Contractors & Landscapers
Five steps to a safe excavation
1. Survey and mark
Survey proposed excavation areas, and mark the dig sites with white paint, flags or stakes.
2. Call before you digÂ
Call 811 or use the online request system at or.itic.occinc.com at least two full business days prior to starting work.
3. Wait the required timeÂ
Allow utilities time to locate and mark their lines.Â
4. Respect the marks
Maintain the marks, and respect them when digging.
5. Dig with care
Follow hand-excavating rules.
If you contact a power line when operating heavy equipment
Stay in the driver’s seat and warn others to stay back. Move the equipment away from the line if you can do so safely. Call 911 and PGE to report the emergency.
Stay safe near overhead lines
Always look for power lines before you start work.
Assume ALL lines are energized and potentially dangerous.
Mark a safety boundary to keep workers and equipment at least 10 feet* away from overhead power lines of up to 50,000 volts. Reference the Oregon Overhead Safety Act for more information.
Higher voltages require greater clearances. Call PGE or Oregon OSHA to verify voltages and clearances before work begins.
Use a dedicated spotter when operating heavy equipment.
Do not try to guide a load and be a spotter at the same time.
Know what to do if your equipment contacts a power line.
* Cranes and derricks used in construction may require clearances greater than 20 feet and encroachment prevention precautions unless specific requirements are met. Call PGE or Oregon OSHA for specific clearance requirements.
Water and electricity don’t mix!
Keep electrical equipment away from pools, fountains and standing water.
Beware of anything metal around wires
Watch out for aluminum ladders, tree pruners, metal antennas, gutters and metal irrigation pipe.