Dig safe
Damage to a natural gas pipeline can cause a gas leak that can result in a fire, explosion or injuries.

Call 811 or use the online ticket system at 811express.com at least two working days prior to starting work.

Stay alert and look up
Look up and around before lifting or moving irrigation pipes or ladders. Check for power lines, poles and support wires before driving or operating equipment.

Injury or possible death can result from contact with any overhead or underground power line, large or small. Even the service wires that run from utility poles to buildings and pumps are potentially dangerous.

Keep yourself and all tools and equipment at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines. Only qualified line clearance personnel can work in the 10-foot safety zone.

High voltages require a larger safety zone. Before work begins, your crew leader must brief you about power line voltages in your work area and the clearances required to get the job done safely.

Make the call
If you suspect a gas leak or if you contact a gas pipeline or electric power line, call 911 immediately then PG&E at:
1-800-743-5000

Solar panels and equipment are easily damaged, and they may carry live electrical current even when the sun is not shining. Follow these tips to protect system components—and to protect yourself from electrical shock.

Locate all equipment
Ask the building owner or property manager to point out solar panels, conduits, batteries and all related equipment. Once you know the location of system components, take care to keep ladders, tools and supplies away from them.

Avoid conduits, panels and pipes

• Watch out for conduits. The conduits that lead away from solar panels carry electrical current at voltages strong enough to severely injure you, if you contact the wires inside. Note that conduits may run from a rooftop down the outside of a building.

• Stay away from solar panels. The top surfaces of solar panels are made of glass that will crack or break, if a heavy object falls on them. If possible, maintain a 2- to 3-foot safety perimeter around panels and mounts.
• Protect thermal systems. Thermal solar systems move water through an array of narrow pipes on which sunlight is focused through glass. Take care around these installations and their input and output pipes.

Be alert for underground cables
Buried cables that carry electricity from privately owned ground-level solar panels to homes and businesses may not be recognizably marked. In addition, the 811 Call Before You Dig system may not have a record of them.

So if you’re digging or moving earth in any way near a ground-level solar array, call 811 at least two working days in advance of digging. Also, be sure to consult property owners regarding the location of buried electric cables, so you can dig a safe distance away from them.

Would you like to know more?
Additional overhead and digging guidelines, emergency procedures and training tools can all be found at no charge to you on the PG&E
e-SMARTworkers website. Here you can also order free safety materials for contractors and tree workers.

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