SAFETY STARTS STARTS SAFETY 2012 SAFETY GUIDE EXCAVATION PROVIDED BY THEPIPELINEASSOCIATION FORPUBLICAWARENESS PIPELINE EDITION
& UNDERGROUND
DIRECTORY ISSUE NUMBER NUMBER ISSUE 7 P IPELINE EDITION
Pipeline Safety Guidelines Call before you dig Call 811 or your local One-Call System Wait the required time Generally 24 to 72 hours, depending upon state requirements Respect the marks Flags, paint or other markers (normally yellow for pipelines) Excavate with care Pothole or hand dig to determine exact location of pipelines
Damage prevention is a shared responsibility. Digging safely begins with a call to your One-Call System. Most state laws require this call, and it is normally free. Excavation information is then sent by the One-Call System to operators of underground facilities near your excavation. The operators will mark the location of their facilities in accordance with the applicable state requirements. Emergency contact information should be obtained directly from the operator or from nearby pipeline markers. Pipelines are an essential part of our transportation system. We depend on them every day to transport gas and liquid products to our homes and businesses. Pipeline companies perform ongoing maintenance to ensure the reliability of their systems. Following these guidelines will help prevent pipeline emergencies and keep pipelines the safest method for transporting gas and liquid products.
1. Know the hazards • Natural gas and other petroleum products will ignite and burn. • If exposed to the skin, serious irritations may occur. • Escaping gases can displace oxygen.
2. Recognize unsafe conditions • Pipelines that are: leaking, damaged, insufficiently supported, exposed to high heat, or threatened by natural forces are all unsafe conditions. • Any damaged or weakened pipeline must always be checked by the pipeline company for remaining strength. Even very minor damages can cause future leaks or ruptures and must be investigated. • Pools of liquid, blowing dirt, hissing sounds, vapor clouds, gaseous odors, bubbles in standing water, dead vegetation and frozen soil or ice next to pipelines are all signs of a pipeline leak and should be treated as an emergency.
2. Respond immediately • Immediately leave the area while avoiding any action that may cause sparks. Abandon all equipment and get a safe distance away. • Call 911 and then immediately notify the pipeline company. • Keep others away until emergency officials arrive. Stay upwind, do not attempt to operate pipeline valves or extinguish any pipeline fires.
2 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. Pipeline Safety Guidelines Llame antes de excavar Llame al 811 o llame al número de su “One-Call System” local Espere el tiempo necesario Generalmente 24 a 72 horas conforme a los requisitos estatales Respete las señales Banderas, pintura, u otras señales (normalmente amarillas para los gasoductos y oleoductos) Excave con cuidado Cave a mano para determinar el lugar exacto de los gasoductos y oleoductos
La prevención de daños es una responsabilidad compartida. Excavar con cuidado empieza con una llamada a su “One Call System” local. La mayoría de las leyes estatales requieren esta llamada y normalmente es gratis. Información sobre la excavación es enviada por el “One Call System” a los operarios de las instalaciones subterráneas que están cerca de su excavación. Los operarios marcarán el lugar donde tienen sus instalaciones en acuerdo con los requisitos estatales. Información sobre contactos de emergencia puede ser obtenida directamente del operario o de las señales en los gasoductos u oleoductos. Las tuberías son parte esencial de nuestro sistema de transporte. Dependemos de ellas a diario para transportar productos de gas y líquido a nuestros hogares y negocios. Las compañías de tubería realizan mantenimiento para asegurar la confiabilidad de sus sistemas. Siguiendo las pautas antedichas ayudará a prevenir emergencias de tubería y garantizar que las tuberías son el método más seguro para transportar productos de gas y líquido.
1. Conozca los peligros • Gas natural y otros productos petróleos pueden encenderse y quemar. • Si expuesta a la piel, serias irritaciones pueden ocurrir. • Gases escapados pueden desplazar el oxígeno. 2. Conozca las condiciones peligrosas • Condiciones peligrosas son: gasoductos u oleoductos que tienen escapes, están dañados, el soporte es insuficiente, están expuestos a temperatura muy alta, o amenazados por las fuerzas de la naturaleza. • Cualquier gasoducto u oleoducto dañado o frágil siempre debe ser revisado por la compañía que los dirige para determinar la resistencia restante. Incluso daños menores en los gasoductos u oleoductos tienen que ser investigados porque pueden causar escapes o rupturas en el futuro. • Indicios de un escape en un gasoducto u oleoducto son: charcos de líquido, tierra soplada, sonido de silbidos, nubes de vapor, olores a gas, burbujas en agua estancada, vegetación completamente seca, y tierra congelada o hielo alrededor de ella. Todos estos indicios deben ser tratados como una emergencia. 3. Actúe de inmediato • Aléjese del área inmediatamente y evite cualquier acción que pueda causar chispas. Abandone todo el equipo y manténgase a una distancia segura. • Llame al número de emergencia 911 y luego de inmediato notifique a la compañía que dirige el gasoducto u oleoducto. • No deje que otras personas se acerquen hasta que llegue el personal de emergencia. Manténgase contra el viento y no intente manejar las válvulas ni extinguir incendios en el gasoducto u oleoducto.
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 3 EXCAVATION
2012 SAFETY GUIDE & DIRECTORY PIPELINE EDITION
P IPELINE EDITION Pipeline Safety Guidelines Page 2 General Pipeline Leak, Hazard and Emergency Response Information Page 6 Pipeline Location Information Page 22 What’s Happening In Your State Page 51 Pipeline Operator Contact Information Page 58 Pipeline Safety Regulations Page 62
B EFORE YOU DIG What you need to know and what you need to do before you dig. Excavation Safety is YOUR Responsibility Page 8 Stay Safe and Work Smart Page 9 The One Call Center: A Critical Role in Damage Prevention Page 10 What Utilities Do Affects Your Business, Too Page 12 UNITING White-Lining Reduces Damages Page 14 THE INDUSTRY Excavation Delineation Guidelines Page 15 in Preventing Damage and Saving Lives. March 12-14, 2013 D IGGING SAFELY Palm Beach County Technologies and techniques to stay safe and avoid damage. Convention Center, West Palm Beach, FL Setting the Groundwork for Success Page 16 Tolerance Zone Page 17 March 11-13, 2014 Phoenix, AZ Where the Shovel Meets the Dirt: Visual Evaluation of the Work Site Page 18
THE CONFERENCE SO COMPLETE THAT 91% OF ATTENDEES WILL The Excavation Safety Guide Pipeline Edition is designed to be a The Excavation Safety Guide Pipeline Edition reference for readers to use all year long. The articles are concise, is published annually by RECOMMEND THE EVENT TO to the point and focus on current industry trends and technologies. Pipeline Association for Public Awareness, OTHERS IN THEIR INDUSTRY. The resources include the CGA Excavation Best Practices, a 16361 Table Mountain Parkway, Golden, CO 80403 complete One-Call Center listing along with the state laws and www.pipelineawareness.org Find more information or provisions, a pull-out Emergency Response poster plus much Manufactured and printed in the register at more. Protecting the buried infrastructure is becoming more of a United States of America challenge every day and this guide will help you navigate through The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any CGAConference.com these challenges. means, in whole or in part without the prior consent of Pipeline Association for Public Awareness. LOOK INSIDE FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY EXCAVATION EMERGENCIES PULL-OUT POSTER Page 32
Provided by Pipeline Association for Public Awareness
L OCATING AND MARKING The importance of accuracy in locating and marking buried facilities. Understanding the Marks Page 23 Adding GPR to Your Damage Prevention Toolkit Page 26 The Art of Locating Page 28 Training videos created by industry experts W HEN THINGS GO WRONG What to do in the event of underground damage. at a price Damage Investigation from a everyone can Contractor’s Perspective Page 29 afford. Gas Excavator Emergency Response Page 36 Cross Bores: Ticking Time Bombs Page 38 SERIES INCLUDES Safe Excavation Near Pipelines Can Save $50,000 Page 40 • Locating Safely: On Common Ground: Pipeline and Forestry Avoiding Hazards Industries Must Work Together Page 41 • Locating Best Practices • Basic Locating Theory • Basic Locating Skills • Damage Investigation: HE RESOURCE DIRECTORY Field Investigation T Techniques A collection of invaluable information and access to resources CGA Excavation Best Practices Page 42 One-Call and State Law Directory Page 44 Canada One-Call Listings Page 50 Also U.S. CATS Resource Listing available and Industry Publications Page 56 as a 5-pack!
R EADERSHIP SURVEY EXCEXCAVATIONAVATION Your feedback helps us keep improving! Page 63 SAFETYUniversity
This manual is an informational and educational guide, but it is not intended to provide you with any definitive information Order online at regarding legal issues. You need to follow your specific state laws and OSHA rules. If you have any questions on issues ExcavationSafetyUniversity.com raised in the guide, please consult with legal counsel and/or your state One-Call Center. ExcavationSafetyUniversity.com P IPELINE EDITION
General Pipeline Leak, Hazard and Emergency Response Information Odorized Natural Gas Unodorized Natural Gas Liquids Petroleum (gasoline, jet fuel, crude oil) Liquids Highly Volatile butane, ethane) (propane, Ammonia Anhydrous Carbon Dioxide Sour Natural Gas (H2S) Sour Crude Oil (H2S) INDICATIONS OF A LEAK An odor like rotten eggs or a burnt match X XX A loud roaring sound like a jet engine XX X A white vapor cloud that may look like smoke XX A hissing or whistling noise XX XXXX The pooling of liquid on the ground X X An odor like petroleum liquids or gasoline XX X Fire coming out of or on top of the ground XX X X Dirt blowing from a hole in the ground XX XXXX A sheen on the surface of water XX X An area of frozen ground in the summer XX X XX An unusual area of melted snow in the winter XX X XX An area of dead vegetation XXXX XX Bubbling in pools of water XX X XX An irritating and pungent odor XXX HAZARDS OF A RELEASE Highly flammable and easily ignited by heat or sparks XXXX XX Will displace oxygen and can cause asphyxiation XX XXXX Vapors are heavier than air and will collect in low areas XXXXX Contact with skin may cause burns, injury, or frostbite XXXXX Initial odor may be irritating and deaden the sense of smell XX Toxic and may be fatal if inhaled or absorbed through skin XXX Vapors are extremely irritating and corrosive XXX Fire may produce irritating and/or toxic gases XXXXXXX Runoff may cause pollution X X X Vapors may form an explosive mixture with air XX X Vapors may cause dizziness or asphyxiation without warning XX XXX EMERGENCY RESPONSE Avoid any action that may create a spark XXXX XX Do NOT start vehicles, switch lights, or hang up phones XXXX XX Evacuate the area on foot in an upwind and uphill direction XXXXXXXX Alert others to evacuate the area and keep people away XXXXXXXX From a safe location, call 911 to report the emergency XXXXXXXX Call the pipeline operator and report the event XXXXXXXX Wait for emergency responders to arrive XXXXXXXX Do NOT attempt to close any pipeline valves XXXXXXXX Take shelter inside a building and close all windows XXX
6 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. Please support April as NATIONAL SAFE DIGGING MONTH B EFORE YOU DIG
Excavation Safety is YOUR Responsibility By Jeff Bistodeau, Editor, Damage Prevention Professional Magazine
here are many different stake- services. Officially formed in 2000, Tholder groups who share in the CGA represents a continuation of the ALWAYS responsibility of protecting the buried U.S. Department of Transportation’s CALL infrastructure, and each of these Common Ground Study, which high- BEFORE YOU stakeholders play a significant but lighted the need for one organization different role in damage prevention. to continuously update best practices DIG It is important that each group know among the growing underground and understand their responsibility, utility industry. The Common Ground and it is equally important for each to Alliance was thus formed to pre- know the responsibilities of the other vent damages to underground infra- players. The primary stakeholder structure, reduce service disruptions, groups include: save lives, and improve safety prac- • Excavators tices industry-wide. The CGA works • One-Call Centers cooperatively to enhance under- ground utility damage by: • Facility Owners structure. One One-call free, easy call gets yourcenters utility lines facilitate marked AND helps protect you from • Locators 1. Fostering a sense of shared re- the communicationinjury and expense. process by Safe Digging Is No Accident: The excavator is on the front lines sponsibility for the protection of enabling anAlways excavator Call 811 Before You Dig to place just Know what’s below. Always call 811 before you dig. underground facilities; one call, priorVisit call811.com to for moredigging, information. to request INSERT when it comes to digging safely CALL CENTER LOGO HERE around buried pipes and cables and 2. Identifying and disseminating the that all underground facilities in the as such has the most to gain or lose stakeholder best practices such as area of a planned excavation be every time he puts a shovel in the those embodied in the Common located and marked. With the advent ground. By definition the excavator Ground Alliance Study; of 811, it is now easier than ever makes his living by digging, but he 3. Developing and conducting public for excavators to reach the one-call also carries the huge responsibility awareness and educational programs; center to begin the dialog for a safe to protect his/her workers’ safety excavation project. and the underground infrastructure. There are many tools and systems You need to understand your role in damage in place to assist the excavator in avoiding the hazards of his chosen prevention but also know that others share their occupation, and the following own role in protecting the buried infrastructure. pages of this guide are designed to outline these available resources. You need to understand your role in The Common Ground Alliance 4. Promoting Federal grants for da- played a key role implementing and damage prevention but also know mage prevention; that others share their own role in successfully launching the new Call 5. Supporting research; and, protecting the buried infrastructure. Before You Dig number on May 1, 6. Serving as a clearinghouse for da- 2007. The national 811 number pro- What is the Common mage data collection, analysis, and vides a unique opportunity to focus dissemination. national attention on the importance Ground Alliance? of calling before digging. The Common 811 We all need to strive for safety in the work place so let’s utilize the Ground Alliance In 2006 the Federal Communi- resources available to stay safe is a coalition of cations Commission designated 811 and protect the Nation’s buried more than 1,400 to be the National three digit Call infrastructure. excavators, locators, road builders, Before You Dig number for the electric, telecommunications, oil, United States. Acting as an addi- DIGGING gas, one call centers, public works, tional number to reach existing one- DEEPER! equipment manufacturers and sup- call centers, it was meant to be For more information pliers, state regulators, insurance, a tool to help fix the problem of Visit www.commongroundalliance.com and www.call811.com engineering/design and emergency damage to the Nation’s utility infra-
8 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. What you need to know and what you need to do before you dig.
Stay Safe and Work Smart
f you are involved in excavation people like Eric can also have a jarring digging. The video targets the inex- Iyour number one priority is always impact at the time, but people tend to perienced digger or homeowner. safety. You want to avoid injury to forget how critical the message was 5 Steps Toolbox yourself and your co-workers. What since many companies do not have The 5 Steps to Safer Digging you do could also impact the safety charismatic speakers on their staff provides the professional excavator of others each day, and for years to to regularly give motivational safety or experienced digger with an come. If you nick a steel pipeline speeches. So how do companies overview of safe digging practices. and do not report it, you may be the keep people focused on safety? cause of a catastrophic explosion 5 Safety Awareness 3-Pack to 10 years down the road. This is a Take Eric back to The 3-Pack DVD includes Red’s 5 dramatic example, but it is real and Steps to Safer Digging, 5 Steps to helps illustrate the point that you the office with you Safer Digging Toolbox as well as the need to be concerned about safety One simple, inexpensive way to Call 811 for Kids video. keep safety messages in front of from all perspectives. The CGA DVD’s can be found at people is to use videos. You can CommonGroundAlliance.com. Real life can probably think of any number of your favorite sports movies with stirring have great impact locker room talks in them. Every The most important safety tip time I watch Herb Brooks (Curt I have ever heard was from Eric Russell) give his speech to the Giguere at the CGA Excavation team before the game against the Safety Conference & Expo. Eric was Soviets, I get chills up my spine. buried in a trench because he did not Live is best, but well done videos follow the safety rules that he knew. can do the trick. He stresses that his bad decision not A couple of the keys to successful only had a huge life long negative training are to get people in the impact on his life, but that his bad habit of learning, and then to repeat decision also forced his co-workers information often enough to have it into a no-win situation that negatively fully absorbed. Once again videos impacted their lives. Eric’s story and allow you to do this, and at a very low message are extremely powerful. cost. This holds true for safety and all types of training. You can find Eric Giguere’s story Experience comes in on a video that can be purchased at SafetyAwarenessSolutions.com. University series Excavation Safety University Videos make for has a series of locating and damage investigation training videos. Their great common ground newest addition is Locating Safely: The Common Ground Alliance Avoiding Hazards, made exclusively (CGA) has created a series of safety for Locators. It features insight and videos to assist with educating the commentary by NULCA President public and professionals on the Christopher Koch, a 15-year importance of digging safely. A locating veteran and former head of description of each DVD is available Presentations like Eric’s are similar safety for one of the world’s largest below. to the locker room speeches given contract locators. The Locating Safely video and by coaches in every sport. They can Red’s 5 Steps to Safer Digging other training DVDs can be found be very motivational at the time, but This video provides viewers with at ExcavationSafetyUniversity.com. the impact of the message fades an overview of the 5 steps to safer over time. Safety messages given by
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 9 B EFORE YOU DIG
The One Call Center: A Critical Role in Damage Prevention
hen an excavator dials 8-1-1, W where does the telephone One Call Centers in each state have been get answered? What happens next? How do the utility companies responsible for acting as the communications get notified of the excavator’s intent clearinghouse between excavators and underground to dig? More importantly, how utility owners for more than 40 years. do the right utility companies get notified? How do the underground Pennsylvania, continue to maintain on a document commonly called a utility lines get marked? What is the their toll free telephone number in “ticket” or “excavation notification”. One Call Center’s role in Damage addition to 8-1-1 for callers located In Pennsylvania and other states, Prevention? outside the state border. the “serial number” of the ticket is The One Call Centers in each state a unique identifier that proves, in have been responsible for acting What happens a court of law, that the excavator as the communications clearing- has fulfilled their obligation to notify house between excavators and when you call? a One Call center of their intent underground utility owners for more Each telephone call received by to dig. The One Call Center then than 40 years. Pennsylvania One a state One Call center, whether sends the ticket to underground Call System, Inc. (“Pennsylvania 8-1- via their toll free telephone number facility owners near the excavation 1”) began answering the telephone or by dialing 8-1-1, is handled by site. in 1972 – more than 28 years before a friendly and helpful Customer the 2001 Common Ground Study Service Representative. He How do One Call that formed the Common Ground or she collects all Alliance, and 34 years before 8-1-1. information necessary Centers know who Every state One Call Center pre- to accurately record the to notify? dates the CGA by at least a dozen Underground utility owners years. Since 1972, Pennsylvania are responsible for providing One Call has taken almost 12 information to the One Call million calls from excavators. Center about the location of Prior to 2007, an excavator their underground lines. The needed to know the state- introduction of maps and specific telephone number to dial spatial lookups around 2001 before digging. The Federal Com- or so made the process more munications Commission desig- efficient and accurate. nated 8-1-1 as the national “Call The One Call Center checks Before You Dig” number in 2006 details about a this database to determine which and mandated implementation by proposed excavation: Who is underground utility owners to notify. 2007. Each state One Call center digging, where they are digging, Once the list of underground utility bore the burden, and the cost, of and what kind of digging will take owners near the excavation site is implementing the national 8-1-1 place (excavation, demolition, determined, each utility company Call Before You Dig telephone blasting?), when digging will occur, receives a copy of the ticket – via number. and how the excavator will dig. email, via data modem, via fax or 8-1-1 is now one number to In almost all cases maps are via other electronic means. Since remember, one number to promote, used to determine the precise 1972, Pennsylvania One Call has and each call to 8-1-1 is directed location of the excavation area. delivered approximately 100 million to the appropriate state One Information collected from the tickets to underground facility Call center based on the caller excavator during the call is placed owners. location. Many states, including
10 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. What you need to know and what you need to do before you dig.
