Consumers Energy Urges Safety and Call to MISS DIG Before Beginning Fall Outdoor Digging Projects

JACKSON, Mich., Sept. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy reminds contractors and do-it-yourselfers working on last-minute projects before the snow flies to call MISS DIG at 811 at least three working days before beginning any digging project.

"Dialing those three digits is easy and it's proven to reduce potentially dangerous damages to underground utilities," said Mary Palkovich, vice president of energy delivery for Consumers Energy. "The safety of customers, employees and the public is our top priority. Unfortunately, we have seen an increase this year in the number of damages to underground facilities."

The biggest increase in "dig-in" damages has occurred in Oakland, Wayne, Macomb and Genesee Counties. As of August, 2014 a total of 605 damages have occurred in these areas, up 26 percent from a total of 478 during the same time in 2013.  

Consumers Energy offers these safe digging tips:

• Call 811/MISS DIG at least three working days before digging to have underground utilities marked. Staking requests can also be initiated online by selecting the eLocate icon at www.missdig.org
• Wait to start projects until you're sure all lines are marked or cleared by the utility. This can be confirmed by contacting MISS DIG at 811.
• Respect the marks and dig with care, especially if using power equipment. If your project is within four feet of the utility marks modify your plans and stay more than four feet from the marks, or use a wooden handle shovel to carefully expose the lines before starting excavation.
• Ask your contractor to confirm 811 has been contacted before allowing any digging work to proceed. 

"An increase in small and large construction projects has contributed to more dig-in damages to natural gas, electric, cable, fiber optic and sewer lines in 2014. We've also seen many damages caused by homeowners working on projects themselves." said Aaron Kantor, manager of public safety outreach with Consumers Energy. "We're asking everyone to help keep communities safe by following these digging tips."

Consumers Energy has a longstanding active dig safely/damage prevention program that includes an advertising awareness campaign with other utility partners and MISS DIG System, Inc., an elementary school natural gas safety and safe digging program, as well as a damage prevention team of employees that coordinate with excavators and contractors to prevention damages. The company was also one of the first to participate in the Common Ground Alliance organization that helped design the national 811 Call Before You Dig program.

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.5 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com, join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ConsumersEnergyMichigan and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/ConsumersEnergy

Media toolkit

LEARN MORE:  Find more information on natural gas safety at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/safety.  

SOURCE Consumers Energy