| October 2020—Everyone's resources have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. You can help prevent locate delays by pre-marking your proposed dig area in white and notifying MISS DIG 811 of your planned excavation with as much lead time as possible: up to 14 calendar days.
|
|
To learn more about Consumers Energy's response to COVID-19, click here.
|
|
|
|
|
| Understanding the Caution Zone |
| What is the Caution Zone? |
| The caution zone is a safety area that spans the width of a marked underground utility plus a specified distance from each indicated outside edge of the utility. This distance varies from state to state: it is 48 inches in Michigan. |
|
|
|
|
Order a free worker safety training kit on Consumers Energy's Work Safe website. |
|
|
|
|
| Dig with Care |
If you plan to dig or move earth in any way, call MISS DIG 811 or place a ticket
request at missdig811.org, and then wait for underground lines to be marked. Once you have confirmation from MISS DIG 811 that all buried utilities on your job site have been marked, respect the caution zone to protect these lines from excavation‐related damage.
|
Before power digging within this zone, you must first carefully expose all marked
utility lines and verify their precise location. Use reasonable care and soft excavation methods: |
| • |
 |
Hand dig with a rounded or blunt shovel. Never use a pickaxe or pointed spade, and never stomp on a shovel with both feet. That’s a sure way to damage a utility line. |
|
| • |
|
Use vacuum technology. This method uses suction and water to quickly and safely remove soil. Be mindful of water pressure; use lower pressure and tips with multiple nozzles. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Proceed with Caution |
| Only after verifying the location of buried facilities can you proceed with power digging. Use extreme caution around exposed utility lines. Power digging equipment can damage a section of electrical conduit or pipeline in no time. Even hand digging can compromise buried utilities by removing supporting soil. Take all necessary precautions to protect buried utilities from damage.
|
| In an electrical or natural gas emergency, call 911 first and then Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050.
|
|
|