By Dan Lucarelli, Pennsylvania One Call System, Inc.
The one call process begins with the excavator and is moved along by the One Call Center to the underground utility owner.
another measure of safety for the excavator. The excavator can com- pare the list of utilities notified to the list of responses to ensure all marks are on the ground before excavation begins. “No Response” or a “Marked” with no corresponding colored indication at the excavation site should raise a flag for the excavator to investigate the discrepancy before damage can occur due to no marks or marks that may have How do the What else do One been placed incorrectly. lines get marked? Call Centers do? One Call Centers also have a deep and wide relationship with It is important to note that the Many states, including Penn- underground excavation stake- utility companies are responsible sylvania, have a “Positive Re- holders. Pennsylvania One Call for marking the location of their sponse” clause in their One Call System, Inc. provides regular out- lines. Put another way: One Call law. This means that, after the reach and underground excavation Centers do not mark lines! The utility company determines if their safety advocacy and education to facility owner obligation to mark underground lines are near the its 3,500 underground utility mem- the location of underground lines is excavation site, and after the lines bers and 125,000 excavators who listed in many state One Call laws, are marked, the utility company in- dial 8-1-1 before they dig. including PA Act 287, as amended dicates “Marked” or “Clear” to the For more information about by PA Act 121 of 2008. One Call Center. In Pennsylvania, individual state One Call Centers, Some utility companies choose all responses are collected from the including contact information, state to outsource the actual line marking utility owners and sent back to the laws, and provisions within those to a third party. Although “Contract excavator via email on the morning laws, please refer to pages 45 Locators” are prevalent in the of the excavation. through 51 of this publication. underground excavation industry, This extra step of collecting the obligation to mark lines marked or clear responses from the correctly and in a timely fashion utility owners completes the com- rests with the owner or operator of munications circle and provides the underground line. DIGGING DEEPER! About the Author DAN LUCARELLI is the Director - Marketing & Education for Pennsylvania One Call System, Inc., and can be reached at [email protected].
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 11 B EFORE YOU DIG
What Utilities Do Affect Your Business, Too
A one-call perspective on the responsibilities of utility owners and their impact on excavators
ationwide, underground utility installations, relocations or when N owners play a critical role in acquiring utilities from another damage prevention. You could say company. they are the foundation of damage prevention. As you wait, In “The One-Call Center: A Critical Role in Damage Prevention” on they respond page 8 you learned about the After receiving your locate ticket, one-call center responsibilities utility owners have a few business in damage prevention. It’s also days to locate and mark their important for you to know the utility underground utilities. The amount owner’s responsibilities so you of time varies from state to state. know what to do or who to contact In Florida it’s two full business when things go wrong. days with day one starting the next For the system to be effective, the business day. utility owner must join the state’s The utilities on the ticket match one-call center. Some one-call laws their service area to your description make this mandatory. of the proposed excavation area. You receive a “No Conflict” or Creating, updating “Clear” response when the utility is not near your excavation area. database as Once it’s determined that maps change underground utilities are affected, After joining, a utility owner the utility owner sends a locator builds its service area on the one- out to locate and mark your site. such as street additions, street re- call center’s base maps. One-call Some utility owners hire contract routing, housing developments mapping systems vary throughout locators to find their utilities. But the and construction projects. The the U.S., but their purpose is the important thing for you to remember utility owners are then responsible same – to ensure that appropriate is, the utility is responsible for for verifying the accuracy of their utility owners are notified when locates, NOT the one-call center. service areas on the revised base excavation may threaten their lines. Locators use marks that can maps. Accurate maps are critical to stand up to the existing surface A utility owner should update damage prevention. That’s why the condition. Marks may include paint, its service area when their utilities utility owner builds and maintains chalk, flags, whiskers or stakes, etc. change – changes such as new its service area. The one-call center The color of the marks defines the stores that data in its database. Service areas and base maps are One-call centers update their base maps to accommodate not static. Both need to be updated when changes to the landscape for changes such as street additions, street re-routing, occur. housing developments and construction projects. One-call centers update their base maps to accommodate for changes
12 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. What you need to know and what you need to do before you dig.
By Wendy Schaefer, Sunshine State One Call of Florida, Inc.
Most states use the American Public Works Association Uniform Color Codes to identify the underground utilities. type of utility that is underground. center to the underground facility Marking standards vary from owner/operator and within the time The final responsibility state to state, but most use specified by state/provincial law.” of utility owners is to the American Public Works While preferred, positive response educate their customers Association Uniform Color Codes is not mandated in all 50 states. It to identify the underground utilities. is mandated in Florida, Maryland, and the general public to Some utility owners may do things Mississippi, New York, North call 811 before digging. a little differently for large-size Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and excavation sites or long-duration Tennessee to name a few. projects. They may request to For those states without a positive Call 811 Before You Dig” on their meet you at your excavation site or response system, Best Practice 5-8 website and in billing statements. assign a locator to locate and mark says a utility owner can contact you Others partner with their state’s as you advance through the project. in any reasonable manner including one-call center. Florida’s one-call This eliminates having to re-mark face-to-face communication, center ran “Call 811 Before You your site frequently as marks are phone or phone message, email, Dig” radio traffic sponsorships with destroyed. fax, or other electronic means. TECO Peoples Gas and Florida Positive response helps you Power & Light. Positive Response identify when something isn’t quite “We secured the spots at our right – like when the marks at your nonprofit rate and split the final completes the excavation site don’t match the bill,” Florida’s Damage Prevention locate process utility owners listed on the ticket or Manager Cheryl Ritter explained. Positive Response is the preferred the owner says its lines are marked, “Peoples Gas and FPL got greater method for utility owners on your but you don’t see any marks. exposure at a discounted rate and ticket to notify you when the utilities half the cost.” are marked or there is no conflict. Sharing costs for Every day, you rely on utility Using a Positive Response System greater exposure owners to do their part to prevent is also a best practice identified the damages, high costs and by the Common Ground Alliance The final responsibility of injuries so you don’t have to dig (CGA). utility owners is to educate their into unknown territory. According to the CGA Best customers and the general public If you do not know about your Practice 5-8: Positive Response, to call 811 before digging. Pipeline state’s one-call law, visit www. “The excavator is notified by companies are required by federal call811.com and link to your state’s the underground facility owner/ law to provide public awareness. one-call center. operator of the tolerance zone of Some utilities include the the underground facility by marking, message “Know What’s Below. flagging, or other acceptable methods at the worksite, or is DIGGING notified that a no conflict situation DEEPER! About the Author WENDY SCHAEFER is the communications specialist exists. This takes place after for Sunshine State One Call of Florida, Inc. and can be notification from the one call reached at [email protected].
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 13 B EFORE YOU DIG
White-lining reduces damages
ver the years white-lining, the office. The people Oor pre-marking as it is in the office often are sometimes called, has proven the ones responsible for to be one of the most successful calling in the dig ticket damage prevention strategies adding another layer of of all time. In some states white- confusion to the mix. lining is a regulatory requirement • More often then not, under some circumstances to locators are burdened precisely guide locators to mark with more locate ticket areas where excavation work assignments in a day is going to occur. Other states than they are physically do not require pre-marking able to accomplish in but whether or not there is a the time allotted. White- requirement, it is always a good lining helps to ease the idea to white-line your proposed burden placed on the excavation site. locator giving him more Communication between the time to accomplish an excavator and the locator is the accurate locate in a greatly sometimes it’s not enough. At- theme of white-lining. All of us reduced area. fault damages do occur even have heard the adage “a picture when the excavator does his is worth a thousand words”. • White-lining reduces the best to take extra precaution. The same is true of white-lining. number of delayed locates. What often gets overlooked Excavators who want to be Every delayed locate increases are the hundreds and maybe certain the locator understands the likelihood that a locator even thousands of times that where they will be excavating will fail to notify the excavator damages are prevented by an should always paint the area of the delay which adds to the excavator because maybe he to be excavated so there is no confusion. went the extra mile to white- confusion. line his jobsite. This is why it is important for all excavators What often gets overlooked are the hundreds and to document their damage maybe even thousands of times that damages are prevention efforts as well as document their own success prevented by an excavator because they went the data with regard to damage extra mile to white-line his job site. prevention.
Reasons to white-line • White-lining reduces the Extra precautions to every time potential for errors that cause prevent damages damage for both the locator • Have the project manager or • White-lining is the next best and the excavator. other supervisor review job- thing to meeting with the sites and do the white-lining locator in the field. The vast majority of excavators take many precautions to personally. • Information provided by the protect buried facilities but excavator working in the field often is difficult to describe Photo credits: Top left and bottom photo - Illinois 1 Call; Top right - DiggersHotline.com to their people working in
14 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. What you need to know and what you need to do before you dig.
By Wayne Jensen, Excavator
• Identify your companies name Communication between • Call the locator back to the with white-line marks. the excavator and the site in all cases where a facility cannot be found as marked. • Photograph the white-line locator is the theme markings and geotag the • Call back locators any time images with GPS information. of white-lining… you find an unmarked facility • Voluntarily wait longer periods of unknown ownership. of time to begin excavating been marked to determine • Document the accuracy of all than required by law to the “confidence level” of the locates and communicate that be certain all locates are locator with regard to accuracy information back to locators to completed. of locate marks. provide important feedback to • Never mobilize to a site unless • If the locator’s confidence level constantly improve the quality you have a positive response is low, then voluntarily hand dig of locating. for “marked” or no conflict. beyond the state mandated • Call for jobsite meets with tolerance zone just to be sure locators after sites have damage does not occur. DIGGING DEEPER! BEST PRACTICES CHAPTER - EXCAVATION PRACTICES Practice Statement 5-2: When the excavation site cannot be clearly and adequately identified on the locate ticket, the excavator designates the route and/or area to be excavated using white premarking prior to the arrival of the locator.
Guidelines for Excavation Delineation The following marking illustrations are examples of how excavators may choose to mark their area of proposed excavation. The use of white marking products (e.g., paint, flags, stakes, whiskers or a combination of these) may be used to identify the excavation site.
Single Point Excavation Markings Delineate in white paint the proposed area of excavation through the use of: a continuous line, dots marking the radius or arec, dashes marking the four corners of the project; or dashes outlining the excavation project. Limit the size of each dash to approximately 6” to 12” in length and 1” in width with interval spacing approximately 4” to 50” apart. The maximum separation of excavation marks is to be reduced to a length that can be reasonably seen by the operator’s locators when the terrain or excavation site conditions warrant it. Dots of approximately 1” diameter are typically used to define arcs or radii and may be placed at closer intervals in lieu of dashes.
1” DIAMETER CO. IDENTIFIER CO. IDENTIFIER CO. IDENTIFIER DOTS 1” WIDE
CO. IDENTIFIER 6” APPROXIMATE 1” WIDE DOTS MAY LENGTH 6” HAVE LESS APPROXIMATE THAN 4” LENGTH SPACING FULL LINE RADIUS OR ARC FOUR CORNERS DASH LINE
Single Stake Marking Center Point of Excavation Site When an excavation site is contained within a 50’ maximum radius, or less, it can be delineated with a single stake that is positioned at the proposed center of the excavation. If the excavator chooses this type of delineation they must convey that they have delineated the excavation site with a single stake at the center of the excavation and include the radius of the site in the notification to the One Call Center. This single stake is to be white in color with the following information: excavator’s company identifier (name, abbreviations, or initials) and the radius of the excavation site in black letters on the stake or with a notice attached to the stake.
The circle illustrates The single stake defines the radius indicated the proposed center of the on the stake. excavation site. The radius of the excavation site is to be clearly indicated on the stake.
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 15 D IGGING SAFELY
Setting the Groundwork for Success
Benefits of Potholing for Locating General Practices Underground Utilities More Safely 1. At least 48 hours prior to excavation work: and the use of vacuum excavation - Call 811 or your local One-Call technology has revolutionized the number to request a locate from all industry. member utilities. While paint marks and flags are a great FIRST STEP in making the process of locating underground utilities safer, the technology and On any given workday, technique for locating underground there are thousands of miles utilities more safely using vacuum excavation is readily available and of privately owned affordable, and considered by many underground pipes, cables municipalities as a Best Practice. In and conduits that are left fact, many governmental entities and municipalities no longer allow the unmarked or unidentified by use of backhoes to physically locate public locators… underground utilities, citing the risk of damaging the utility or utilities. Many - Notify other possible utility have implemented policies mandating owners, which the One-Call Center the use of vacuum excavation. does not represent, to mark all their Backhoes, augers and other utilities within 5 feet of the work mechanical equipment should not area. be used to find underground utilities (Reference the State Law Direc- ollowing the building boom in the within 10 feet of a work zone. In tory on page 45 of this guide for F50’s, 60’s and 70’s, damage to addition, extreme care must be a complete list of Advance Noti- underground utilities began increa- taken to prevent utility damage while fication requirements in your state.) sing exponentially. digging by hand. Never use picks, 2. Get completed locates in writing. The one-call concept was a huge round pointed shovels or any other Most states have a positive re- step forward. However, according type of sharp tool. Only square, blunt sponse provision as a part of their to the National Utility Damage non-sharp tools should be considered one-call laws. Assessment even with one-call for use. in place, backhoes, augers, hand 3. Physically locate utilities within digging and other mechanical 5 feet of the work site using a methods continued to result in more Trust…but Verify vacuum excavation method with than 700,000 strikes annually to All utilities within 5 feet of a work the use of high pressure water (up to underground utilities including gas site or planned installation should be 4000 psi), an approved non-cutting lines, water and sewer pipes, and found and physically seen (located) nozzle (zero degree nozzles are not electrical, cable and fiber optic lines. to identify exact location and depth. allowed), high-pressure air (with a It’s not enough to accept paint marks dust containment system in place), Vacuum to Locate or flags, when it’s simple and safer to or dry vacuum. (Make sure nozzles physically verify paint marks or flags. have been tested not to cause Underground Utilities: Following are some proposed harm). simple steps to locating underground 4. When possible, return original soil Can You Dig It? utilities more safely. Today, potholing has made it material to inspection hole and safer to locate underground utilities,
16 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. Technologies and techniques to stay safe and avoid damage
By Don Buckner, Founder & President, Vac-Tron Equipment, LLC
compact so inspection holes retain their original surface elevation. many governmental entities and municipalities 5. Document locations and depths no longer allow the use of backhoes to physically of all utilities and make sure they are available at the jobsite. When locate underground utilities, citing the risk of needed, these should be included damaging the utility or utilities with permit applications. the state in which you will be working. to inspection. Tolerance Zone 2. Physically locate all existing utili- Excavators must take extreme Plowing, Trenching ties running within 5 feet on both precaution when digging within the and Directional sides, parallel to the intended work Tolerance Zone. Hand digging and zone or area. Physical locations Vacuum excavation are the only safe Drilling: General should occur every 50 feet. methods of excavation within the Excavating Tolerance Zone. This guide contains 3. Shut off handles for existing utili- a complete list of tolerance zones 1. Expose and visually witness all ties should be in placed in the work for each state. The list can be found utility crossings (using methods zone while work is being done. starting on page 45 and continuing described in the General Practices) For more information about locating through page 51. The minimum tole- prior to the crossing and at the underground utilities using vacuum, rance zone is 18” but tolerance zones crossing location. Utility lines visit www.vacuumexcavation.com. do vary from state to state so make should have a minimum separation sure you know the tolerance zone for of not less than 18 inches, subject
DIGGING DEEPER! BEST PRACTICES CHAPTER - EXCAVATION PRACTICES Practice Statement 5-19: The excavator observes a tolerance zone which is comprised of the width of the facility plus 18” on either side of the outside edge of the underground facility on a horizontal plane. This practice is not intended to preempt any existing state/provincial requirements that currently specify more than 18”. The following examples are of tolerance zones for a 1 inch and a 12 inch line.
