Maintain Utility Services By Calling 8-1-1
Gaines and Company has safely installed thousands of miles of underground utility pipelines for clients out of its Maryland and North Carolina locations.
As a leading site development contractor, Gaines and Company works closely with 811 on every project. After all, we’ve won Miss Utility’s coveted Dig Smart Award and the Dig Smart Honorable Mention Award on several occasions. But did you know it’s not just contractors that are responsible for alerting 811 prior to digging? Homeowners are too – even when just digging a couple inches into the ground! During April’s National Safe Digging Month, join Gaines and Company by doing your part to ensure utility services remain uninterrupted.
How many times have you been in the middle of something and your power unexpectedly goes out? You later find out a utility line was damaged. No one wants to be the reason for a sudden power outage. However, according to a 2025 Common Ground Alliance study, 46% of homeowners plan to dig without notifying 811 in the next year.
“We work closely with 811 because you never know what’s under the dirt before you dig. Erosion causes utility lines to creep up, and lines aren’t always buried exactly where you think. We’ve come across all kinds of scenarios through our years and years of experience. That’s why we have strict damage prevention policies throughout our organization,” said Safety Director Dominic Pope.
The number one reason homeowners give for not following safe digging practices is because they do not plan to dig deep into the ground. The truth is, utilities are not always buried deep in the ground.
Safety Director Dominic Pope (middle) accepts Miss Utility’s 2023 Dig Smart Award on behalf of the entire Gaines and Company organization.
“We always err on the side of caution, because we feel it’s better to be safe than sorry,” added Dominic. “We hope others do, too.”
Join the best practices of Gaines and Company and be sure you know what’s under the dirt before you start digging. Take time to learn specific 811 processes, laws, and timelines for your state. After all, you don’t want to be the one to cause a utility service interruption for your community!
“As I like to say,” added Dominic, “when it comes to damage prevention, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Gaines and Company is a full-service grading and excavation company with offices in Maryland and North Carolina. The organization has 70 years of experience in underground utilities, grading and excavating, sediment and erosion controls, and road work. Gaines and Company delivers safe, reliable, turnkey site development services in Maryland, North Carolina, Washington D.C.., and Delaware on time and within budget
