Buried Utility Lines - Outdoor Safety
Purpose - Underground utility lines provide communities and homes with safe
delivery of natural gas as well as electricity.
Dangers - Natural gas leaks or explosions, fires, service outages or electric
shock.
Prevention
- Before you dig, find out exactly where buried utility lines are.
Call 811 or Gopher State One Call at 800-252-1166 at least
two working days before digging or tree planting.
- If you accidentally uncover buried utility lines, call your local utility
company immediately.
- Call Minnesota Energy Resources immediately if you smell natural gas
outdoors.
Emergency - Follow the
emergency procedures if:
- You smell natural gas.
- There is a fire.
- Someone gets shocked.
Safety Tips
- Call Minnesota Energy Resources if you notice an unexplained line of
dead grass in your lawn that leads to your house.
- In most instances, the services of Gopher State One Call are free. Don't take
chances, even if you're only digging a hole for a single tree or fence post.
- Don't plant trees or shrubs near buried utility lines.