Tolerance Zone Pictured below are two examples, one of a tolerance zone for a 1” line and one for a 12” line. Locate marks should show the approximate location of underground facilities. The lines can actually be located anywhere within the tolerance zone. When excavating in the tolerance zone all necessary precautions should be taken to avoid damage. This includes, but is not limited to: 1) Digging by hand; 2) Potholing and soft digging; and, 3) Vacuum excavation methods.
12” LINE
1” LINE
18” 18” 18” 18”
37” TOLERANCE ZONE
48” TOLERANCE ZONE
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 17 D IGGING SAFELY
Where the Shovel Meets the Dirt
“Look Before You Leap” Visual Site Inspections buried within the boundaries of a public utility easements or road right of ways. Help Prevent Line Strikes and Unexpected Delays Visually identify or otherwise determine the points of ownership transfer within aking the time to perform a visual made prior to excavation. There are each utility system on your planned dig site. A few visual signs of ownership Tinspection of your excavation site also many public and private lines which is a key step in preventing unexpected go unmarked during many emergency transfer points would be any visible utility encounters with unmarked underground excavations performed by crews meter (Gas, Electric and Water Meters), facilities. “Look before you dig” responding to leaks and outages of our and any communication demarcation point aging utility infrastructure. normally located at the house protector A good visual inspection of your dig site or the entrance point of a building. These On any given workday, prior to breaking any ground will help you underground lines feeding the water, there are thousands of miles determine which underground systems electric, natural gas and telecommunication should be marked in response to your networks belong to the service provider. of privately owned 811 excavation notification and which lines The utility service providers mark the underground pipes, cables will not be marked in response to your lines feeding these points in response to and conduits that are left notification. It is a key step in planning a your call to 811. Any lines buried beyond safe and productive excava-tion job. Many the ownership transfer points will most unmarked or unidentified by of these underground lines are located not often belong to the property owner and go public locators… only on private property but may also be unmarked by the utility owner.
Prior to each takeoff, commercial airline pilots and their crew perform visual inspection of their aircraft. The pilot takes a walk around the outside of the aircraft as well looking for any visual signs of damage, leaks or problems. The pilot and crew also check the operational controls and gauge settings. Flight attendants perform visual safety checks to insure all seatbelts are fastened, seats are in upright positions as well as give a quick safety briefing to passengers. The “all systems check” that is performed by the pilot and crew members reduce the chances of an unexpected surprise during takeoff and landing as well as cruising at 35,000 feet. It is also a good idea to take the same type of care before you break ground on Taking the time to visually identify or otherwise determine the ownership any excavation project. A close visual transfer points within each utility system feeding the site can be the first inspection of the planned dig site can step in determining what lines will probably not be marked. reduce the chances of an unexpected surprise during excavation activities. A few visual signs of ownership transfer points would be any visible utility meter On any given workday, there are (Gas, Electric and Water Meters), and any communication demarcation point thousands of miles of privately owned normally located at the house protector or the entrance point of a building. The lines underground pipes, cables and conduits that feed these metering or transfer points belongs to the service provider and should that are left unmarked or unidentified be marked up to this point by member utilities responding to your 811 notification. by public locators who respond to the Any lines buried beyond the ownership transfer points will most often belong to the required 811 excavation notification calls property owner and go unmarked by the utility owner.
18 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. Technologies and techniques to stay safe and avoid damage
By Bob Nighswonger, Damage Prevention Instructor
Here are a few signs of underground electric lines and a few points to consider when spotting these signs. Private Electric
Cables and Wires C Keep an eye out for electric meters and Commercial any structures fed by underground electric Business Sign wires. Look for electric meters near fed by electric wire. property lines, within the property, outside D wall of a house or building or inside the building. The lines that feed electricity Parking Lot Light to the metering points fed by electric wire. should be marked in response to your 811 call, the pri- vate electric line buried “after the E meter” normal- B Private Electric Metered Electrical Panel ly will not be Splicing Box This specific marked in re- above ground and lid to electrical panel is located on the sponse to your underground splicing vault. property line and is fed by a single call to 811. All of these lines are private underground power service line. and buried beyond the From this point, six private meter. electric lines are exiting and are buried throughout the property.
Private Gas or Liquid Propane Tanks Fuel Lines and are most often fed by delivery trucks and not a pipe. The Underground Fuel tank itself being the source, Tanks the underground pipe placed from the tank to the house, Private underground fuel lines and fuel building or structure is a service supply line. This tanks are often located on residential and line will most likely not be marked by the 811 commercial properties that have a need locators. The tanks themselves are often buried so for the product. The fuel line and fuel tank be on the lookout for metal lids or caps. These to the building, house or structure will tanks are similar to underground fuel tanks at commercial gas stations that have most likely not be marked in response to buried pipes running from the tanks to the pumps. the your 811 call. The propane tanks and Private Gas Service Lines other fuel tanks may also be buried on your This particular set of gas meters is considered a multi-meter manifold. dig site and require extreme care when This metering point is fed by a single pipe from the digging near the tank and the location of gas company and has two separate private gas lines the fuel line should be identified. Look for leaving this point to two different houses. Look for signs of line entry to the house, basement the round gas regulator. It will be placed on the or structure. supply side of the meter. Natural gas meters are located in the basements of buildings or houses, or on the outside wall, at the property line or at a master metering point of a multi-structure property.
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 19 D IGGING SAFELY
Where the Shovel Meets the Dirt Continued from page 19 Private Water Lines, Fire Protection and Irrigation Systems, Chilled Water and Steam Systems Private water systems are most commonly buried from the water metering to the building or house, from an irrigation tap to locations throughout a property. Private chilled water and steam systems are most often located on commercial properties, schools and universities.
Private Fire Protection Systems The basic private fire water systems consist of water pipes buried from the municipal water tap or inlet point to the fire hydrants or other fire department connection points (FDC’s) placed throughout the property. If your job is on commercial property, keep an eye out for fire hydrants and FDC points during your site inspection. The customer connection point will normally be located near the property line. The water pipe feeding this point will normally be marked by the 811 locator. Pipes that leave that point will not get marked.
Pipeline Markers Keep an eye out for high profile pipeline markers. There is an estimated 30 million miles of pipelines which provide bulk transportation of gasses and liquid fuels across the U.S. Many state and federal regulations require that pipeline operators must have a company representative on-site during excavation over or near their pipelines. The operators of these specific high profile pipelines will normally contact you to make arrangements to be onsite during your excavation. After calling 811, make sure to monitor your email, fax, phone or voicemails for a meet request notification from the Excavating near Pipelines pipeline owner. A minimum clearance will normally be required between the pipeline and whatever is being installed. If heavy equipment or dump trucks will be crossing over the pipeline during your excavation, the pipeline operator may require the placement of large metal plates or the addition of soil cover over the pipeline to prevent a potential hazardous damage caused by the extreme weight of the equipment.
20 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. Technologies and techniques to stay safe and avoid damage
Reading The Landscape On this page is a good example of how to read the landscape prior to planned excavation. In this scenario I’m planning my work prior to calling 811. I’ve identified several notable signs of underground utilities belonging to public and private property owner at this location as well as a pipeline buried on or near this dig. AA. Three large water valves placed in a tee configuration which often indicates a tee in the water main which also means the water company probably poured concrete support or thrush blocker in the area the mains are connected. BB. One Telephone Pedestal Telephone and CATV lines will normally be marked along the public easement and on private property to the building or house demarcation point. Look for the phone FF. Two Water Meters Note: The two call for a remark If your marks have been protector in the house, conduit on the wall service lines buried from water meter to destroyed or are no longer reasonably of a building or inside equipment room of building or house will not be marked by visible for safe excavation. a building for signs of telephone cables. 811 locator. CC. Sewer Clean Out Pipe located near GG. Sewer Manhole This particular man- DIGGING roadside. This is a large diameter cleanout hole is placed over a public sewer main. DEEPER! pipe and may possibly be part of a public HH. Petroleum Pipeline Marker This system. Sewer cleanouts are most often About the Author placed on sewer laterals for access to specific post indicates the presence of BOB NIGHSWONGER is the clear drainage problems. The clean out a petroleum transmission line and is President of the Utility Training pipe curves towards the flow of the sewer considered a high profile line. (Refer to Academy and a long time just before it connects to the top of the page 18) Not pictured are nearby large line locating and damage prevention instructor. He has sewer lateral pipe. Look for sewer laterals petroleum storage tanks. Other obvious signs of high profile lines may be an served 25 years in the damage to be located near buildings or houses prevention industry and is a as well as near property lines and other electrical substation or water towers. frequent speaker at the annual meter points. Look before you dig! A visual site CGA Excavation Conference & Expo and other industry related DD. Gas Meter Note: The service line inspection is a key part of any damage events. Bob also conducts from meter to building will not be marked prevention plan. For safety sake, take frequent locator training by 811 locator. the time to inspect your dig site prior to webinars for Excavation Safety excavation and daily during excavation University. He can be reached EE. Exposed Pipe on Site may be an activities. Once the temporary markings at [email protected] active line or may be an abandoned are placed on the ground, it will be up to section of pipe. Further investigation will you to protect the integrity of the marks or probably be necessary after the 811 call.
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 21 P IPELINE EDITION
Pipeline Location Information Online Resources for Land Developers Developments in technology and the internet give ready access to more comprehensive information.
• The National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) is a tool that is viewable by anyone with an internet connection who wants to learn more about the transmission pipelines in their area. To reference these overview maps go to www. npms.phmsa.dot.gov and click on “Find Who’s Operating Pipelines in Your Area” then drill down by state and county or zip code. Government officials may request access to more detailed maps within their jurisdiction. Also note that NPMS does not contain gathering or distribution pipeline data. • www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov
• The Pipeline Association for Public Awareness has developed a mobile friendly web application called Pipelines Nearby. This application provides information about pipelines near a specified location including: operator contact information, indications of a leak, potential hazards, and recommended emergency response actions. Check it out at: www.pipelinesnearby.org. Pipelines Nearby does NOT include all pipelines. • www.pipelinesnearby.org
These applications should never be used as a substitute for contacting 811 or your local One-Call Center directly prior to any excavation activities.
Pipeline Marker Posts Pipelines are buried in areas called rights-of-way. Since most pipelines are buried Pipeline Pipeline markers are used to designate the general underground, they may go unnoticed by Markers route of the pipeline. Markers can also be found where a pipeline crosses a street or railroad, emerges from the the general public. But there are ways to ground, or in waterways. identify that a pipeline may be nearby, BE AWARE: Pipeline markers will not designate the such as above-ground pipeline marker exact location, depth or number of pipelines in the area. posts. These markers are placed at road, Markers come in different shapes and sizes, but will rail and water crossings and do not always: indicate the exact location or depth of the Include the word pipeline below. There are three key pieces WARNING, DANGER OR CAUTION of information found on a pipeline marker: • The operating pipeline company Identify the material being transported • The product transported in the pipeline • An emergency phone number Provide a number to reach the company in event of an emergency Never assume an above-ground marker is directly above the pipeline and always call 8-1-1 before you begin any digging Provide the name of the pipeline company project.
22 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. L OCATING & MARKING
Understanding the Marks: Taken from the latest version Locating and Marking Practices of the CGA Best Practices.
Guidelines for may choose to mark their subsurface and width of the facilities. This example installations: indicates 4 plastic facilities that are 4” in Operator’s Facility diameter (4/4” PLA). a. Single Facility Marking (Illustra- Field Delineation c. Conduit Marking (Illustration 3): tions 1a & 1b): Used to mark a single perator markings of facilities Used for any locatable facility being facility. This can be done in one of two include; the appropriate color for carried inside conduits or ducts. The O ways: either placing the marks over their facility type; their company identifier marks indicating the outer extremities the approximate center of the facility (name, initials, or abbreviation) when denote the actual located edges of the (Illustration 1a) or, placing the marks other companies are using the same color, facilities being represented. An example over the approximate outside edges of the number and width of their facilities would be 4 plastic conduits that are 4” the facility with a line connecting the and a description of the facility (HP, FO, in diameter (4/4” PLA), and the marks two horizontal lines (in the form of an STL etc). Use paint, flags, stakes, whiskers are 16” apart indicating the actual left H) to indicate there is only one facility or a combination to identify the operator’s and right edges of the facilities. (Illustration 1b). These examples indicate facility(s) at or near an excavation site. d. Corridor Marking (Illustration 4): an operator’s 12” facility. When a facility 1. Marks in the appropriate color are Used to mark multiple facilities of the can be located or toned separately from to be approximately 12” to 18” in length same type (e.g. electric), in the same other facilities of the same type is is and 1” inch in width and separated by trench where the total number of marked as a single facility. approximately 4’ to 50’ in distance as facilities is not readily known (operator b. Multiple Facility Marking (Illustra- an example. When marking facilities the has no record on file for the number tion 2): Used to mark multiple facilities operator is to consider the type of facility facilities) and that are bundled or of the same type (e.g. electric), where the being located, the terrain of the land, the intertwined. Marks are placed over the separation does not allow for a separate type of excavation being done and the approximate center of the facilities and tone for each facility but the number and method to adequately mark its facilities indicate the width of the corridor. The width of the facilities is known. Marks for the excavator. width of the corridor is the distance are placed over the approximate center 2. The following marking illustrations between the actual located outside of the facilities and indicate the number are examples of how an operator edges of the combined facilities. This example indicates a 12” corridor (12” CDR). Continued on next page
Illustration 1a Illustration 1b Illustration 2
Illustration 3 Illustration 4
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 23 L OCATING & MARKING
Understanding the Marks: Locating and Marking Practices (Continued from page 23) Taken from the latest version of the CGA Best Practices. Download the entire document at www.CommonGroundAlliance.com.
3. Changes in direction and lateral Download the entire 7. Structures, such as vaults, inlets, lift connections are to be clearly indicated stations that are physically larger than at the point where the change in CGA Best Practices at obvious surface indications, are to be direction or connection occurs with an CommonGroundAlliance.com. marked so as to define the parameters arrow indicating the path of the facility. A of the structure. (Illustration 9) radius is indicated with marks describing 8. Termination points or dead ends are the arc. When providing offset markings, to be indicated as such. (Illustration 10) (paint or stakes), show the direction of the facility and distance to the facility 9. When there is “No Conflict” with the from the markings. excavation complete one or more of the following: • Operators of a single type of facility (e.g., AT&T) would mark the area “NO” followed by the appropriate company Illustration 8: Staked Offset (Off) Example identifier in the matching APWA color code for that facility (e.g., “NO AT&T”) the proposed work. In addition to the previous, subsequent operators using • Operators of multiple facilities would the same color will mark their company mark the area “NO” followed by the identifier at all points where their facility appropriate company identifier in the Illustration 5: Radius Example crosses another operator’s facility matching APWA color code for that using the same color. The maximum facility with a slash and the abbreviation separation of identifiers is to be reduced for the type of facility that there is to a length that can be reasonably seen “No Conflict” (e.g. “NO PG&E/G/D”). by the excavator when the terrain at the The example illustrates that PG&E has excavation site warrants it. no gas distribution facilities at this excavation site. The abbreviation for; CITYCO ELECO TELECO gas transmission facilities is “/G/T”, electric distribution is “/E/D” and electric 5. Information as to the size and transmission is “ E/T” these should be Illustration 6: Lateral Connection Example composition of the facility is to be used when appropriate. marked at an appropriate frequency. Examples are: the number of ducts in a multi-duct structure, width of a pipeline, and whether it is steel, plastic, cable, etc. TELECO GASCO WATERCO 9/4”PLA 4”PLA 12”STL Illustration 9
6. Facilities installed in a casing Illustration 7: Painted Offset (Off) Esample should be identified as such. Two examples are: 6” plastic in 12” steel = 6”PLA/12”STL and fiber optic in 4” 4. An operator’s identifier (name, steel = FO(4”STL). Illustration 10 abbre-viation or initials) is to be placed at the beginning and at the end of GASCO TELECO 6”PLA/12”STL FO(4”STL)
24 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. The importance of accuracy in locating and marking buried facilities.
• Place a clear plastic (translucent) flag COLOR CODE IDENTIFIERS that states “No Conflict” in lettering WHITE Proposed Excavation matching the APWA color code of the PINK Temporary Survey Markings RED Electric Power Lines, Cables, Conduit and Lighting Cables facility that is not in conflict. Include on YELLOW Gas, Oil, Steam, Petroleum or Gaseous Materials the flag the operator’s identifier, phone ORANGE Communication, Alarm or Signal Lines, Cables or Conduits number, a place to write the locate BLUE Potable Water PURPLE Reclaimed Water, Irrigation and Slurry Lines ticket number and date. Operators GREEN Sewers and Drain Lines of multiple facilities would indicate on the flag, which facilities were in “No Conflict” with the excavation the facility may notify the excavator of of white markings, place “No Conflict” as in the previous example. “No Conflict” by phone, fax, or email, markings or flags in or as near as practicable to the delineated area. • If it can be determined through maps or through the One-Call Center, where or records that the proposed excavation electronic positive response is used. * Caution - Allow adequate space for all is obviously not in conflict with their Operators of multiple facilities would facility mark-outs. facility(s) the locator or operator of indicate a “No Conflict” for each facility “No Conflict” indicates; that the operator as in the previous examples. providing the “No Conflict” has no facili- ties within the scope of the delineation, or • Place “No Conflict” markings or flags when there is no delineation, there are no in a location that can be observed by the facilities within the work area as described excavator and/or notify the excavator on the locate ticket. by phone, fax, or email that there is “No Conflict” with your facilities. When the excavation is delineated by the use
Guide for Abbreviation Use This is a guide for placing the FACILITY IDENTIFIER INFRASTRUCTURE MATERIALS accompanying abbreviations in UNDERGROUND the field. The Company Identifier CH Chemical CONSTRUCTION ABS Acrylonitrite-Butadiene-Styrene is to be placed at the top or at E Electric DESCRIPTION ACP Asbestos Cement Pipe the left of the abbreviations. Place FO Fiber Optic C Conduit CI Cast Iron the abbreviations in the following order, Company Identifier / G Gas CDR Corridor CMC Cement Mortar Coated Facility Identifier / Underground LPG Liquified Petroleum Gas D Distribution Facility CML Cement Mortar Lined Construction Descriptions / PP Petroleum Products CPP Corrugated Plastic Pipe Infrastructure Material (e.g. DB Direct Buried RR Railroad Signal CMP Corrugated Metal Pipe SBC/TEL/FO/PLA). This example DE Dead End indicates that SBC has a S Sewer CU Copper JT Joint Trench Telecommunication Fiber Optic SD Storm Drain CWD Creosote Wood Duct line in a single Plastic conduit. The HP High Pressure SS Storm Sewer HDPE High Density Polyethylene use of the abbreviation /TEL is not HH Hand Hole necessary, because the orange SL Street Lighting MTD Multiple Tile Duct marking would indicate that the STM Steam MH Manhole PLA Plastic (conduit or pipe) facility was a communication line, SP Slurry System PB Pull Box RCB Reinforced Concrete Box but its use is optional. To leave out R Radius one or more of the abbreviation TEL Telephone RCP Reinforced Concrete Pipe types you would continue to follow TS Traffic Signal Structure RF Reinforced Fiberglass the order of the abbreviations TV Television STR (vaults, junction boxes, SCCP Street Cylinder Concrete Pipe above leaving out the slash and W Water inlets, lift station) STL Steel abbreviation that does not apply (e.g. /TEL), the result would be the W Reclaimed Water (purple) T Transmission Facility VCP Vertrified Clay Pipe following (e.g. SBC/FO/PLA).
