Dig Safe®

Planning home improvements? Planting a tree? Installing a fence or deck? Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional, a safe job starts with a call to Dig Safe® at 811.

Dig Safe® is a not-for-profit clearinghouse that notifies participating utility companies of your plans to dig. In turn, these utilities (or their contract locating companies) respond to mark out the location of their underground facilities. Dig Safe is a free service, funded entirely by its member utility companies. (Note: Dig Safe does not mark utility lines.)

It’s a risk to make faulty assumptions about when to notify Dig Safe. That’s why state law requires you to notify Dig Safe for even small projects, like installing a mailbox or planting shrubs. The depth of utility lines vary and there may be multiple utility lines in a common area.

It’s important to know what’s below. Call 811 to avoid utility service disruption to an entire neighborhood, harm to you and those around you, as well as fines and repair costs.

When you see markings on the ground, the colors, whether on paint or flags, signify the following:

Dig Safe Colors - Markings

FREE CONTRACTOR TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

The Managing Underground Safety Training (MUST) Program is available to educate you and your employees on the damage prevention process, local Dig Safe laws and requirements, utility locating procedures, concerns about working around utilities, PHMSA’s Excavator Rule, and what to do if an underground facility is struck. To sign up for a free seminar please visit www.must-ne.com. Another available resource is the Common Ground Alliance. Their website provides information on upcoming conferences, webinars, trends, technology, and best practices regarding damage prevention.

  • For more information regarding natural gas safety, please contact HG&E at (413) 536-9300.

Contact Info

99 Suffolk Street
Holyoke, MA 01040
Tel: (413) 536-9300
Toll-free: (877) 742-5443
Email