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| Four Steps for Safe Demolition or Renovation |
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| Everyone’s resources have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. You can help prevent locate delays by pre-marking your proposed dig area in white and notifying 811 of your planned excavation with as much lead time as is possible: 20 days in Indiana. To learn more about NIPSCO’s response to COVID-19, click here. |
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| Before starting any demolition, deconstruction, or significant renovation projects including building elevation or additions, take these steps to ensure your job proceeds as safely as possible: |
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| 1. Call NIPSCO |
| Do NOT begin the job until NIPSCO has shut off the gas and electric service, disconnected the gas service lateral at the main or property line, and removed gas and electric meters and gas regulators. For service disconnects, call 1-844-809-8921 30 days in advance. |
| 2. Notify 811 Before You Dig |
| If the job involves digging or moving earth in any way—such as removing footings, foundations, or tree stumps—be sure to contact your state 811 center at least two full business days (excluding weekends and legal holidays) before you begin. The 811 center will arrange for underground natural gas pipelines, power lines, and other utilities to be located and marked, so that you can dig a safe distance away from them. |
| After utility service has been disconnected, safe digging practices continue to be critical. Even minor damage to temporarily disconnected electric or gas service lines can result in power outages or gas leaks when service is restored, threatening fire, explosion, and loss of life and property. |
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| Always contact your state 811 center before digging and for the most current requirements. |
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| 3. Conduct a Visual Site Survey |
| Before work begins, conduct a visual inspection of the structure and the surrounding property: |
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Confirm all electric and natural gas utility disconnects. |
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| Look for power lines, poles, guy wires, and pad-mounted equipment remaining on or near the job site. Assume all power lines are energized, and mark a safety boundary to keep people, tools, and vehicles at least 10 feet away from them. |
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| 4. Review Your Emergency Plan Before Work Begins |
| Make sure everyone at the job site knows what to do in case of an unforeseen utility contact. This is especially important for partial demolition jobs, where electric or gas service may continue to be supplied to a portion of the property. |
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| Would You Like to Know More? |
| Additional utility safety tips, case studies, instructional videos, and training tools can all be found, at no charge to you, on NIPSCO's e-SMARTworkers website. |
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