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 25 L OCATING & MARKING
Adding GPR to Your Damage Prevention Toolkit
rofessionals from many dis- Pciplines in the utility con- struction industry are searching for better utility location information to improve damage prevention programs, safety, and productivity. As a result, many firms are now using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to complement traditional locating methods to help detect metallic and non-metallic lines. When used in conjunction with other locating technologies, GPR can help build confidence in existing locate information or point out discrepancies. Ultimately, using multiple locating methods demon- strates a firm’s due diligence re- Ground Penetrating Radar is a real time technology that can be deployed in just minutes. garding damage prevention, safety, and the project’s bottom line. displaying the reflected signal as a depth and horizontal positioning. graph of the time it takes the signal In a typical locate, the operator to travel to a target and return will follow a utility by making a By displaying [a] reflection over the distance the antenna has series of transects of the pipe in conjunction with moved. The image is roughly simi- every several feet, marking the lar to the reflections seen of a fish ground as each reflection appears. the horizontal location finder on a boat. If the data shows pipe reflections information from the survey The reflections displayed on at a consistent depth and in a cart, GPR can provide a GPR screen are the result of linear path, then the operator changes in the speed of the GPR can judge that he is following both depth and horizontal signal as it travels through the the pipe. Locating with GPR is postioning. ground and encounters different most often done in this real-time, materials such as pipes, rock, and two dimensional mode, but three different types of soil. Because the dimensional options are available. GPR signal is electromagnetic, its Three dimensional surveys are How It Works signal speed changes as it passes less common because they take GPR is an accessible, mobile, through (or bounces off) the various more time to collect, but they do and easy-to-use technology buried materials based on the offer additional value in some suitable for many companies, materials electrical conductivity. situations. Most often, three dimen- once one learns some of the The greater the difference in the sional surveys are performed on fundamentals of how it works. conductivity between the pipe highly congested areas with many The three components of a GPR material and surrounding soil, the utilities. In these cases, being able system include a Control Unit with better the image. to look at the subsurface from an display connected to an Antenna By displaying this reflection in “x-ray” style perspective helps and a Survey Cart. GPR works by conjunction with the horizontal the user understand how lines are sending a pulse of electromagnetic location information from the placed in relation to one another. energy into the ground and then survey cart, GPR can provide both
26 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. The importance of accuracy in locating and marking buried facilities.
By Peter Masters, Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc.
What It Can Do, potential. Typically, this means efficiency. GPR is a real time wet, clay soils. Some areas are not technology that can be deployed What It Can’t Do suited for GPR scanning because in just minutes. With highly While GPR can detect all manner the soil conductivity is too high accurate horizontal positioning of pipe materials, some are easier to and prevents GPR signals from and depth information, GPR see than others. For example, GPR penetrating deep enough. While surveys provide detail essential signals do not penetrate metallic materials at all, so the reflections from all types of metallic pipes are With highly accurate horizontal positioning stronger and easier to see. But, and depth information, GPR surveys provide GPR signals do penetrate through detail essential for a solid understanding of the non-metallic pipe materials such as plastics, concrete and clay. underground environment. These materials can be seen, but they are often more subtle and GPR works best in dry sandy soils, for a solid understanding of the require operators to keep a keen it still has value in areas where underground environment. With eye. Other subtle changes in GPR conditions are not perfect. In many more utility location information data can reveal useful information cases, common utilities are still in hand before digging, crews are such as evidence of a trench or shallow enough to trace with GPR. better protected and less likely to buried foundation. In general, It’s best to evaluate the local soils hit utilities. GPR performs best when the pipe to find the probability of success GPR can improve the financial material and surrounding soils are for GPR in your area. Contact us picture as well. With more electrically different. to learn more about options for information about what lies below, There are factors that affect how using GPR in your area. project managers can accurately well radar performs on any given As a general rule, GPR can find figure jobs costs while crews job site. The most important is soil all types of pipe material. However, arrive on the jobsite prepared for conductivity; the more conductive there is a guideline ratio of pipe the job at hand. GPR surveys can the soil, the harder it is for the diameter and buried depth. The even alleviate some of the costs radar signal to penetrate to its full ratio is roughly one inch in diameter of exploratory excavations and for every foot deep extensive potholing by reducing a pipe is buried. their frequency. Carried further, GPR will need a two inch pipe at two feet DIGGING deep, four inch pipe DEEPER! at four feet deep, and so on. This is a About the Author guideline and not an Peter Masters is an absolute rule. application specialist for Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc. (GSSI), based in Salem, Why Use NH. You can learn more GPR? about Ground Penetrating Radar technologies and Using GPR in the its uses by visiting field before con- www.geophysical.com. struction benefits both safety and GPR provides vast amounts of subsurface data.
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 27 L OCATING & MARKING
The Art of Locating By Christopher Koch, President, Hance Utility Services
t happened again. There I was working Imy way through a locate when a guy in khakis and a button down shirt walked by …much like driving a car, simply knowing the and said, “How do I get your job?” Right, basic controls doesn’t really prepare the operator for because my job is easy. I get it. the nearly infinite variables that will be encountered I can’t say I was surprised. The previous week I fielded a request from an excavator on the road during actual driving. who wanted me to come by his shop and teach his crew how to use a locator. It for the nearly infinite variables that will actually locate buried pipes, cables or wouldn’t take much time, he suggested-- be encountered on the road during actual wires, but rather a moving magnetic just twenty or thirty minutes. Now come driving. Competency in locating doesn’t field called signal in place around them on. Really? Twenty or thirty minutes? stem from a handful of simple rules, but either as a result of action taken by the Not always as easy rather from understanding the capabilities technician or of certain other “natural” and limitations of the instrument in the factors. A lot of things can impact that as it looks! context of on-site variables. magnetic field causing the locate to be Here’s the deal. If locating looks easy, inaccurate at the surface. The deeper the it’s probably because the person you’re It helps to know facility is, the more opportunity there is for watching knows what they’re doing and the variables. horizontal error. has had a lot of practice at it. Among the factors that can The next time you see a locating Equipment manufacturers have influence a locate are the presence technician on a job site, take a moment labored for years to produce of metallic conductors other to ponder the mysterious profession he locating sets that are simple to use than those being located, the practices. Under the constant pressure of for the novice. This has led many composition, diameter and a ticking clock and under the watchful eye people to conclude that anyone depth of the facility being of a hundred bosses a week, he manages can pick up a locator and use located, the nature of the a wealth of variables to mark buried it successfully provided they soil, and the presence, type facilities he’ll never see. know “which setting” to and location of physical It’s not as easy as it looks, nor is select. access points. Skilled locating considered an exact science but a Salespeople have even locating technicians take all skilled locator with the proper training and produced pocket guides of these factors into account experience will be right the vast majority suggesting particular on an intuitive level. of the time. frequencies for particular To the outside observer it applications. That would looks like a locating technician be like a car salesman is simply hopping out of their handing out cheat truck, taking a moment to set sheets recommending up some equipment, and then DIGGING first gear for driveway painting the location of the target DEEPER! use, third for ascending line. In reality, a number of low grades, and fifth for About the Author small but important decisions are the highway. Simple. CHRISTOPHER KOCH is president of being made silently on each job Hance Utility Services and the Locator Now anyone can drive a site, and explaining all of them to School. Over the past decade, he has stick. someone who isn’t experienced been responsible for the training of The reality is that much locators in 22 states, Canada and can be difficult. like driving a car, simply Australia. Koch currently serves as It’s also important to vice-president of NULCA and helped knowing the basic understand that the equipment craft the 2009 revision to the NULCA controls really doesn’t Competency Standard. commonly used to locate prepare the operator underground utilities doesn’t
28 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. W HEN THINGS GO WRONG
Damage Investigations From a Contractor’s Perspective
he purpose of a good damage at the thought Tinvestigation is to get to the of using a cell root cause or causes of the incident. phone as a Too many times, investigations are camera. Today, performed with preconceived ideas of my new cell the outcome. When documentation is phone has the collected to support only this idea, capabilities to valuable evidence can be missed and take 8 mega- opportunities are lost. These oppor- pixel photos, tunities include: correcting the real record audio problem; training; and maintaining field endlessly and relationships potentially lost due to a record and biased investigation. The following are hold up to 30 suggestions that should help to improve minutes of the investigation process. It is meant as videotape. It an overview of the process. may be the Damage Investigation HIT Kit helps establish size and scale at the accident site. best piece of Putting it on paper or preconceived ideas of it can lead to damage investigation equipment that I biased and inaccurate investigations. and in pictures. have ever owned. The investigator should strive to be an Make sure that the investigator is A measuring device is another objective third party that is just trying fully prepared with the necessary essential piece of equipment. When to collect evidence. This is sometimes forms, equipment and proper mental shown in pictures, it can provide the much easier said than done, but should attitude to accomplish the task at hand. scale necessary to prove the case. nonetheless, be worked toward. The damage investigation form should Many investigators use a standard The investigator should arrive on site prompt the investigator to collect the measuring tape or a mat style mea- as soon as possible. Upon arriving, right information and ask the necessary suring device. My device of choice is he/she will be responsible for taking questions following the incident. A good the HIT Kit (shown here). It provides photographs and/or videotape of the example is available at www.cga-dirt. a measuring device along with markers incident scene, getting statements and com. indicating “damage” and “marks” that collecting other important data. The The investigator should, at a can easily be seen in pictures from order in which it is collected will vary minimum, have a quality camera and all sides. Whatever the choice, make from incident to incident, but generally, a good measuring device with them at sure that all pictures contain a good photos are taken very early on in the all times. Camera quality has improved measuring device. process. This is because the act of significantly over the past few years. PMA: The intangible repairing the damaged facility usually High quality digital cameras can be destroys evidence. purchased at very reasonable prices. success factor! Data that should be requested includes Five years ago, I would have laughed The last tool for the investigator is locate request information, post-locate/ the proper mental attitude. Going into pre-excavation photographs, pre- an incident scene with a bad attitude excavation meeting minutes, permits and any other information specific to the incident. Some of this information Five years ago, I would have laughed at the will be addressed when the investigator thought of using a cell phone as a camera. takes statements from the parties Today, it may be the best piece of damage involved. These statements should be investigation equipment that I have ever owned.
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 29 W HEN THINGS GO WRONG
By Ron Peterson, Damage Prevention Consultant
taken from all participants involved in the incident including the excavator, One last key point is that the person receiving the locator and utility representatives. [investigation] information will probably never be on Other valuable statements should be site. It is critical that all of the information collected tells taken from witnesses that may not be involved with the incident at all. Each a clear and accurate story… statement should be by each individual detailing what they were doing at the method (shown below). Using the point applied. Additionally, the investigator time of the incident as well as what of damage as the center of the clock, should provide a narrative of what he/ they saw. Statements should be signed the investigator should start at the she is seeing while filming. Care should as well. A single statement signed by 12:00 position and be a considerable be taken so as not to include opinions the entire crew will accomplish nothing distance from the damage. After taking that are not supported by fact as well in the process. a picture at this point, he/she should as other information not related to the move halfway toward the damage and incident. Working around take another picture, then move close Once the investigation is complete, it the clock. to the damage and snap another. This should be forwarded to the appropriate should be performed at each indicated personnel immediately. One last key Photographs and/or videotape are point around the clock. If this is point is that the person receiving the critical to a quality investigation. performed correctly, the investigator information will probably never be on Typically, though, claims personnel should collect enough quality pictures site. It is critical that all of the information receive four to twelve pictures of a hole to tell the story of the incident. This is collected tells a clear and accurate in the ground showing the damage. The especially helpful for those using film story of the incident. By collecting solid investigator should strive to tell a story and disposable cameras that do not evidence, the investigation can be used with the pictures. Overviews of the provide the immediate feedback found for its ultimate purpose, to identify the area should be provided as well as the on digital cameras. root cause and to put plans in place to point of damage. One good way to get When using a camcorder to film prevent future incidents. good photographs is to follow the clock the incident, the same method can be
12 1 Documenting damage using the 11 clock method entails shooting photos from three different distances from the accident site at each of eight 10 2 different points around DIGGING “the clock.” DEEPER!
For More Information 9 3 When an underground facility is damaged, the damage should always be ELM STREET DAMAGE reported using the Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT). The Common 8 4 Ground Alliance (CGA) compiles this data and uses it to help identify root causes, perform trend analysis and help educate all stakeholders so that damages can be reduced in the future. 7 5 6 Report all damages by visiting www.cga-dirt.com.
