Yard safety

• When trees grow too close to PG&E equipment, including powerlines and underground gas transmission pipelines, they pose a safety risk and can cause a power outage or ignite a wildfire.
• Vegetation planted too close to the natural gas pipeline can also delay emergency and maintenance crews. 
• PG&E may trim or remove these trees and plants to keep our communities safe.  
• Planting the right tree in the right place keeps our communities safe and avoids future tree trimmings and removals.  
• Choosing the right tree can also reduce your property's fire risk. In general, avoid planting palms and bamboos near powerlines. These can become fire hazards, especially during high winds.

• It's important to consider the height and roots of a tree when it is mature. 
• While a tree may not pose a concern as a sapling, a full-grown tree can block access to the pipeline in an emergency or for critical maintenance work. 
• The tree could also damage our equipment as it grows, which can lead to outages.
• Picking the right tree and planting it in the right place can prevent it from becoming a safety concern.  

• Transmission powerlines are usually located on metal towers up to 180 feet tall or wooden poles approximately 50 feet tall.  
  • They are like a highway that carries electricity at a higher voltage across longer distances, serving entire cities and towns.
• Distribution powerlines are usually located at the top of wooden poles.  
  • They are like city streets that bring electricity into your neighborhood and home.
• To see if you live near an underground transmission gas pipeline, you can check our Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline Map at pge.com/pipelinelocations. 
• It is important to call 811 at least two working days before digging or planting. Crews will mark any underground utilities for free. 

• We provide general guidelines to help you plant safely.
• However, each tree and location is different.
• Some trees may become unsafe for a variety of reasons.
• This could include changes in site conditions such as soil stability or tree health.
• Any tree identified as a safety concern will need to be removed to keep the community safe.  

Utility owners have two working days, plus the day of the call to mark out their utilities. You will receive a positive response from all utilities responding to your USA ticket.

First step is to delineate your intended area of excavation in white paint, white flags or white markings, and then call 811 or use the online website to submit your request.

The FREE one-call service, or "ticket," is the document you submit through your local one-call center requesting utilities to mark or locate their facilities at your worksite at least two-working days before you begin an excavation. When you call 811 or visit california811.org to submit your ticket online, you will receive a ticket number for your individual request. The ticket number format is "YYYYMMDD" followed by the USA ticket numbers and revision number. For example: 2023040412345-00. Be sure to keep the ticket number assigned to your request for at least the duration of the excavation and preferably longer for your records.

California Government Code 4216(g) defines excavation as any operation in which earth, rock, or other material in the ground is moved, removed, or otherwise displaced by means of tools, equipment, or explosives in any of the following ways: grading, trenching, digging, ditching, drilling, augering, tunneling, scraping, cable or pipe plowing and driving, or any other way.

When digging in an area around utility lines, it is critical that you follow the tolerance zone guidelines. The tolerance zone is an area 24 inches on either side of the outside diameter (or center line if diameter isn't provided) of the marked utility line. In the tolerance zone, you are required to excavate using only human powered hand tools.

Utility companies will mark their lines wherever they own and operate their utility at your dig site. This could be in a roadway, sidewalk, front yard or even in a backyard. PG&E will mark on private property if a gas or electric line is present. Private utility lines (landscape irrigation and lighting, natural gas line to a barbeque, electrical line to a detached garage or shed, etc.) will not be marked since they are not owned by a utility.

Yes, call 811 or visit california811.org at least two working days before you dig, plant or begin any excavation project no matter how large or small. A utility line may be in close proximity to an existing fence or retaining wall you're trying to replace. California law requires you to use this FREE one-call service. The date of notification does not count as part of the two working-day notice. For example, If excavation will begin on Friday, an excavator must call no later than Tuesday.

Each person or company performing an excavation needs to have a ticket created under their name. If you are hiring a contractor to perform work on your property, the contractor needs to contact 811 and submit a request for them or their company. You may also submit a ticket under your name, but your contractor needs to be advised that the ticket you submit only covers any work you do yourself, and not the work they are doing.

Yes, call 811 or visit california811.org at least two working days prior to excavation, including digging and planting. Use hand tools at all times when working within 24 inches of the outside edge of any underground lines. Hand tools such as shovels or post-hole diggers cause the most amount of damage incidents.

811 is a FREE one-call service. Utility members fund the center and the cost of locating the utilities in an effort to provide the public a free service that will prevent or limit damage to underground utilities.

Yes, mark your project area in white paint. If you don't have white paint available, you can also use white stakes, white flags, white whiskers, white chalk and even white baking flour. If you neglect to pre-mark your dig site, utility members may choose not to locate their facilities.

If the damaged utility line poses a threat to life, health, or public safety, evacuate the worksite (300 feet or more upwind from damage) and contact 9-1-1 to dispatch emergency services. If you discover or cause any damage, such as breaks, leaks, nicks, dents, gouges, grooves, or other damage to subsurface installation lines, conduits, coatings or cathodic protection, you must immediately report it to the affected utility member. You can get the emergency contact information for the damaged utility owner by contacting 811 and notify them that you have damaged a facility at your worksite. Never attempt to fix, repair, pinch, squeeze, zip tie or bury the damaged facility.

 If you suspect a gas leak or if you hit, accidentally dent, scrape or damage an underground gas line:

• Alert others to leave the area and go to a safe, upwind location.
• Call 9-1-1 to notify local first responders.
• Contact PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.

The utility members will use the American Public Works Association Color Code system to mark their underground facilities for you.

The color code is: