With the sun finally poking its head out behind the clouds, people across Minnesota are headed out to enjoy the warmth — and maybe even get some gardening or yard projects done.

Whether you are doing something small like planting flowers or large like building a deck, our Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) asks you to remember the Safe Digging Month message: Call 811 before you dig.

Springtime projects like planting a tree or replacing your mailbox can be dangerous if you don't know what's below before you start digging. Underground utilities like natural gas lines can run inches from the surface and be ruptured with a shovel or other household tools. Hitting a line could cause an outage, property damage or the worst-case scenario — an explosion. You want to call 811 or file an online ticket now, so you don't have to call 911 later.

Even hitting a cable or internet line could be risky. Imagine not being able to work remotely, run a home business or attend online classes.

Calling 811 or filing an online ticket before you dig is not only the best way to stay safe, it's the law. To dig safely — and legally in Minnesota — you need to do three things:

• Call 811 at least two business days before you dig.
• Mark your yard so the locator knows where you're digging and can mark the utilities in your yard appropriately.
• Respect the locate marks and hand-dig carefully around them.

Even if you've excavated an area previously, erosion, settling ground and other factors can change the depth and location of utilities over time.

You can also file an online ticket using Gopher State One Call (GSOC). When you contact GSOC with a request, be prepared to answer these questions:

• What is your name, address and phone number?
• What type of work will you be doing?
• What is the dig location's address, city, county and nearest intersecting street?
• At the dig location, where will you be digging?
• When will you be digging?

GSOC also asks that you outline your dig area with white markings: either paint, flags or stakes.

Visit the OPS website for more information.