CALL BEFORE YOU DIG—it could save your life.
That's the message behind an educational video produced by Wisconsin's electric cooperatives in partnership with Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange. Designed for both homeowners and contractors, the video highlights the importance of locating underground utilities before starting any digging project.
There are millions of miles of underground utility lines across the United States, and damage to buried infrastructure occurs regularly. Projects such as planting trees, installing fences, building decks, or digging trenches can lead to contact with underground electrical lines if their locations are unknown.
To help prevent accidents, homeowners and contractors should contact 811 (Diggers Hotline in Wisconsin) at least three business days before beginning any excavation project. Utility operators will mark the approximate location of underground facilities so work can be completed safely.
Calling 811 is more than a best practice—it is the law. Wisconsin Statute 182.0175 requires notification to Diggers Hotline before excavating, grading, trenching, digging, drilling, augering, tunneling, scraping, or plowing involving underground facilities.
By taking a few minutes to plan ahead and request utility locates, homeowners and contractors can help protect themselves, their communities, and the critical infrastructure that powers everyday life.
This video was created and produced by Wisconsin's electric cooperatives, in partnership with Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange.