The High Cost of Digging Blind: Why 811 Awareness Is Just the Beginning

Nicole Benjamin
5 days ago
4 min read

Every year, August 11th (8/11) serves as a national reminder of the importance of contacting 811 before starting any excavation. Known as 811 Day, the initiative—led by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and promoted by the Common Ground Alliance (CGA)—shines a spotlight on the life-threatening, financially devastating, and often avoidable consequences of accidental utility strikes.

But as any operations manager, field locator, or damage prevention specialist will tell you, awareness alone isn’t enough. When a single fiber strike can cost upward of $8,000, not including the ripple effects of emergency response downtime, customer service outages, and reputational harm, the real solution isn’t just to “call before you dig”—it’s to dig smarter all year long.

That’s where proactive 811 ticket management—and platforms like BOSS811®—come into play.

Why 811 Day Still Matters in 2025

811 Day has become a cornerstone of the national conversation around underground infrastructure safety. Its purpose is simple: to remind homeowners, contractors, and utility professionals to contact 811 before beginning any digging project, large or small. It’s a preventive step that triggers utility location services, reducing the risk of hitting buried gas lines, fiber cables, water mains, or electric lines.

Despite widespread awareness campaigns, CGA data continues to show that an estimated 31% of damage incidents occur because no locate request was made. That’s one in every three excavation-related damages—meaning there’s still a significant awareness and action gap to bridge.

In 2025, 811 Day remains a critical opportunity to rally stakeholders—from municipalities and utility companies to telecom providers and contractors—around a shared goal: preventing damage, delays, and danger.

But again: awareness is only the beginning.

The Real Cost of Digging Blind

Consider the following:

A single fiber cut can cost upwards of $8,000, not including indirect costs.
According to industry reports, the average downtime cost for large enterprises is over $5,600 per minute.
In emergencies, a severed line can cause delays in 911 response or emergency dispatch, turning infrastructure failure into a matter of life or death.
Reputational damage to telecom and utility companies can linger long after a strike is repaired—especially when the public sees it as a preventable mistake.

These numbers aren’t just alarming—they’re avoidable. And that’s where intelligent 811 ticket management makes the biggest difference.

From Awareness to Action: What BOSS811 Does Differently

BOSS811 is more than just a digital replacement for paper tickets. It’s a comprehensive, cloud-based One Call ticket management solution built for utilities, municipalities, telecom providers, and private locators seeking to streamline operations and prevent costly underground damage.

Smarter Routing

Gone are the days of manually sifting through dig requests. BOSS811 uses automated area-based routing to ensure that every ticket reaches the right person, at the right time, with minimal delays.

Precise GIS Mapping

With built-in GIS mapping, field technicians and managers gain real-time insight into the precise location of facilities, utility lines, and assets—reducing uncertainty and increasing efficiency.

Mobile-Friendly for Field Use

The BOSS811 mobile app empowers field crews to access ticket data on the go, upload photos, close tickets, and communicate in real-time—no matter where they are.

Advanced Risk Assessment & Damage Investigation

New in 2025, BOSS811 now includes Risk Scoring and Damage Investigation modules, helping teams prioritize tickets based on potential impact and document damage events for reporting and root cause analysis.

When the stakes are this high, these tools aren’t “nice to have”—they’re essential.

BOSS811 is more than just a digital replacement for paper tickets.

Speak to a BOSS811 Representative Today

Supporting the Industry All Year Round

While 811 Day is a great rallying point, BOSS Solutions supports the damage prevention community year-round by aligning with CGA’s broader mission and events.

This includes:

CGA’s Annual Conference & Expo, where industry leaders gather to share best practices and discuss the future of damage prevention.
Support for National Safe Digging Month (April) and other initiatives that promote year-round vigilance.
Active involvement in safety committees, local utility coordinating councils, and regional 811 events.

By participating in CGA programs and building solutions informed by industry needs, BOSS811 helps drive forward the culture of shared responsibility that underpins successful prevention strategies.

Other Important 811 Dates to Know

While 811 Day garners national attention, the damage prevention calendar includes several key moments throughout the year:

National Safe Digging Month – April: An industry-wide campaign to promote 811 awareness across digital, media, and community platforms.
CGA Conference & Expo – April 14–18, 2025 in Colorado Springs, CO: The premier gathering for damage prevention professionals.
Regional 811 Safety Summits: Hosted by state 811 centers and regional utility groups, these events offer hands-on education and networking.

Each of these events reinforces the idea that damage prevention is a year-round responsibility—and each provides new opportunities for organizations to improve their internal processes and technologies.

Building a Safer Future

As the demand for fiber broadband, EV infrastructure, and smart city utilities grows, the volume and complexity of dig requests will only increase. To meet this moment, telecoms and utilities must move beyond awareness alone.

They need:

Actionable data
Automated workflows
Mobile-friendly tools
Proven strategies to prevent damage and reduce risk

And that’s exactly what BOSS811 delivers.

The True Meaning of 811 Day

Calling 811 before you dig will always be the first line of defense—but it can’t be the only one.

To truly protect your infrastructure, your reputation, and your bottom line, organizations must go further. They must invest in smarter tools, streamline their damage prevention workflows, and embrace the culture of safety and accountability that 811 Day represents.

Because in 2025, as in every year, the cost of digging blind is just too high.