Members of Region 13 Strike Team and Allegheny County Fire Academy retrieve a practice dummy Thursday during a trench rescue demonstration. The training exercise was held on Western Pennsylvania One Call's Safety Day at the Cranberry Township public works building to promote the new statewide 811 dialing system that requires excavators to call before digging on property.

CRANBERRY TWP — Representatives from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and Pennsylvania One Call System joined efforts Thursday morning to promote the state's 811 system.

The new statewide abbreviated phone dialing system requires homeowners and contractors to call three days before any digging or excavation project to summon utility companies and municipalizes to mark underground lines.

The awareness campaign was just one of many events Thursday during the Pennsylvania One Call's annual Safety Day in the township.

The event featured an array of hands-on demonstrations and educational sessions for businesses associated with excavation.

Vendors from excavation equipment companies, along with safety exhibitors, spanned the parking lot talking with attendees and handing out materials.

A highlight of the event featured a trench rescue demonstration from the Region 13 Strike Team and the Allegheny County Fire Academy, which showed what to do when a co-worker is buried in a collapsed dirt trench.

Before that demonstration, a seminar explained the proper installation techniques for a trench box, as well as proper soil sampling.

More than 1,200 people — ranging from contractors to government employees — attended the event at the township public works building off Ernie Mashuda Drive.

This is the second year in a row the township has hosted it.

"Every job that requires digging, by law, require calling 811 three days before excavation, even the small projects," said state Public Utility Commissioner Kim Pizzingrilli. "Digging without calling can disrupt service to an entire neighborhood and potentially harm you and those around you.

"Calling 811 before every digging project gets your underground utility lines marked and helps prevent undesired consequences." she said.

The PUC and PA One Call have worked to raise awareness about the new 811 calling system. The PUC proved the regulatory support needed to allow the state to join the national 811 dialing effort requiring all telecommunication carriers to implement the system.

"Thirty-eight percent of all damage to underground utilities is caused by the excavator failing to notify of their intent to excavate," said Bill Kiger, president and executive director of PA One Call. "Safe digging is no accident. It's the law and the safest thing to do."