30 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. DIRECTRICES PARA Póster D E SE GU RIDAD Proveido por Pipeline REACCIONAR Association for Public EN EMERGENCIAS Awareness
Condiciones Conozca Los Peligros de emergencia • El gas natural y otros productos de petróleo son inflamables y queman. Si la piel está que afectan las expuesta serias irritaciones pueden ocurrir. Los gases escapados pueden desplazar el instalaciones subterráneas oxígeno. incluyen: escapes, • La electricidad hará descargas o cortocircuito a tierra produciendo temperaturas que son rupturas, explosiones, cuatro veces más intensas que la temperatura del sol. Como mínimo quemaría la piel incendios, hundimiento y dañaría los organos internos. Los altos voltajes de electricidad pueden hacer arco a severo o movimiento de distancias considerables a través del aire. Usted debe estar consiente de cables aéros de alto voltaje y aleje cualquier parte del equipo por lo menos a 10 pies de distancia de los tierra, debilitamiento y cables aéreos. daño de gasoductos/ oleoductos/acueductos, • El agua a alta presión pueden causar heridas graves. Las aguas residuales contienen bacterias que puede ser de alto risego para la salud. Los gases del alcantarillado son y casos similares donde inflamables y queman. es necesaria la acción inmediata para impedir Reconozca las Condiciones Peligrosas pérdida de vidas, heridas • Los charcos de liquido, la tierra soplando, los sonidos siseantes, las nubes de vapor, a personas, o daños a los olores a gas, las burbujas en agua estancada, la vegetación completamente seca, propiedad y el medio y la tierra congelada o hielo alrededor de gasoductos/oleoductos son todas señales de ambiente. escapes de gas natural o petróleo y deben de ser tratadas como una emergencia. Cada situación es • Trate el contacto con cualquier cable eléctrico como una emergencia sin tener en cuenta diferente y debe ser si aparece dañado o no o si está cortado. Ésto incluye el contacto con cables aéreos de evaluada individualmente alto voltaje. según las circunstancias. • Con frecuencia los servicios usan zanjas conjuntamente poniéndolo a usted en un mayor A continuación se dan riesgo en las zanjas que támbien tienen electricidad. directrices generales de • La tierra mojada o descolorida es un indicio de un escape de agua/alcantarillado y debe emergencia para alcantarillado y debe ser tratada como una condición de emergencia potencial. reaccionar ante varias emergencias/situaciones Nunca entierre equipo dañado. donde hay daños que Nunca entierre equipo dañado como cables eléctricos, gasoductos, oleoductos, o ductos de cualquier tipo. Informe de inmediato a la compañía afectan las instalaciones. afectada cualquier leve rasguño, corte, rotura, o abolladura. Si la reparación no es hecha rápidamente en el futuro pueden resultar escapes, subterráneas interrupción de servicios, explosiones, accidentes, heridas, o muerte. EXCAVATION EMERGENCIES
Provided by Pipeline PULL-OUT Association for Public SAFETY POSTER Awareness
Emergency conditions Know the hazards • Natural gas and other petroleum products will ignite and burn. If exposed to the involving skin, serious irritations may occur. Escaping gases can displace oxygen. underground • Electricity will arc or short to ground producing heat that is up to four times facilities include greater than the heat of the sun. At a minimum, it will burn skin and damage leaks, ruptures, internal organs. High voltage electricity can arc significant distances through explosions, fires, the air. Be aware of all above ground high voltage lines and keep any part of the severe settling or soil equipment at least 10 feet away from overhead lines. movement, weakened • Water under high pressure can cause serious injury. Wastewater contains bacteria or damaged facilities that can be a significant health risk. Sewer gas will ignite and burn. and similar instances where immediate Recognize unsafe conditions action is necessary • Pools of liquid, blowing dirt, hissing sounds, vapor clouds, gaseous odors, bubbles to prevent loss of life, in standing water, dead vegetation, and frozen soil or ice next to pipelines are all signs of a natural gas or petroleum pipeline leak and should be treated as an injury to persons, or emergency. damage to property • Treat contact with any electric line as an emergency regardless of whether it and the environment. appears undamaged, damaged or severed. This includes contact with above Every situation ground high voltage lines. is different and • Utilities often jointly use trenches placing you at greater risk in trenches that also must be evaluated have electricity. on the individual • Wet or discolored soil is an indication of a water/sewer leak and should be treated circumstances. Below as a potential emergency condition. are general emergency response guidelines NEVER BURY A DAMAGED FACILITY! for various emergency/ Even a minor scrape, nick, cut, tear, break, or dent should be reported to the facility owner immediately. If not promptly damage situations repaired, it could result in a future leak, service outage, explosion, accident, injury, or death. involving underground facilities. Respond immediately Natural Gas and Petroleum Liquids 1. Turn off equipment, if it can be done safely. 2. Abandon all equipment and get a safe distance away. 3. Avoid open flames or anything that might start a fire. Do not start motor vehicles or electrical equipment. Remove all ignition sources (cigarettes, cell phones, or anything that could create a spark or static electricity). 4. Evacuate the area and keep people out. 5. Do not make contact with escaping liquids. 6. Do not operate any pipeline valves. 7. Call 911 or your local fire, police, or sheriff’s office. 8. Do not try to put out a fire. If it’s burning, let it burn; ask local fire fighters to observe and protect adjacent property. 9. Contact the facility operator immediately to report the condition. Electricity 1. Only move equipment in contact with overhead or underground electric lines if you can move it away safely. 2. If excavator equipment remains in contact with electric equipment, it’s safest to stay on equipment (unless on fire) until rescue workers arrive; keep others away. If you must abandon equipment, jump clear of it, landing with both feet on ground at the same time, and then only shuffle or hop away. 3. If a buried electrical line is struck in wet soil/conditions, the ground may become energized for a large area around the strike. (Hopping or shuffling away will help reduce your risk to step potential.) 4. Contact the facility operator immediately to report the condition. 5. If appropriate, call 911 for local emergency response. Water/Sewer 1. Evacuate the area immediately and keep people out. Leaking water can fill a trench quickly making escape extremely difficult. 2. Do not close valves in order to stop flooding. Closing the wrong valve may affect fire flows and/or possible containment of potable systems. 3. Be careful of damaged high-pressure water lines because even the slightest scratch or vibration can cause pipelines to break. 4. Move carefully around trenches with wet walls. Wet soil can easily cause suffocation. The above information is intended for educational purposes only. Infrastructure 5. Avoid contact with wastewater. Do not wade in or work around wastewater. Resources, LLC and Pipeline Association for Public Awareness assume no liability 6. Sewer gas is flammable; avoid open flames or anything that might start a fire. for any individual’s use of or reliance upon the above information. While 7. Contact the facility operator immediately to report the condition. every effort is made to provide accurate and reliable information, Infrastructure Resources, LLC and Pipeline Association Fiber/Communication for Public Awareness do not guarantee or 1. If fiber optic cable is cut, do not look into the end of it. Serious eye damage may occur. warrant that the information is complete, accurate or up-to-date. 2. Contact the facility operator and report the condition. Reaccione inmediatamente Gas Natural y Líquidos Derivados 1. Apague el equipo, si lo puede hacer con seguridad. 2. Abandone todo el equipo y aléjese a una distancia segura. 3. Evite llamas abiertas o cualquier cosa que pueda prender fuego. No arranque vehículos de motor o equipo eléctrico. Retire todas las fuentes de ignición (cigarrillos, teléfonos celulares, o cualquier cosa que pueda crear una chispa o electricidad estática). 4. Evacúe el área y no deje pasar a la gente. 5. No haga contacto con escapes de líquidos. 6. No maneje las válvulas de gasoductos/oleoductos. 7. Llame al número de emergencia 911 o llame a las oficinas locales del cuerpo de bomberos, policía, o sheriff. 8. No trate de apagar el fuego. Si está ardiendo déjelo quemar; pídale a los bomberos que observen y protejan la propiedad adyacente. 9. Inmediatamente póngase en contacto con a la compañía que opera los gasoductos/oleoductos para reportar las condiciones. Electricidad 1. Sólo mueva equipo que esté en contacto con cables eléctricos aéreos o subterráneos si usted lo puede mover con seguridad. 2. Si el equipo excavador continúa en contacto con equipo eléctrico, es más seguro quedarse en el equipo (a no ser que esté en llamas) hasta que lleguen los trabajadores de rescate: no deje que otros se acerquen. Si tiene que abandonar el equipo, salte lejos del equipo, cayendo con ambos pies a la misma vez, y luego sólo aléjese arrastrando los pies o saltando. 3. Si hay impacto con un cable enterrado y la tierra está mojada, la tierra en el área alrededor del impacto puede estar energizada. (Reduzca el riesgo de electrocutarse alejándose saltando o arrastrando los pies.) 4. Inmediatamente póngase en contacto con la compañía que opera las instalaciones para reportar la emergencia. 5. Si es apropiado llame al número de emegencia 911 para ayuda local. Acueducto/Alcantarillado 1. Evacúe el área de inmediato y no deje que la gente se acerque. Un escape de agua puede llenar una zanja rápidamente haciendo su escape sumamente dificil. 2. No cierre las válvulas para impedir inundaciones. Cerrar la válvula equivocada puede impedir que el agua pase por los ductos de agua que usan los bomberos para apagar fuegos y/o posiblemente contaminar el sistema de agua potable. 3. Tenga cuidado con los ductos de agua de alta presión debido a que cualquier leve rasguño o vibración puede causar una ruptura.
4. Muévase con cuidado alrededor de zanjas que tienen las paredes mojadas. Tierra mojada puede derrumbarse fácilmente y The above information is intended for causar asfixia. educational purposes only. Infrastructure Resources, LLC and Pipeline Association 5. Evite contacto con aguas residuales. No camine o trabaje alrededor de aguas residuales. for Public Awareness assume no liability for any individual’s use of or reliance 6. Los gases del alcantarillado son inflamables; evite llamas abiertas o cualquier cosa que pueda iniciar un incendio. upon the above information. While every effort is made to provide accurate 7. Inmediatamente póngase en contacto con la compañía que opera los acueductos y alcantarillados para reportar la emergencia. and reliable information, Infrastructure Resources, LLC and Pipeline Association Fibra Óptica/Comunicación for Public Awareness do not guarantee or 1. Si el cable de fibra óptica está cortado, no mire adentro de la punta del cable. Graves daños a los ojos pueden ocurrir. warrant that the information is complete, accurate or up-to-date. 2. Inmediatamente póngase en contacto con la compañía que opera la fibra óptica para reportar la situación. UNITING THE INDUSTRY In Preventing Damage and Saving Lives
FEATURING • Over 50 Conference Sessions • More than 100 Exhibits and Demonstrations • Networking Events • In-Depth Workshops - Damage Investigation - Locating • Common Ground Alliance (CGA) Annual Meeting • Underground Safety Summit • And Much More!
The Conference so complete that 91% of attendees will recommend the event to others in their industry!
“The CGA Conference has become a very valuable ‘tool’ that MARCH 12-14, 2013 should be used by Palm Beach County all who work in the Excavation and Damage Convention Center, Prevention industry.” West Palm Beach, FL Joe Dunlap, City of Youngstown, OH MARCH 11-13, 2014 Phoenix, AZ
For more information or to register, call 866-279-7755 or visit CGAconference.com W HEN THINGS GO WRONG
Gas Excavator Emergency Response
OPS! Darn! Everything was going Owell during the excavation until that …the NTSB recommends calling 911 immediately “Pop” sound. Now the dirt is flying and when a gas line gets hit and leaks. Then call the gas the smell of rotten eggs indicates that a gas line was just hit. Now what should an company…Emergency responders can usually get there excavator do? faster and they carry more authority when it comes to The number one goal is the protection evacuating people and securing the area. of life and property. That includes the excavating crew as well as the utility Move carefully and and evacuate others in the area. Once and the general public. That is a lot of everyone is evacuated, limit entry into the protecting. Based on the lessons learned cautiously to safety area of the blowing leak. How far is a safe from a number of natural gas excavation Jerry Gann, Manager of Operations distance? Gann says, “It will vary with incidents, the National Transportation Compliance for CenterPoint Energy, says the size and type of the pipeline leak, but Safety Board (NTSB) recommends calling to call 911 and the pipeline operator, if imagine if there was a burning building 911 immediately when a gas line gets hit you know who they are, and report the next to the leak, ask yourself how far away and leaks. Then call the gas company. leak. Provide helpful information such as should I be from the burning structure and Many states now require a call to 911. describing the intensity of the leak and that should get you a safe distance away.” Even if the pipe does not appear to be how it was damaged. For natural gas One caveat to that would be a liquids type damaged, or no gas seems to be leaking, the sound levels of the leak may give a of pipeline leak. You would want to be it needs to be professionally inspected by clue as to the size of the leak. A natural away from any vapor clouds or pooling utility crews before excavation is filled gas leak trapped underground can be a liquids on the ground. back in. Even a minor scrape to a pipeline serious issue since the natural gas will If the gas line was pulled up, but not could cause major safety problems in the take the path of least resistance and broken at the hit, the excavator should ask future. travel to unexpected places. So do not himself where the slack came from. The The NTSB points out Emergency backfill boring holes if the line was hit by odds are that the line broke somewhere responders can usually get there faster a boring machine. Once the gas is venting and it is leaking at that location. The break than utility crews and they carry more freely into the air, it is lighter than air and may be obvious by noise and blowing dirt, authority when it comes to evacuating will travel upwards, and you only have to but not always. If the line was a service people and securing the area. keep ignition sources away. line, the leak may be at or inside a In this same time frame, preventing One of the first questions the excavator building some distance away. Even if the ignition of the blowing gas is critical. Gas has to consider is where to evacuate to break was outside the building, gas may utilities and other authorities recommend and how far away should I be from the still be migrating into the building, making shutting off or extinguishing any source of leak. Gann says the excavator should prompt evacuation critical. ignition, including equipment and vehicles, move immediately communication equipment including cell to a safe location, phones, cigarettes and/or open flames.. preferably upwind
An example of why 911 should be called for a gas line hit: the earth anchor was screwed into a gas main. Gas is leaking, but earth prevents it from venting freely into the air. How far, how fast, and in what direction will it migrate underground? Should buildings be evacuated? Is it riskier to dig around the anchor to vent the gas and risk ignition by static spark or some other source of ignition or wait until the gas can be shut off and risk blowing up a building while waiting? Should excavators make that kind of decision? Two years after this photo, an earth anchor in St. Cloud, MN hit a gas line. 911 was not immediately called. 39 minutes after the hit, the explosion killed 4, injured a dozen, and destroyed 6 buildings.
36 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. What to do in the event of underground damage
By Walt Kelly, Damage Prevention Consultant
OOPS! While using the backhoe to expose the gas main so it could be “squeezed-off,” the operator ripped open the plastic gas pipe. Note the yellow switch box and electric conduit on the utility pole. It feeds electricity to the flashing red lights on the silver pole behind the fireman. That line was not exposed prior to using the backhoe next to it.
The number one goal is the protection of life and property…the excavating crew as well as the utility and the general public
To get a more complete understanding No such thing as What should an excavator do if there of the seriousness of this issue, read is only the slightest damage to a gas some of the NTSB reports at http://www. minor damage pipeline? Jarnecke says: “Any time pipe ntsb.gov/investigations/reports_pipeline. What if the damaged line is exposed and is dented, or the wrap is scraped call the html, especially incidents in St. Paul there is a leak? Should the excavator try local natural gas provider. They will need and St. Cloud, MN and Allentown, PA. In to stop the gas flow? “Do not attempt to to inspect the pipe before it is buried or these three incidents, the time between repair the leak. Allow the gas to vent into covered with fill. Even if the pipe is just damage and explosion ranged from 13 to the atmosphere”, says Dennis Jarnecke, nicked or bent, leave it exposed so the 39 minutes. A total of eight people died, Program Manager at the Gas Technology local natural gas provider can inspect it 89 were injured, and damages were in the Institute says. “Static electricity in the and make any necessary repairs. Care millions. All three involved service lines. pipe or in your clothes can be a source should be taken to avoid breaking the of ignition. An accumulation of static small wires located on or near natural gas electricity can cause a spark and ignite pipelines. Companies with buried pipelines the gas. During blowing gas situations use different types of wires, some are for charges can build up on the inside and locating plastic pipelines and others are outside of the polyethylene (PE) pipe. necessary to monitor steel pipelines for This is due to the high flow of natural proper protection from corrosion. If the gas inside the pipe during a blowing wire is broken, call the local companies gas situation. Incidents have occurred so repairs can be made to damaged where the static charge in the PE pipe has facilities.” discharged through the pipe wall in order to get to ground. Other incidents have occurred when a static spark has been created when two objects are brought DIGGING in close proximity to each other creating DEEPER! a spark in the area of the blowing gas, similar to when a static spark is created About the Author in the winter when a person reaches out WALT KELLY is a consultant in to open a car door.“ underground facility damage prevention and serves as an expert witness in damage lawsuits. He can The gas main after being hit by the backhoe. The be reached at [email protected] or gas main needed two repairs that day – one for at 507.454.5147. the auger hit and one for the backhoe hit.
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 37 W HEN THINGS GO WRONG
Cross Bores: Ticking Time Bombs?
t is obvious to most that opera- likely to see any immediate results if from inside the house the gas flows into the I tions near energized lines can be a cross bore results at either loca- house, then an explosion and fire results. A hazardous to installer safety. But the post tion. These intersections are not a water pilot light or switch is all that is needed to installation results can be even more line that will show itself by water boiling set it off. Job not so well done! hazardous to the general public health and to the surface or a communication line that This is exactly the scenario of a February, operations personnel. The importance of results in a phone that does not work. So the 2010 explosion in Minnesota and of many avoiding the creation of cross bores during installation is left and the project completed others previously. The first record of a construction is a safety issue that has been without the knowledge of damage and that cross bore investigation was conducted by recognized. a cross bore was created. Job well done? the National Transportation Safety Board The highest likelihood of creating cross Not hardly. (NTSB) of a Wisconsin cross bore explosion bores is during trenchless construction in 1976. There two people died and four because visual observation is not pos-sible. Worsening with time were injured. Trenchless construction tools include HDD, The problem is that over the years the Once created, such a cross bore is a plows and percussion moles. sewer line can back up to the house, “ticking time bomb”. It does not melt Most utility installers are focused on one perhaps because the gas line ob- away. It will only be eliminated by finding it or two types of utilities. Specialization is structs flow or roots get in the sewer. through a sewer cleaner’s cutter or by other appropriate. Fiber optic installers may not Then the home owner rents a root methods, usually cctv inspections. This be experts at water lines. Gas installers may cutting machine or calls a sewer drain could have been your home, your families’ not be familiar with sewer lines. To avoid cleaning company. There are thousands home or a friends’ home. Don’t think it is damage, knowledge of other types of utilities of companies that do this; my phone just someone else’s problem and that the becomes important. Sure, we need to know directory has 44 sewer cleaner companies. likelihood is remote. I have two friends that the location of other utilities, but we need to What happens next often includes the use have had cross bores at their homes. In one know the consequences as well. of a rotating cutter designed to cut roots – it case the directional drilling operator “felt” It is essential to take appropriate actions works well on cutting plastic gas lines, too. something (going through a clay sewer) to locate and avoid existing installations. If you have put a gas line in the sewer, the and the other owner required an inspection Errors in planning, mislo-cated utilities, cutter will cut the line, the sewer line gets before the drain cleaner started cutting. He improper construction and proximity effects pressurized. If the access has been made was knowledgeable of the cross bore risks. of new construction can lead to damage to existing utilities and struc-tures. This can be expensive and wasteful. We can learn from sharing of experiences. One way is through trade journals like this. I hope that the following can bring a bit of knowledge and food for thought. Consider a Class 1 cross bore (Figure 1). This is an illustration of a new re- FIGURE 2: Cross bore, gas in sewer placement gas line focusing on the potential damages to an existing sewer install- ation. Note that there are two crossings, one of the sewer lateral by the main gas line and one of the sewer lateral by the gas lateral. A trenchless installation operator is un- FIGURE 1: Class 1 Cross Bore FIGURE 3: Existing sewers
38 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org What to do in the event of underground damage
By Mark Bruce, President, Cross Bore Safety Association
But, I know that it is normal to have a bit of …the rate of cross bores discovered by legacy inspection reaction when new requirements are put on projects of old trenchless gas distribution installations in high our traditional way of doing things. We often need to be pulled and pushed into change risk areas is between two to three cross bores per mile…live kicking and screaming. cross bores have been found at a school and a hospital. Let me share some reasons why you should be in favor of cross bore safety: Most are not. utilities and their installers may be 1. You and your coworkers may save at a disadvantage, but it does not yourselves from injury or death. In fact the rate of cross bores discovered by minimize the necessity of maintaining 2. You may prevent death to unsuspecting legacy inspection projects of old trenchless pipeline integrity requirements. residents including you, your family or gas distribution installations in high risk your friends. areas is between 2 to 3 cross bores per mile. By the way, live gas cross bores have been A case in action 3. It may allow the industry to continue to found at a school and at a hospital. Today’s best techniques insure that no use trenchless installation techniques. new sewer cross bores are created (Some cities have put moratoriums on We can do better during new construction. Quick action by trenchless). Minnesota Office of Fire Marshall and now that we know 4. A level playing field is created where all Pipeline Safety following explosions on May companies have the same requirements. the risks and the 10, 2010 required mandatory cross bore The installers that use safe methods will (1) problem prevention efforts . These are minimum not have their efforts undercut by those requirements for new construction. They that cut costs by using less safe methods. Some progressive contractors have been have flexibility and offer an approval process 5. At least one utility study has found that advocating cross bore safety since the late of innovative techniques. Every contractor cross bore prevention has been evaluated 1990’s. They have been involved in cross should take note. The requirements will at lower cost than by con-tinuing old bore explosions and seen the destruction help lower risk and keep your company’s methods. first hand. They have felt that things should operations safer and at lower risk. and could be changed from within the Legacy inspections have been per- 6. It is morally right. industry. Their efforts have been heard. formed for nearly 10 years by some Those that have looked at this issue, Advantages of cross bore elimination progressive gas utilities. The realizations whether contractor, utility or regulator include: of potential catastrophic results of cross have found that cross bore prevention 1. Preservation of a company’s bores have led to several inspection pro- is effective, financially prudent and reputation. grams in service areas that are high risk. appropriate. Participating with your 2. Action now rather than waiting High risk would include where trench- experience and knowledge will make for for bad news. less technology was used to install gas a more balanced solution to eliminate 3. The cost effectiveness of prevention. distribution lines and where sanitary sewers cross bores. For more information go to 4. The morally right actions are taken. are in potential proximity to those lines. If it www.crossboresafety.org. Sure, many times the sewers are not lo- could be determined, for in-stance, that all cated by the operator or at least not timely. homes had septic systems exiting the rear of Some states exclude gravity sewers from the structures and all gas lines were at the the requirements of locating altogether. front, it may not be a high risk area. Depths are almost universally not given. One of the first thoughts may be “I didn’t Since depths are required for avoiding know.” Fair enough. Let’s work together to cross bores, prelocating, including depth, find the best solutions and share those ideas must often be done anyway. Gas with others in the industry.
