Kingsport Utilities receives Gold Cup of Safe Digging award
The award recognizes leaders in damage prevention and raises awareness for Call 811
Each and every year, Atmos Energy celebrates National 811 Day on August 11 to raise awareness for the importance of safe digging practices and procedures.
Last year, Atmos Energy amplified those efforts and introduced a new award – the Gold Cup of Safe Digging – to recognize damage prevention leaders with an outstanding safety record. This year the award has been given to Kingsport Utilities, which reported 1,215 dig sites in 2024 with no at-fault damage.
“Third-party excavation damage is the greatest threat to natural gas distribution systems, accounting for more than 92 percent of all damage to Atmos Energy pipelines in Tennessee over the past 12 months,” said Christina Christiansen, Atmos Energy public affairs manager. “This is why we created The Gold Cup of Safe Digging – to celebrate excavators who consistently and effectively protect underground utility lines.”
Effective damage prevention helps to minimize harm to people, property, and the environment by proactively identifying potential risks and implementing solutions to avoid incidents before they occur.
Calling 811 is a critical component of damage prevention efforts, helping to confirm that digging projects are conducted safely and without disrupting essential utility services. Striking even a single line can lead to injury, repair costs, inconvenient service outages, and fines.
“We greatly appreciate Kingsport Utilities for their ongoing partnership in natural gas safety and congratulate their entire team for continued excellence in preventing damage to underground pipelines,” Christiansen added.
Tennessee law requires homeowners, excavation companies, and contractors to call 811 three business days before digging. When using this free service, the caller is connected to a local call center that notifies area utility companies of the location where digging will occur. Professional locators then arrive at the digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint, or both.
For more information about 811 and safe digging practices, visit Tennessee 811 or the Atmos Energy website for safety tips – and don’t forget to become a safety ambassador by signing the Call 811 Pledge.
