How Can I Be a Dig Hero and Win a Free Tree?
Anyone can be a Dig Hero! Our Safe Digging Heroes contact 811 before starting a project and dig safely once the project area has been marked. Take the Safe Digging Pledge and be entered for a chance to win a free tree, shipped directly to you from the Arbor Day Foundation! Winners can use the Arbor Day Foundation’s interactive portal to determine the best place to plant the tree on the property to maximize energy savings and positive environmental impact.
What to Expect When You Contact 811
- Operators with underground facilities near your planned excavation are connected to Texas 811, including natural gas and power utilities, communications companies, cities and towns.
- Utility operators or their contractors mark their underground facilities with paint or flags, or they indicate that they have no lines in the area.
- Be sure to check your ticket before digging to ensure that all utilities have been notified and responded.
- You can recognize the type of line marking by using this color code.
For more safe digging information, visit beadigherotexas.com.