DIGGING Author’s Footnote DEEPER! (1) For more information about the actions taken in Minnesota, visit www.dps. state.mn.us/pipeline/pdf/Advisory/0510201AlertNotice.pdf About the Author Mark Bruce is president of the Cross Bore Safety Association (CBSA) and a past chair of the North American Society for Trenchless Technology.
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 39 W HEN THINGS GO WRONG
Safe Excavation Near Pipelines Can Save You $50,000 By Joe Schippers, Two Rivers Pipeline Construction, [email protected]
ccording to the Common Ground AAlliance’s annual DIRT Report, the Take full advantage of current technologies to ensure the leading root cause of damages to buried pipe and its coating are not damaged during exposure. pipelines is “Excavation Practices Not Even minor scratches can lead to major problems in Sufficient.” 63.9% of these damages the future, so any contact needs to be reported… are caused by backhoes or trenchers. When a pipeline is being crossed there are extra precautions that can be vacuum excavation can effectively Safety Wrap is a temporary pipe wrap taken to ensure you don’t add to those and safely help you lay eyes on the that installs in just minutes and can statistics. pipe. Take full advantage of current prevent both minor incidents or a major Step towards safety technologies to ensure the pipe and breach. A cut-out repair to a pipeline The first step is to call the local One its coating are not damaged during costs upwards of $50,000, and you Call center. In the U.S. you can simply exposure. Even minor scratches can can’t put a dollar figure on the safety of call 811 to notify all utilities in the area, lead to major problems in the future, so your workers. Low visibility can lead to but your responsibility does not end any contact needs to be reported to the problems, any operator can have a bad there. Search the area for the existence pipeline operator. day, and accidents happen on the job. of a pipeline. Look in all directions for A highly visible, and incredibly durable, pipeline warning signs by walking the The safety solution? protective wrap for the pipe provides perimeter 50 to 100 feet from the dig Wrap it up! that extra level of safety. site. Look for meter stations, valve A great deal of care is taken exposing At Two Rivers Pipeline Construc- stations, casing vents, or any above pipeline, but statistics show that once tion we know how important it is to ground evidence of a pipeline, and talk the pipeline has been exposed it is at go the extra mile for safety. With over to local landowners. After all facilities its most vulnerable. Of the damages 50 years of experience, Tommy Cronk have been located and marked, the caused during excavation, 39% of Two Rivers makes safety our daily excavator needs to set up an on-site are caused by a failure to maintain focus on the job. Not only is safety meeting with the pipeline operator. clearance. The technology exists, that good business, but as Tommy like to At this meeting, detailed maps and would greatly reduce the number of say “everyone deserves to go home at plans should be exchanged, and the these damages or their severity while night”. That goal can be accomplished controlled area needs to be set. Once increasing safety. Using a product like by following all OSHA guidelines for the project reaches the control area, Safety Wrap can eliminate small dings benching and shoring, thorough com- the pipeline operator should be present and scrapes caused by minor, incidental munication with the pipeline operator, during excavation. contact with the pipe that would require and taking full advantage of all the new Physically locating the facility needs costly repairs and downtime. technologies available. to be the next step. Hand tools and
Safety Wrap at work
40 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. On Common Ground: Pipeline and By Ron Miller, Forestry Industries Must Work Together Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company
s the U.S. oil and natural gas Perpendicular crossings will be designed Apipeline infrastructure continues to Many pipeline companies and bridge maintenance and ROW re- grow, so too does the forestry industry. storation will be specified. Established It is inevitable that at the crossroads require a Logging in the planning phase of the work this of this expansion there exists a high Encroachment Agreement… agreement ensures pipeline integrity and probability that the industries will cover[ing] all aspects of work, cost minimization. experience interaction, resulting in more encroachments and the potential for including limits on skidding Ounce of prevention, facility damages. Damage Prevention and the prohibition of not a pound of cure is not always a high priority when working in parallel to production schedules are established Pipeline operators usually conduct and often times get trumped during the the pipeline ROW. continuing surveillance and often identify project planning stage. unauthorized activity on the pipeline heavy equipment and/or creating staging easements. Finding unauthorized en- Overground industry area within an easement can damage croachment activity will often result in a an underground pipeline by providing costly investigation and pipeline integrity meets underground overburden stress, causing stone and inspections at a substantial cost to the infrastructure rock onto the pipe causing dents or offending company. Pipelines reside primarily underground coating damage and removing pipeline Cooperative relations between the and the logging industry works primarily cover or destroying natural vegetation pipeline and logging industries can be above ground and the buried pipelines. promoting soil erosion. Damage to the fostered by reaching out with education Heavy equipment on the surface harvest pipeline may not manifest itself until and prevention programs. Events the trees and transportation equipment years into the future as a result of the such as Logging Association festivals, move product from the forest to the harmful stress or coating damage contractor damage prevention seminars, roadways. Crossing pipeline ROW’s with causing pipeline corrosion. Most pipeline and other dig safety events are valuable failures are the networking opportunities. Take advan- result of such third tage of these opportunities to build party damage and working relationships with those whom can be catastrophic you are sharing common ground. in the worst case scenario. Many pipeline companies require a Logging Encroach- ment Agreement be- DIGGING fore logging activi- DEEPER! ties are permitted. The formal agree- Explore Online ment covers all For more information about the forestry industry, visit http://forestindustry.com/ aspects of work, including limits on About the Author skidding and the RONALD F. MILLER, in addition to his responsibilities as an Area Manager for prohibition of wor- Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, is king in parallel to the a member of the Society of Petroleum pipeline ROW. Engineers. He can be reached by phone at 716.378.1840 or via email at [email protected].
Designed crossing (inset), properly used
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 41 R ESOURCE DIRECTORY (1) PROJECT OWNER EXCAVATOR DESIGNER
Common Ground Alliance FACILITY OWNER ONE CALL LOCATOR Excavation Best Practices 8.0 CENTER 5-1: One-call Facility Locate Request 5-10: Locate Verification Practice Statement: The excavator requests the location of underground Practice Statement: Prior to excavation, excavators verify they are at facilities at each site by notifying the facility owner/operator through the the correct location and verify locate markings and, to the best of their one call center. Unless otherwise specified in state/provincial law, the ability, check for unmarked facilities. excavator calls the one call center at least two working days and no more than ten working days prior to beginning excavation. 5-11: Documentation Of Marks 5-2: White Lining Practice Statement: An excavator uses dated pictures, videos, or sketches with distance from markings to fixed objects recorded, to Practice Statement: When the excavation site can not be clearly and document the actual placement of markings. adequately identified on the locate ticket, the excavator designates the route and/or area to be excavated using white pre-marking prior to the arrival of the locator. 5-12: Work Site Review With Company Personnel 5-3: Locate Reference Number Practice Statement: Prior to starting work, the excavator reviews the location of underground facilities with site personnel. Practice Statement: The excavator receives and maintains a reference number from the one call center that verifies the locate was requested. 5-13: One call Reference Number At Site Practice Statement: The excavator’s designated competent person at each job site has the one call ticket number. 5-4: Pre-excavation Meeting 5-14: Contact Names And Numbers Practice Statement: When practical, the excavator requests a meeting with the facility locator at the job site prior to the actual marking of facility Practice Statement: The excavator’s designated competent person at locations. Such pre-job meetings are important for major, or unusual, each job site has access to the names and phone numbers of all facility excavations. owner/operator contacts and the one call center. 5-15: Facility Avoidance 5-5: Facility Relocations Practice Statement: The excavator uses reasonable care to avoid Practice Statement: The excavator coordinates work which requires damaging underground facilities. The excavator plans the excavation temporary or permanent interruption of a facility owner/operator’s so as to avoid damage or minimize interference with the underground service with the affected facility owner/operator in all cases. facilities in or near the work area.
5-16: Federal And State Regulations 5-6: Separate Locate Requests Practice Statement: The excavator adheres to all applicable federal and Practice Statement: Every excavator on the job has a separate one call state/provincial safety regulations, which includes training as it relates reference number before excavating. to the protection of underground facilities.
5-7: One Call Access (24/7) 5-17: Marking Preservation Practice Statement: The excavator has access to a one call center 24 Practice Statement: The excavator protects and preserves the staking, hours per day, 7 days a week. marking, or other designations for underground facilities until no longer required for proper and safe exca-vation. The excavator stops excavating and notifies the one call center for re-marks if any facility 5-8: Positive Response mark is removed or no longer visible. Practice Statement: The excavator is notified by the underground facility owner/operator of the tolerance zone of the underground facility 5-18: Excavation Observer by marking, flagging, or other acceptable methods at the work site, Practice Statement: The excavator has an observer to assist the equip- or is notified that a no conflict situation exists. This takes place after ment operator when operating excavation equipment around known notification from the one call center to the underground facility owner/ underground facilities. operator and within the time specified by state/provincial law. 5 -19: Excavation Tolerance Zone 5-9: Facility Owner/operator Failure To Respond Practice Statement: The excavator observes a tolerance zone which is Practice Statement: If the facility owner/operator fails to respond to the comprised of the width of the facility plus 18” on either side of the outside excavator’s timely request for a locate (e.g., within the time specified by edge of the underground facility on a horizontal plane. This practice is state/provincial requirements) or if the facility owner/operator notifies the not intended to preempt any existing state/provincial requirements that excavator that the underground facility cannot be marked within the time currently specify more than 18”. frame and a mutually agreeable date for marking cannot be arrived at, (1) Starting with Version 5.0, the CGA uses icons to assist readers in identifying the excavator re-calls the one call center. However, this does not preclude the practices that pertain to their specific industry/stakeholder group. the excavator from going on with the project. The excavator may proceed with excavation at the end of two working days, unless otherwise specified in state/provincial law, provided the excavator exercises due care in his endeavors.
42 For complete listing of Common Ground Alliance Best Practices, visit CommonGroundAlliance.com Common Ground Alliance Excavation Best Practices 8.0 5-20: Excavation Within Tolerance Zone 5-27: Backfilling Practice Statement: When excavation is to take place within the specified Practice Statement: The excavator protects all facilities from damage tolerance zone, the excavator exercises such reasonable care as may when backfilling an excavation. Trash, debris, coiled wire, or other be necessary for the protection of any underground facility in or near material that could damage existing facilities or interfere with the the excavation area. Methods to consider, based on certain climate or accuracy of future locates are not to be buried in the excavation. geographical conditions, include: hand digging when practical (pot holing), soft digging, vacuum excavation methods, pneumatic hand tools, other 5-28: As-built Documentation mechanical methods with the approval of the facility owner/operator, or Practice Statement: Contractors installing underground faci-lities notify other technical methods that may be developed. Hand digging and non- the facility owner/operator if the actual placement is different from invasive methods are not required for pavement removal. expected placement. 5-21: Mis-marked Facilities 5-29: Trenchless Excavation (5) Practice Statement: The excavator notifies the facility owner/operator Practice Statement: All stakeholders adhere to all Best directly or through the one call center if an underground facility is not Practices and the following general guidelines prior to, found where one has been marked or if an unmarked underground during and after any trenchless excavation (as applicable): facility is found. Following this notification, the excavator may continue • The excavator requests the location of underground facilities at the work if the excavation can be performed without damaging the facility, entrance pit, trenchless excavation path, and the exit pit by notifying the unless specified otherwise in state/provincial law. facility owner/operator through the one call center. • The trenchless equipment operator performs a site inspection walking 5-22: Exposed Facility Protection the trenchless excavation path prior to commencing work and has a Practice Statement: Excavators support and protect exposed good understanding of the job. underground facilities from damage. • The trenchless excavation operator confirms and maintains the path and minimum clearances established by the project 5-23: Locate Request Updates owner and design engineer by tracking and recording the path of the trenchless excavation until complete. Means of tracking Practice Statement: The excavator calls the one call center to refresh the trenchless excavations include: electronic locating/guidance de- ticket when excavation continues past the life of the ticket (sometimes, vices, pipe lasers, water levels, visual inspection, etc. but not always, defined by state/provincial law). This recognizes that it • When existing facilities are known to be present but cannot be potholed is a best practice to define ticket life. If not currently defined in state/ due to local conditions the facility owner and the excavator meet to discuss provincial law, ticket life would best be 10 working days but not to how to safely proceed with the excavation. exceed 20 working days. • Stop the trenchless excavation operations if an abnormal con- Original locate request tickets are generated so that the minimum dition, unknown substructure or other hidden hazard is encoun-tered. number of locate request updates are necessary for the duration of a Proceed safely only after positive identification has been made. (Additional project. Locate request updates are not generated after all the excavation Information: Refer to practices 2-13 & 4-19) covered by a locate request is completed. Communication between excavation project planners, field personnel, and clerical personnel is Emergency Coordination with Adjacent 5-30: essential in accomplishing this task. (2) Facilities (6) 5-24: Facility Damage Notification Practice Statement: Emergency response planning includes coordination with emergency responders and other above and/or Practice Statement: The excavator calls the one call center to refresh the underground infrastructure facility owner/operators identified by the ticket when excavation continues past the life of the ticket (sometimes, Incident Commander through the Incident Command System/Unified but not always, defined by state/provincial law). This recognizes that it Command (ICS/UC) during an emergency. is a best practice to define ticket life. If not currently defined in state/ provincial law, ticket life would best be 10 working days but not to exceed 20 working days. No Charge for Providing Underground Facility 5-31: 5-25: Notification Of Emergency Personnel Locations (7) Practice Statement: If the damage results in the escape of any Practice Statement: Upon notification by one call centers, locations flammable, toxic, or corrosive gas or liquid or endangers life, health, of underground facilities are provided by operators at no cost to or property, the excavator responsible immediately notifies 911 and the excavators. facility owner/operator.(3) The excavator takes reasonable measures to protect themselves and those in immediate danger, general public, (8) property, and the environment until the facility owner operator or 5-32: Vacuum Excavation (4) emergency responders have arrived and completed their assessment. Practice Statement: Vacuum excavation, when used appropriately, is an efficient, safe and effective alternative to hand digging within the 5-26: Emergency Excavation designated underground facility tolerance zone. Use of equipment must also follow State/Provinical Laws and/or Local Ordinances. Practice Statement: In the case of an emergency excavation, excavator notifies the one call center and facility owner/operator as soonas (5) TR-2002-03: Amendment Approved by CGA Board on September 16, 2005 reasonably possible. This includes situations that involve danger to (6) TR-2005-02: Amendment Approved by CGA Board on September 8, 2006 life, health or property, or that require immediate correction in order (7) TR-2007-06: Amendment Approved by CGA Board on August 8, 2008 to continue the operation of or to assure the continuity of public utility (8) TR-2009-09: Amendment Approved by CGA Board on September 10, 2010 service or public transportation.
