Work has begun at a digging training facility in DeWitt, N.Y. Dig Safely New York Inc. held a groundbreaking ceremony April 19 for its new, $6.5 million, 21,432-sq.-ft. facility.

The training center will serve as a resource to help excavators in New York learn how to dig while avoiding damaging underground utility lines, Syracuse.com reported. The facility will include a classroom and a 5.570-sq.-ft indoor training arena, which will feature a paved section with fake underground utilities, along with a dirt floor for students to practice safe digging methods.

"[The indoor training facility is] something that is not available anywhere in the country," said Kevin Hopper, executive director of Dig Safely. "We can run a mini-excavator in there. We'll be able to provide vital hands-on training in a safe and controlled environment."

According to Hopper, the facility will be especially useful in the winter months, when inclement weather makes outdoor training harder, Syracuse.com reported.

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