AEM, CGA partner to put 811 safety reminders on new equipment
(UI) — The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and Common Ground Alliance (CGA) are recommending that manufacturers add 811 reminder decals to new equipment sold in the U.S., part of a broader effort to reduce underground utility strikes and promote safe digging practices.
Under a new Statement of Shared Principles between the organizations, manufacturers of applicable non-highway equipment are encouraged to place the decals on machines that could unintentionally damage underground utilities. The goal is for the reminder to appear on applicable new equipment sold in the U.S. by August 2027. Owners of existing equipment can also obtain a no-cost license from CGA to reproduce the decal and retrofit their fleets.
“Adding an 811 decal is a simple, visible way for equipment manufacturers to remind operators to contact 811 before digging or working near underground infrastructure,” AEM President and CEO Megan Tanel said. The initiative comes as an estimated 213,985 damages to underground infrastructure were reported nationwide in 2025. CGA said failure to contact 811 before digging remains the leading driver of underground utility damage.
“Preventing damage to underground infrastructure is a shared responsibility, and this best practice will remind equipment operators closest to the dig to contact 811 before starting their work,” CGA President and CEO Sarah K. Magruder Lyle said. The organizations said the initiative applies beyond traditional construction sites to equipment used in agriculture and other industries where digging or ground disturbance could affect buried utilities.
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