ATC, Diggers Hotline and local utilities team up to promote safe digging
American Transmission Co. employees are meeting with contractors, landscapers, plumbers, home builders, utility workers, farmers and other professional excavators throughout Wisconsin to discuss safe digging procedures when working around underground and overhead utilities.
The discussions are happening at Diggers Hotline’s Excavator Safety Meetings, which provide an overview of best practices and guidelines for excavating near a number of different types of facilities. The meetings run January through April. During the meetings, business owners, construction workers and municipal employees enjoy a meal while speakers explain the steps they must take before breaking ground on any project to avoid hitting underground gas, electric, fiber optic and private facilities, like underground sprinkler systems. Speakers also cover how to locate underground facilities and what to do in an emergency. Crews have the opportunity to network with the companies and organizations that own the facilities they may need to work around in the field.
Before digging, the first step is to call Diggers Hotline at 811 or to file a request online. Next, the crew should call the owner of the utility that they are working near. If workers are near ATC’s overhead or underground electric transmission lines, they should call (866) 899-3204 to discuss the facilities in the area and determine whether an ATC representative is needed onsite. This video provides an over view of best practices:
ATC participates in the meetings because we care about the safety of everyone that lives and works around ATC facilities. Check out the gallery to see photos from some of the meetings this year.