(2) TR-2009-16: Amendment Approved by CGA Board on July 16, 2010 (3) TR-2001-02A: Amendment Approved by CGA Board on November 30, 2001 (4) TR-2001-02B: Amendment Approved by CGA Board on September 27, 2002 43 R ESOURCE DIRECTORY
notifications One-Call and State Law Directory TICKETS State Laws & Provisions exemptions accepted The following is presented for informational purposes only. One-call center information and laws are subject to change. Please consult the one-call center website for current information. Infrastructure Resources, LLC attempted to verify all information for accuracy as of the date of this publication, but is not responsible for incorrect or missing information. You can reach your local one-call center in the United States by dialing 811. Tolerance Zone Tolerance Emergency Overhead FAX Tickets Available Tickets FAX Tickets Online Coverage Statewide Civil Penalties Clause Emergency Mandatory Membership Excavator Issued Permits Mandatory Premarks Response Positive Hand Dig Clause Damage Reporting DOT Homeowner Railroad Agriculture Depth Damage Design ALABAMA Alabama 811 800-292-8525 • www.al811.com N YYYY NNN YYYYYYY 12” YYY N 18” Hours: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-F (1) Advance Notice: 2 working days Marks Valid: 14 calendar days Law Link: www.al1call.com/state_law.html ALASKA Alaska digline, inc. 800-478-3121 • 907-278-3121 YYYYY NNNN Y NNNNNN YYY N 24” www.akonecall.com / Hours: M-F: 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM, May - Aug(2) Advance Notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 14 days Law Link: www.akonecall.com/faq.htm FAX: 907-278-0696 ARIZONA Arizona Blue Stake, Inc. 800-782-5348 or 602-263-1100 • www.azbluestake.com N YYYYY NN YY NNNN Y NN YY N 24” Hours: 6:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-F Advance Notice: 2 full working days(3) Marks Valid: 15 working days (1) Law Link: http://www.azbluestake.com/pdfs/40-360.pdf ARKANSAS Arkansas One-Call System, Inc. 800-482-8998 • www.arkonecall.com YYYYYY N YYY N Y NNNN YYY N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 2 to 10 working days Marks Valid: 20 working days Law Link: www.arkonecall.com/statelaw/statelaw.html FAX: 501-328-2522 CALIFORNIA Underground Service Alert North 800-227-2600 • www.usanorth.org N Y N YYYYYYY N YY NNN Y N Y N 24” Hours: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM , M-F Advance Notice: 2 working days up to 14 calendar days Marks Valid: 28 days Law Link: www.usanorth.org/USANmarking.html Underground Service Alert Southern California 800-227-2600 • www.digalert.org / Hours: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM (PST), M-F N Y N YYYYYYY N YY NNN Y N Y N 24” Advance Notice: 2 working days up to 14 calendar days Marks Valid: 28 days Law Link: www.digalert.org/statelaw.asp
COLORADO COLORADO 811 800-922-1987 • www.co811.org N YYYYY NN Y N YY N YY N YYY N 18” Hours: 24 hours (6) Advance Notice: 2 days, not to include the day of notice Marks Valid: 30 days Law Link:www.uncc2.org/web/pdf/colorado_one_call_law.pdf CONNECTICUT Call Before You Dig 800-922-4455 • www.cbyd.com N YYYYY N YYYY NNN Y N YYY N 18” Hours: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-F; Emergencies 24 Hours Advance Notice: 2 full working days(3) up to 30 calendar days Marks Valid: 30 days / Law Link: www.cbyd.com/education_excavator.html DELAWARE Miss Utility of Delmarva www.missutilitydelmarva.com YYYYYY NN YY NN Y NNNN YY N (5) 800-282-8555 (DE) • 800-441-8355 (Eastern Shore MD) / Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 2 full business days (for both DE and Eastern Shore MD) Marks Valid: See below(4) / Law Link: www.delcode.gov/title26/c008/index.html FAX: 410-712-0062 FLORIDA Sunshine State One-Call of Florida, Inc. N YYYYY N YYY N YYYYY N YY N 24” 800-432-4770 • www.callsunshine.com / Hours: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM (EST), M-F Advance Notice: 2 full business days (10 if dig site is underwater) Marks Valid: 30 days Law Link: www.callsunshine.com
(1) the depth of 12” is the exemption for Agricultural purpose less than this depth (4) 10 working days for DE; 12 business days in Eastern Shore MD (2) 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Sept - April (5) 24” for DE; 18” in Eastern Shore MD (3) excludes weekends and state-recognized holidays (6) Non-mechanized dig area is 18’ from exterior sides of facility
44 R
notifications One-Call and State Law Directory TICKETS State Laws & Provisions exemptions accepted Help us stay up to date This One-Call Directory is also availabe online at ExcavationSafetyOnline.com. Please help us keep the online directory current by reporting any changes to this information by calling 866-279-7755.
You can also reach your local one-call center in the United States by dialing 811. Tolerance Zone Tolerance Emergency Overhead FAX Tickets Available Tickets FAX Tickets Online Coverage Statewide Civil Penalties Clause Emergency Mandatory Membership Excavator Issued Permits Mandatory Premarks Response Positive Hand Dig Clause Damage Reporting DOT Homeowner Railroad Agriculture Depth Damage Design GEORGIA GEORGIA 811 800-282-7411 • www.Georgia811.com N YYYYY N YYYYYYYY N YYYY 24” Hours: 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM, M-F • (24/7 emergency) Advance Notice: 48 hours1) Marks Valid: 21 calendar days Law Link: http://www.georgia811.com/lawspolicies.aspx HAWAII Hawaii One Call Center 866-423-7287 • www.callbeforeyoudig.org YYYYYY N YYY NN Y NNN YYY N 30” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 5 working days(2) Marks Valid: 28 calendar days Law Link: www.CallBeforeYouDig.org/law.htm FAX: 877-695-2466 IDAHO Dig Line 800-342-1585 • www.digline.com YY N YYY N Y N Y NN 15” N Y 15” YYYY 24” Hours: 24 hours Advance Notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 3 weeks Law Link: www.3.state.id.us/idstat/TOC/55022KTOC.html FAX: 208-342-8907 Bonner/Boundry One-Call 800-626-4950 • www.passwordinc.com Hours: 24 hours YY N YYY N Y N Y NN 15” N Y 15” YYYY 24” Advance Notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 3 weeks Law Link: www.password.com/dt_laws.html FAX: 208-769-2805 Shoshone/Benewah One-Call 800-398-3285 • www.passwordinc.com Hours: 24 hours YY N YYY N Y N Y NN 15” N Y 15” YYYY 24” Advance Notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 3 weeks Law Link: www.password.com/dt_laws.html FAX: 208-769-2805 Kootenai County One-Call 800-428-4950 • www.passwordinc.com Hours: 24 hours YY N YYY N Y N Y NN 15” N Y 15” YYYY 24” Advance Notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 3 weeks Law Link: www.password.com/dt_laws.html FAX: 208-769-2805 ILLINOIS JULIE, Inc. 800-892-0123 • www.illinois1call.com YY N YYY NN YYYY N YYYYYY N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 2 working days minimum(3) Marks Valid: 28 calendar days Law Link: www.illinois1call.com/law_policies/law.htm FAX: 800-292-0222 Chicago Digger 312-744-7000 • www.cityofchicago.org/transportation Hours: 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM YY N YY N YYYYY NNN Y N Y N Y N 18” Advance Notice: 48 hours Marks Valid: 28 days Law Link: www.illinois1call.com/law_policies/law.htm FAX: 312-742-0950 INDIANA Indiana 811 800-382-5544 • www.indiana811.org N YYYYY NN YY NNN YY N YYY N 24” Hours: 24 hours, 365 days Advance Notice: 2 full working days (3) Marks Valid: 20 calendar days Law Link: www.indiana811.org/law.php IOWA Iowa One-Call 800-292-8989 • www.iowaonecall.com N YYYYY NN YY NNNNN 15” YYY N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days (5) Advance Notice: Two working days Marks Valid: No expiration(4) Law Link: www.iowaonecall.com/Default.aspx?tabid=404#iowa
(1) excluding the day called in (4) Markings will be done in a manner that will last for a minimum of five working days (2) but not more than 28 calendar days on any non-permanent surface, or a minimum of ten working days on any permanent (3) 48 hours notice (two working days), but no more than a 14 calendar day surface. If the excavation will continue for a longer period of time, the excavator may advance notice prior to the start of excavation contact the Iowa One Call Center to have the lines re-marked. (5) Agriculture ONLY
45 R ESOURCE DIRECTORY
notifications Know what’s below. TICKETS State Laws & Provisions exemptions accepted Call before you dig. In addition to your local one-call center’s individual phone number(s), you can also reach your local center by dialing 811 anywhere in the United States. You can help expand public awareness by visiting www.call811.com. You’ll find a wealth of downloadable tools for use in your company’s or organization’s promotional materials. Tolerance Zone Tolerance Emergency Overhead FAX Tickets Available Tickets FAX Tickets Online Coverage Statewide Civil Penalties Clause Emergency Mandatory Membership Excavator Issued Permits Mandatory Premarks Response Positive Hand Dig Clause Damage Reporting DOT Homeowner Railroad Agriculture Depth Damage Design KANSAS Kansas One-Call System, Inc. 800-344-7233 • www.kansasonecall.com N YYYYY NN Y NNNNN Y NN YY N 24” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 2 full working days(1) Marks Valid: 15 calendar days Law Link: www.kansasonecall.com/static/pdf/KUUPDA_04.03.2010.pdf KENTUCKY Kentucky 811 800-752-6007 • www.kentucky811.org N YYYY NNN YY N Y N YY N YYY N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 365 days Advance Notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 21 days Law Link: www.kentucky811.org/law.asp LOUISIANA Louisiana One Call 800-272-3020 or 811 • www.laonecall.com YYYYYY NN YY NN Y NNNN YY N 18” Hours: 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM Advance Notice: 48 to 120 hours Marks Valid: 10 calendar days Law Link: www.laonecall.com/law_frame_page.htm FAX: 225-272-2770 MAINE Dig Safe 888-344-7233 • www.digsafe.com N YYYYYYYYYY NNN Y N Y N Y N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 72 hours(2) Marks Valid: 60 days Law Link: www.digsafe.com/laws_statelaws.htm MARYLAND Miss Utility Call Center 800-257-7777 • www.missutility.net YYYYYY NN YY NNNNNNN YY N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 2 full business days Marks Valid: 12 business days Law Link: www.missutility.net/maryland/mdstatelaw.asp FAX: 410-712-0062 MASSACHUSETTS Dig Safe 888-344-7233 • www.digsafe.com N YYYYYYY N YY NNN Y N Y N Y N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 72 hours(2) Marks Valid: 30 days from ticket date Law Link: www.digsafe.com/laws_statelaws.htm MICHIGAN MISS DIG System, Inc. 800-482-7171 • www.missdig.org N YY N YY NN YY N Y NNNNN YYY 18” Hours: 24 hours Advance Notice: 3 business days(2) Marks Valid: 3 weeks to 6 months Law Link: www.missdig.org/MissDig/PublicAct53.htm MINNESOTA Gopher State One-Call YYYYYYY N YY NNNNNNN YY N 24” 800-252-1166 or 651-454-0002 • www.gopherstateonecall.org Hours: 24 hours • Advance Notice: 48 hours(2) Marks Valid: 14 days Law Link: www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/statutes/?id=216D FAX: 651-454-0170 or 800-236-4697 MISSISSIPPI Mississippi 811, Inc. 800-227-6477 or 811 • www.ms811.org YYY N YY NN YYY NNN 24” 12” YYY N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 2 working days Marks Valid: 10 working days Law Link: www.ms1call.org/one-call-law FAX: 601-362-7533 MISSOURI Missouri One Call System 800-344-7483 • www.mo1call.com YYYYYY NN Y N Y NN YY N YYY N 24” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 2 working days Marks Valid: As long as visible Law Link: www.mo1call.com/manual_law.php FAX: 800-217-3717
(1) not including the day the notice was placed (2) excludes weekends and holidays
46 notifications One-Call and State Law Directory TICKETS State Laws & Provisions exemptions accepted Help us stay up to date This One-Call Directory is also availabe online at ExcavationSafetyOnline.com. Please help us keep the online directory current by reporting any changes to this information by calling 866-279-7755.
You can also reach your local one-call center in the United States by dialing 811. Tolerance Zone Tolerance Emergency Overhead FAX Tickets Available Tickets FAX Tickets Online Coverage Statewide Civil Penalties Clause Emergency Mandatory Membership Excavator Issued Permits Mandatory Premarks Response Positive Hand Dig Clause Damage Reporting DOT Homeowner Railroad Agriculture Depth Damage Design MONTANA MONTANA 811 YY N YYY NNNNNNNNNNN YY N 18” 800-424-5555 • www.montana811.org / Hours: 24 hours, 365 days Advance Notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 30 days Law Link: http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/mca/69/4/69-4-501.htm FAX: 800-424-5555 Montana One Call Center 800-551-8344 www.montana811.com • Hours: 24 hours, 365 days YY N YYY NNNNNNNNNNN YYY 18” Advance Notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 30 days Law Link: http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca_toc/69_4_5.htm FAX: 406-752-7306 NEBRASKA Diggers Hotline of Nebraska 800-331-5666 • www.ne-diggers.com YYYYYY NN Y N YY N YY N YYY N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 365 days Advance Notice: 48 hours(1) Marks Valid: 10 days Law Link: www.ne-diggers.com/statelaw/stateordinances.aspx FAX: 402-330-5626 NEVADA Underground Service Alert North 800-227-2600 • www.usanorth.org N YYYYYYYYY N Y NNNN Y N Y N 24” Hours: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM, M-F Advance Notice: 2 working days(2) Marks Valid: 28 days Law Link: www.usanorth.org/USANmarking.html NEW HAMPSHIRE Dig Safe 888-344-7233 • www.digsafe.com N YYYYYYYYYY NNN Y N Y N Y N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 72 hours(1) Marks Valid: 30 days Law Link: www.digsafe.com/laws_statelaws.htm NEW JERSEY New Jersey One-Call 800-272-1000 • www.nj1-call.org YYYYYY NN YYY NNNNN Y N Y N 24” Hours: 24 hours Advance Notice: 3 full business days Marks Valid: 45 business days Law Link: www.nj1-call.org/ufa-law.php FAX: 800-705-4559 NEW MEXICO New Mexico One-Call, Inc. 800-321-2537 • www.nmonecall.org YYYYYY NN YYY NNNNN YYY N 18” Hours: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-F / Emergencies: 24 hours Advance Notice: 2 working days Marks Valid: 10 business days Law Link: www.nmonecall.org/law_main.htm FAX: 800-727-8809 NEW YORK Dig Safely New York 800-962-7962 • www.digsafelynewyork.com N Y N YYY NN YY NNNNNN YYY N 24” Hours: 24 hours, 365 days Advance Notice: 2 to 10 working days(3) Marks Valid: 10 working days Law Link: www.digsafelynewyork.com/res/coderule.asp DigNet of New York City/Long Island 800-272-4480 • www.dignetnycli.com / Hours: 24 hours, 7 days N Y N YYY NN YY NNNNNN YYY N 24” Advance Notice: 2 business days (3) Marks Valid: 10 working days Law Link: www.dignetnycli.com
NORTH CAROLINA North Carolina One-Call Center, Inc. 800-632-4949 • www.ncocc.org YYY N Y NNN Y N YY NN Y N YYYY 30” Hours: 24 hours, 365 days Advance Notice: 2 Full working days (1) Marks Valid: 15 working days Law Link: http://nc811.org/nclaws.htm FAX: 366-299-1914
(1) excluding weekends and state/federal holidays (2) up to 28 calendar days (3) excluding the day of the call
47 R ESOURCE DIRECTORY
notifications Know what’s below. TICKETS State Laws & Provisions exemptions accepted Call before you dig. In addition to your local one-call center’s individual phone number(s), you can also reach your local center by dialing 811 anywhere in the United States. You can help expand public awareness by visiting www.call811.com. You’ll find a wealth of downloadable tools for use in your company’s or organization’s promotional materials. Tolerance Zone Tolerance Emergency Overhead FAX Tickets Available Tickets FAX Tickets Online Coverage Statewide Civil Penalties Clause Emergency Mandatory Membership Excavator Issued Permits Mandatory Premarks Response Positive Hand Dig Clause Damage Reporting DOT Homeowner Railroad Agriculture Depth Damage Design NORTH DAKOTA North Dakota One-Call 800-795-0555 • www.ndonecall.com YYYYYY NNN Y NNNNNNNN Y N 24” Hours: 24 hours Advance Notice: 48 hours(1) Marks Valid: 10 calendar days FAX: 877-848-7479 OHIO Ohio Utilities Protection Service 800-362-2764 • www.oups.org N YY N YY NNN Y NNNN Y N YYY N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 48 hours (7) Marks Valid: As long as visible (8) Law Link: Law Link: www.oups.org/Home/TheLaw.aspx Oil and Gas Underground Protection Service 800-925-0988 • www.ogpups.org / Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-F (except holidays) Y N Y N YY NNN Y NNNNNN YY NN 18” Advance Notice: 48 hours Marks Valid: 7 days Law Link: Law Link: www.oups.org/law/Law_law.html FAX: 740-587-0446 OKLAHOMA Call Okie 800-522-6543 • www.callokie.com YYY N Y N Y N YY NNNN Y NN YY N 24” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 48 hours Marks Valid: 10 business days Law Link: www.callokie.com/information/law/default.asp FAX: 800-377-1339 OREGON Oregon Utility Notification Center YYYYYY N YYY NN 12” NNNN YY N 24” 800-332-2344 • www.digsafelyoregon.com / Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 2 days to the life of the project Marks Valid: Life of project Law Link: www.digsafelyoregon.com/faqs/ounc_ors_oar.htm FAX: 503-293-0826 PENNSYLVANIA Pennsylvania One Call System, Inc. 800-242-1776 • www.paonecall.org N YYYYYYYYYY NNN Y N YYY N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 3 to 10 business days(2) Marks Valid: (3) Law Link: www.paonecall.org/palaw RHODE ISLAND Dig Safe 888-344-7233 • www.digsafe.com N YYYYYYY N YY NNN Y N Y N Y N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 72 hours(1) Marks Valid: 60 days (exemption state contract work) Law Link: www.digsafe.com/laws_statelaws.htm SOUTH CAROLINA South Carolina 811 888-721-7877 • www.sc811.com N YYYY NNNNN YYY NNNN YY N 30” H ours: 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM, M-F • Marks Valid: 15 working days Advance Notice: Not less than 3 or more than 10 full working days Law Link: http://www.sc811.com/SCStateLaw.aspx SOUTH DAKOTA South Dakota One-Call Center 800-781-7474 • www.sdonecall.com N YYYYY NNN Y NNNN Y 18” YYY N 18” Hours: 24 hours (5) Advance Notice: 48 hours(1) Marks Valid: 21 working days(4) Law Link: www.sdonecall.com/law.asp TENNESSEE Tennessee 811 800-351-1111 • www.tnonecall.com YYYYYY N YYY NNNN Y NN YY N 24” Hours: 24 hours Marks Valid: 15 calendar days (6) Advance Notice: Not less than 3 working days, not more than 10 working days Law Link: www.tnonecall.com/index-3.html FAX: 615-366-5021
(1) excludes weekends and holidays (5) for agricultural tilling and road and ditch maintenance only; homeowners have a (2) during construction phase; 10 to 90 days, design phase 12” depth exception for tilling of soil and gardening. (3) as long as equipment is on site (6) 2’ either side of the facility plus the width of the facility (4) from start date on ticket (7) but not more than 10 working days (8) As long as marks are visible and work begins within 10 days of original ticket
48 notifications One-Call and State Law Directory TICKETS State Laws & Provisions exemptions accepted Help us stay up to date This One-Call Directory is also availabe online at ExcavationSafetyOnline.com. Please help us keep the online directory current by reporting any changes to this information by calling 866-279-7755.
