CGA Partners with 3M and NASCAR Driver Greg Biffle to Promote 811 'Call Before You Dig' Phone Number at Bristol on March 18

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Common Ground Alliance (CGA) today announced it has partnered for a third consecutive year with 3M and Greg Biffle, driver of the 3M No. 16 car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, to promote the national 811 "Call Before You Dig" phone number at the March 18 Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

CGA is the member-driven association dedicated to protecting underground utilities and the people who dig near them. 3M is one of the 1,400 members that comprise CGA.

Biffle, well-known in the racing community for being a "hands on" type of guy who does projects around his house that involve digging, will promote 811 on the hood, deck lid and rear bumper of his No. 16 3M car during the March 18 race at Bristol. The Food City 500 will air live at 12:30 p.m. EDT/9:30 a.m. PDT on Fox. 

Unintentionally striking a line can result in inconvenient outages for entire neighborhoods, harm to yourself or your neighbors, and incur repair costs.

Installing a mailbox, building a deck and planting a tree or garden are all examples of digging projects that should only begin a few days after making a free call to 811. Biffle's reinforcement of the safe digging message is especially timely as the first day of spring approaches - the time of year when most digging projects begin in earnest.

An underground utility line is damaged by digging once every three minutes nationwide, and one-third of these incidents are caused because no phone call was made to 811, according to CGA data.

When homeowners and professional excavators call 811 they are connected to a local one-call notification center that will take their information and communicate it to the appropriate local utility companies. A professional locator will then visit the dig site to mark the approximate location of all underground utility lines with flags or paint. 

Once a site has been accurately marked, it is safe to begin digging around the marked areas. According to data collected by CGA, damage occurs less than 1 percent of the time when a one-call center is notified before digging begins.

"I always call 811 before my digging projects, and I strongly encourage everyone to make the call to 811 to know what's below," said Biffle. "Safety is key for me - and not just on race days. Calling 811 is one more way to keep yourself and those around you safe." 

3M, an international leader in utility and utility locating products, as well as utility damage prevention, was instrumental in securing  a third year of collaboration with Greg Biffle, which will benefit all CGA stakeholders by raising awareness of the 811 phone number. 

"3M is a proud advocate of 811, and we were extremely pleased to partner with Greg Biffle again this year to highlight the importance of calling before digging," said Paul Acito, Vice President, Infrastructure Protection Division at 3M. "With spring and National Safe Digging Month right around the corner in April, now couldn't be a better time to remind communities about the 811 campaign." 

"CGA is very thankful to have 3M as an ally in protecting underground utilities and the communities they serve," said Bob Kipp, Common Ground Alliance President. "Through 3M's support, the 811 campaign has reminded millions of Americans to call before they dig."

Shortly after Biffle races the 3M No. 16 car featuring the 811 message, CGA members across the country will initiate campaigns highlighting 811 in celebration of National Safe Digging Month.

About CGA

CGA is a member-driven association of nearly 1,400 individuals, organizations and sponsors in every facet of the underground utility industry. Established in 2000, CGA is committed to saving lives and preventing damage to American underground infrastructure by promoting effective damage prevention practices. CGA has established itself as the leading organization in an effort to reduce damages to underground facilities in North America through shared responsibility among all stakeholders. For more information, visit CGA on the web at www.commongroundalliance.com.

About 3M

A recognized leader in research and development, 3M produces thousands of innovative products for dozens of diverse markets. 3M's core strength is applying its more than 40 distinct technology platforms - often in combination - to a wide array of customer needs. With $23 billion in sales, 3M employs 75,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 65 countries. For more information, visit www.3M.com. 3M is a trademark of 3M Company.

NASCAR is a registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.

Roush Fenway Racing trademarks and Greg Biffle's name and/or likeness used by Authority of Roush Fenway Racing, LLC.

Media Contact: 

Khrysanne Kerr
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[email protected]

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SOURCE Common Ground Alliance