Call 811 before digging – it’s the law!
Since the San Bruno explosion, the concern of nationwide pipeline corrosion has become a hot issue in the press. However, according to the Office of Pipeline Safety, the single greatest cause of accidents among natural gas distribution and transmission lines is digging by third party excavators (1).
In fact, the AGA (American Gas Association) sites that “nearly 60% of the incidents on utility distribution pipelines are due to excavation damage.” This certainly in indicative of the recent tragic excavation accidents in Texas this June where three people were killed and eleven injured.
In 1998, congress enacted a law establishing a national “Call Before You Dig” or “One-Call” safety program. It took years to bring the program to its current status, and in 2007 the CGA (Common Ground Alliance) launched the national “Call Before You Dig” program to increase public awareness of the one-call or 811 program for all underground facilities. The program allows all excavators and homeowners who may be digging, to call one number nationwide to arrange for marking or identifying underground utilities in an area that will be excavated.
How does the one-call or 811 program work?
The one-call program pertains to homeowners as well as contractors. Many homeowners discount their projects as not warranting an 811 call. How deep are you planning to dig? If you’re digging 12” or more you should call, but if in doubt always call.
Homeowners installing fences, mailboxes or decks, planting trees or bushes, building water features (ponds, waterfalls) or working with concrete should call 811. In fact, homeowners routinely fail to call and cause accidents which disrupt services of entire neighborhoods. There have been accidents which have resulted in injury or death. When failing to call and there is an accident, it is likely the homeowner (or contractor) will become the recipient of steep penalties and maybe even litigation.
To avoid the consequences of not complying, three days before any project which requires excavation, simply call 811. Your call will be routed to a utility notification center in your state. The 811 representative will notify all Tier I utility owners of the locate request. The representative will provide the excavator contact information for any Tier II utility owners, and it becomes the responsibility of the homeowner or excavator to call them.
Most locate crews will arrive in a few days and mark the underground utilities in the area you called about. Remember, once the lines are marked DO NOT DIG on top of any mark and be aware that a locate is considered by law to be good within 18” on either side of the locate mark. Also keep in mind that the locate marks are only good for up to 30 days (if they are still visible), and if you haven’t completed your digging by then you’ll have to call 811 again.
Keep in mind, you do not have to hire a private locate company to excavate. However, if you intend to engineer a project you should call a reliable private locate company.
You can find state specific information on 811 at http://www.call811.com/state-specific.aspx.
It’s simple – call 811 and utility locators mark the lines.
(1) Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS). “Distribution Pipeline Incident Summary by Cause:
1/1/2006 - 12/31/2006.” November 13, 2007. [http://ops.dot.gov/stats/NGDIST06.HTM]
http://www.call811.com/about-us/default.aspx
