“Drain Tile, Farm Safety 811” Campaign

Evergreen (no expiration date)

Program Description:Drain tile is important to farmers, particularly during rainy growing seasons like this year’s. POAS is reminding farmers that when they replace or install drain tiles, it is important to confirm the location of buried utility lines and pipelines, which are often in close proximity to drain tile. Several accidents have occurred recently during farm drain tile work, and POAS wants everyone to go home safe. These PSAs remind viewers to never assume the location and depth of underground lines and always call 811 before starting work. Additional information and safety resources are available at FarmSafe811.org.

Campaign Mission:

• According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 55 million acres of farmland in the U.S. have drain tile installed below the surface to protect crops.
• Drain tile is often installed three to four feet below the surface. Pipelines and other utility lines are often located at this same depth.
• Marker signs indicate the general, but not exact, location of underground lines and they don’t indicate line depth. Underground pipeline and utility line depth varies.
• Pipeline and utility companies will locate the lines they own and maintain for free for farmers and private landowners.
• Hitting, nicking, and scraping an underground pipeline or utility line always results in damage.
• Underground pipelines and utility lines transport natural gas, electricity, crude oil, and other petroleum products that are considered hazardous materials by the federal government.
• Driving heavy equipment over pipelines and underground utility lines can impact them.
• When the one call system is utilized by calling 811 to have underground utilities located and marked, work is completed without damage 99% of the time.