You can also reach your local one-call center in the United States by dialing 811. Tolerance Zone Tolerance Emergency Overhead FAX Tickets Available Tickets FAX Tickets Online Coverage Statewide Civil Penalties Clause Emergency Mandatory Membership Excavator Issued Permits Mandatory Premarks Response Positive Hand Dig Clause Damage Reporting DOT Homeowner Railroad Agriculture Depth Damage Design TEXAS Texas 811 800-344-8377 • www.texas811.org N YYYYY NN YYYY N YY 16” YYY N (2) Hours: 24 hours Advance Notice:48 hours(1) (3) Marks Valid: 14 working days Law Link: (6) Effective September 1, 2007, excavators are subject to the requirements of Chapter 18 of the Railroad Commission of Texas. The rule requires excavators to take additional damage prevention and safety Lone Star Notification Center measures when excavating near a pipeline. An example of some of the new requirements include, but are not limited to, white lining the area to be excavated when the location of an excavation is 800-669-8344 • www.lsnconecall.com / Hours: 24 hours, 7 days N Y unclear, providing the method of positive response to the one-call center, making a second notice Advance Notice: 2 working days(1) Marks Valid: 14 working days to the one-call center if a positive response is not made or evidence of a of pipeline is present, and Law Link: www.rrc.state.tx.us/formpr/tdr.html taking additional safety measures when excavating within the tolerance zone. The rule has very limited exemptions, mandatory non-compliance reporting and enforcement of fines and penalties. All excavators should review the new rule requirements. UTAH Blue Stakes of Utah 800-662-4111 • www.bluestakes.org N YYY N Y NN YY NNNNNNNN Y N 24” Hours: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-F Marks Valid: 14 calendar days Advance Notice: 2 business days, 48 hours notice Law Link: www.le.state.ut.us/%7Ecode/TITLE54/54_08a.htm VERMONT Vermont Dig Safe 888-344-7233 • www.digsafe.com N YYYYYYY N YY NNN Y N Y N Y N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 48 hours(3) Marks Valid: 30 days Law Link: www.digsafe.com/laws_statelaws.htm VIRGINIA Virginia Utility Protection Service, Inc. N YYYYY NN YY NN YYY N YYY N 24” 800-552-7001 • www.va811.com / Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 2 working days(4) Marks Valid: 15 working days Law Link: (5) WASHINGTON UTILITY NOTIFICATION CENTER 800-424-5555 • www.washington811.com YYYYYY NNNNNNNN YY N YYY 24” Hours: 24 hours, 365 days Advance Notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: Once marked, must be kept visible Law Link: www.callbeforeyoudig.org/law.htm FAX: 503-234-7254 WASHINGTON D.C. District One Call 800-257-7777 • www.missutility.net YYYYYY NN YY NNNNNNNN Y N 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 48 hours Marks Valid: 15 business days Law Link: www.missutility.net/media/pdf/dcTitle34.pdf FAX: 301-621-1711 WEST VIRGINIA West Virginia 811 800-245-4848 • www.wv811.com YYYYY NNNNNN Y NN Y N YYY N 24” Hours: 24 hours Marks Valid: 10 days Advance Notice: 2 days but not more than 10 days Law Link: www.muwv.org/modules.php?name=WV_Law FAX: 800-217-3720 WISCONSIN Diggers Hotline 800-242-8511 • www.diggershotline.com YYYYYY NNN Y NNNNNN YYYY 18” Hours: 24 hours, 7 days Advance Notice: 3 working days Marks Valid: 1o calendar days Law Link: www.diggershotline.com/alt-wilaw.htm FAX: 800-338-3860
(1) but not more than 14 days (5) www.missutilityofvirginia.com/utiloperloc/DamagePreventionAct/tabid/361/Default.aspx (2) 18” plus half the diameter of the pipeline from the outside edge (6) Utilities Code Title 5, Chapter 251: of either side of the pipeline http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/UT/htm/UT.251.htm (3) excluding weekends and holidays Admin Code, Title 16, Chapter 18: (4) excluding the day of the call http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=4&ti=16&pt=1&ch=18&rl=Y
49 R ESOURCE DIRECTORY
notifications Know what’s below. TICKETS State Laws & Provisions exemptions accepted Call before you dig. In addition to your local one-call center’s individual phone number(s), you can also reach your local center by dialing 811 anywhere in the United States. You can help expand public awareness by visiting www.call811.com. You’ll find a wealth of downloadable tools for use in your company’s or organization’s promotional materials. Emergency Overhead Tolerance Zone Tolerance FAX Tickets Available Tickets FAX Tickets Online Coverage Statewide Civil Penalties Clause Emergency Mandatory Membership Excavator Issued Permits Mandatory Premarks Response Positive Hand Dig Clause Damage Reporting DOT Homeowner Railroad Agriculture Depth Damage Design WYOMING One-Call of Wyoming 800-849-2476 • www.onecallofwyoming.com YYYYYY NN YYY NNN Y N YYY N 24” Hours: 24 hours Advance Notice: 2 full business days Marks Valid: 14 business days Law Link: www.onecallofwyoming.com/law.htm FAX: 800-217-3719 GULFSAFE GulfSafe 888-910-4853 (GULF) • www.gulfsafe.com N Y NNNN Y NNNN Y NA NA NA NA YYY NA NA (Covers state and Federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Straits and Atlantic Coast) Hours: 24 hours Advance Notice: 7 working days Marks Valid: Not Applicable Law Link: Not Applicable
PROVINCIAL Laws notifications TICKETS & Provisions exemptions accepted
Canada One-Call Emergency Overhead Tolerance Zone Tolerance FAX Tickets Available Tickets FAX Tickets Online Coverage Statewide Civil Penalties Clause Emergency Mandatory Membership Excavator Issued Permits Mandatory Premarks Response Positive Hand Dig Clause Damage Reporting DOT Homeowner Railroad Agriculture Depth Damage Design ALBERTA Alberta One-Call Corporation 800-242-3447 • www.alberta1call.com YYY NNNNNN YY NNNN (2) YYY N 1m Hours: 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM, M-F (Emergency: 24/7) (39”) Advance Notice: 2 full working days Marks Valid: 14 days(1) FAX: 800-940-3447 BRITISH COLUMBIA BC One-Call 800-474-6886 • www.bconecall.bc.ca YYY N Y N Y N Y NNNNNNN YYY N Hours: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM Advance Notice: 3 working days excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays Marks Valid: (3) FAX: 604-451-0344 ONTARIO Ontario One-Call 800-400-2255 • www.on1call.com YYY N Y NNN YYY NNNNN YYYY Hours: 24 hours, 365 days Advance Notice: Minimum of five days for standard requests Marks Valid: 30 days FAX: 800-400-8876 QUEBEC Info-Excavation 800-663-9228 • www.info-ex.com YYY N Y N Y N YYY NNNNN YYY N Hours: 24 hours Advance Notice: 72 hours (3 working days) Marks Valid: 30 days FAX: 514-331-0791 SASKATCHEWAN Sask 1st Call 866-828-4888 • www.sask1stcall.com YYY NNNNNNNNNNNNN Y N Y N Hours: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM, M-F(4) Advance Notice: 2 full working days Marks Valid: 10 working days FAX: 866-455-5559
(1) extendable to 30 days provided certain conditions are met (3) Entire length of project as long as excavation started within 14 days of placing the request (2) 300 mm (12”) hand tools only (4) except provisional holidays
50 What’s Happening in your State
ALABAMA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ALABAMA 811 UNDERGROUND SERVICE ALERT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 800-292-8525 • www.azbluestake.com 800-227-2600 • www.digalert.org Our plans for 2011 were interrupted by Possibly the time has arrived to introduce a new a catastrophic tornado this past April phrase. It’s no longer just “call before you dig” because that completely destroyed our offices. so much is being done on the internet now. When We spent the rest of the year regrouping someone uses Twitter, they tweet. On FaceBook, and rebuilding, however it gave us a people post. Possibly when someone uses DigAlert chance to learn what we did well and Express, they can Expressit! what we need to do better. Our business DigAlert Express can speed the ticketing process along continuity plan was certainly put to the test and by all accounts we passed. and is available at your convenience – 24/7 – and no waiting on the phone for What was important to our board and to our members after we knew that all the next available representative to help you. So, submit your single address of our employees were safe, was could we continue to provide protection to locations any time, night or day…just Expressit! It’s fast and, just like all our state’s underground facilities and the answer was yes. DigAlert tickets, it’s still free. DigAlert Express can be found on the internet at We have since rebuilt and recently moved into our new complex that was www.digalert.org. As for choosing new phrases, another good one is “ticket rebuilt at the same location. first, safety always.” Alabama 811 is a member of a newly formed group called Alabama Damage Prevention Alliance. This is a group of stakeholders who are looking to find ways to bring other stakeholders to the table in an effort to strengthen our damage prevention efforts. We work with the ACTS group to publish and mail the Alabama 811 magazine to our users and members in an effort to promote working together. The consistent message in the magazine reinforces our commitment to Alabama a safer place to live and work.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA COLORADO Underground Service Alert North COLORADO 811 800-227-2600 • www.usanorth.org 800-992-1987 • www.co811.org A recent report by the Common Ground Alliance, At Colorado811, 2012 will bring has determined an underground unity line is damaged about the realization of yet more, during digging projects every three minutes nationwide. cost and time saving automation and When calling 811 in Central & Northern California and enhancements. throughout Nevada, homeowners and contractors will be In early 2012, we will deploy the new connected to USA North, the local one-call center. USA HTML5 version of Ticket Express, an North in turn notifies the appropriate owner / operators of online, self-service application where the general public may access and the underground facilities who are also members of USA North. Members who process underground facility locate requests. By second quarter, we will have been notified of your intent to dig will 1) mark or stake the horizontal path deploy additional phone switch automation to systematically deliver Tier of their facility, 2) provide information about the location of the facility, or 3) One, Tier Two and Legal Disclaimers through a Text-To-Speech engine. advise the excavator of the clearance, for the facilities that they own, operate Colorado811.org has a new foundation, framework and design, and in 2012 or maintain. many new features and improvements will be added to the site functionality. Public awareness is also an important service we provide and our Public The new site is built on the Liferay Portal technology, and this is the same Relations Department has been in high demand this year. We stayed busy technology used to buile the Damage Prevention Portal. offering free safety presentations to our members as well as contractors. The DPPortal.org is an internet/intranet site built for use by the Colorado Damage presentations are a great way to educate your employees on the California Prevention Action Team (CDPAT) as well as the entire Damage Prevention Government Code 4216 / Cal-OSHA 1541 code and the NRS 455 and NAC Council (DPC) community. With this site, DPCs will have the ability to create 455 for Nevada. Use our presentations in your required safety meetings, as and manage events, invite and track invitations and attendees and provide a refresher course for those who need to be reminded of the importance of industry related content and topics of discussion. The portal also allows Calling Before you Dig! stakeholders to issue and track non-compliance notifications. DPPortal is Our Safety presentations last approximately 90 minutes and also include online in a version one (v.1) state and is currently in the “build-up” process information on USA North background, procedures, and different ways to for both users and content. process your tickets, Emergency Contacts, and the Five Steps to a SAFE excavation. To schedule a free safety presentation, call Jamie Moreno at 925- 798-9504 x 2236 or email [email protected].
51 R ESOURCE DIRECTORY
What’s Happening in your State
FLORIDA Please follow these simple steps and you will be on your way to obtaining your locate request. SUNSHINE STATE ONE-CALL OF FLORIDA, INC. 800-432-4770 • www.callsunshine.com Step 1 - Complete the online application for the eTicket Large fines, low-impact marking require- Step 2 - Upon completion, your application will be sent to Georgia 811 ments, penalties for false emergency Step 3 - If the we have any questions you will be contacted either by phone tickets. These are just a few of the or email. changes included in legislation effective Step 4 - Once we have processed your application, you will receive an email October 1, 2010. Don’t let dangerous confirmation and your eTicket. digging affect your bottom line. Please remember that you are not clear to dig until the eTicket has been Any local or state law enforcement processed and we send a copy of your completed eTicket to you. officer, government code inspector, or code enforcement officer in Florida Step 5 - Georgia law states that you must wait until the “legal date” (the date can issue citations to excavators who do not follow two new requirements in you may legally begin your work as shown on your locate request ticket), Chapter 556, F.S. Those violations, described below, are in addition to the before any mechanized excavation is to take place. However, we recommend existing violations: failure to request a locate ticket, failure to wait the legal for safety’s sake that you wait for this date before beginning any digging time before digging, failure to stop digging when marks are destroyed, and project. failure to stop digging when an underground facility is contacted or damaged. The minimum fine is $500. Step 6 - If we attempt to contact you and are unsuccessful, we will wait 24 hours for you to get back to us. If you do not respond within 24 hours, we will 1. s.556.107(1)(a)6 and s.556.109(2), F.S.: Creates a non-criminal violation consider your application null and void. for requesting emergency locate tickets for non-emergency situations. An emergency situation per s.556.109, F.S., is any condition constituting a clear and present danger to life or property; a situation caused by the escape of any ILLINOIS substance transported by means of an underground facility; any interruption of vital public service or communication caused by any break or defect in a JULIE, Inc. member’s underground facility; or any impairment of public roads or utilities 800-892-0123 • www.illinois1call.com that requires immediate repair, as determined by FDOT or another affected Since JULIE’s founding more than 35 years ago, political subdivision. excavator safety and utility damage prevention a. Emergency tickets are for emergencies as defined above. Don’t use them have been our primary mission. As a not-for-profit to avoid waiting for locate marks. organization covering the state of Illinois (outside the city limits of Chicago), JULIE is involved in a number b. Callers and ITE users are required to answer six questions to verity the of proactive activities throughout the year. JULIE’s emergency. If they cannot answer yes to any of the questions but still Damage Prevention Managers are available at no insist on an emergency ticket, they can be cited for a false emergency cost to discuss and provide safety and education ticket. presentations to excavators, facility owners or the c. Excavators that damage an underground facility and create an emergency general public regarding the one-call process, common marking terms or situation as defined above should stop excavating and notify the member state law. Classes or presentations can be tailored to meet the specific directly. educational needs of a company or group 2. s.556.107(1)(a)7, F.S.: Creates a non-criminal violation for failure to follow JULIE’s helpful call center agents are available to receive and process locate low-impact marking practices.. requests 24 hours a day, 365 days per year at 8-1-1 or 800-892-0123. E-Request and Remote Ticket Entry are also popular options for excavators who prefer to enter their own utility locate requests. Visit www.illinois1call GEORGIA for details. GEORGIA 811 Chicago Digger 800-282-7411 • www.Georgia811.com 312-744-7000 • www.cityofchicago.org/transportation Homeowner eTicket is now available If digging within the city limits of Chicago, excavators should contact DIGGER at http://georgia811.com/quiktik.aspx (Chicago Utility Alert Network) at 312-744-7000. If excavating in other Homeowner eTicket is an online states, you can reach that state’s notification center by simply calling 811. method for homeowners to apply for a locate request. A Georgia 811 CSR will review your application and determine the Member facility owner/operators to be notified and then you will be sent pertinent information about your request. Please be aware that simply applying for your eTicket is not sufficient for you to begin your digging project. You must wait for us to get back to you with a locate request ticket number and additional information you will need before you start digging.
52 What’s Happening in your State
IOWA MINNESOTA IOWA ONE-CALL IOWA ONE-CALL 800-292-8989 or 811 • www.iowaonecall.com 800-252-1166 or 811 or 651-454-0002 As of February 1, 2011, One Call www.gopherstateonecall.org Concepts (OCC) has taken over Perhaps you’ve seen or used (Quick Response) QR operations at the Davenport, Iowa codes to shop your favorite retail store online? A call center. Call center operations two-dimensional matrix barcode first designed for were previously handled by One the automotive industry in 1994, QR codes have Call Systems (OCS), until their recently become increasingly popular outside of that closing in early fall of 2010. As the industry due to their fast readability and relatively new call center vendor, OCC brings new technologies, including new large storage capacity. ticketing software. The old ticket entry systems, IBIS and ONTRY, are no Gopher State One Call (GSOC) constantly works to longer available. The new online ticket entry system is called “ITIC” and offer ever more efficient ways to contact your call it is a very intuitive and user-friendly software solution. Iowa One Call center, while at the same time offering options to users can set up their own ITIC user accounts by registering online at accommodate your personalized communication www.iowaonecall.com. style. Savvy smartphone users, whether facility operator, locator, 2012 will bring many positive changes and enhancements to the Iowa One professional excavator or homeowner, can now anticipate a steady increase Call system, including a new website to be implemented in early August, in the use of QR codes by GSOC on its promotional enhanced features to the ITIC online ticket entry system, and other software and educational publications. Today, tomorrow, system solutions (e.g.: enhanced Positive Response). I look forward to a safe and in the coming future, count on GSOC to utilize, and productive year as excavators, operators and stakeholders across the maintain and develop the cutting edge technology state adhere to uncompromising safety standards, which always includes that will help streamline the Gopher State One Call effective use of the Iowa One Call Notification System and the Common “experience”. Ground Alliance’s Recommended Best Practices.
LOUISIANA MISSISSIPPI LOUISIANA ONE CALL Mississippi 811, Inc. 800-272-3020 or 811 • www.iaonecall.com 800-227-6477 or 811 • www.ms811.org 2012 looks to be another banner year Mississippi 811 is proud to be one of in Louisiana. We continue to work the stakeholders in the Mississippi with our members and stakeholders Damage Prevention Council in Louisiana to help make our “Dig working to create a stronger and Law” and enforcement of the law more effective damage prevention be more effective and fairer for all program. Our focus is change stakeholders. behaviors and we recognize that can We work with the ACTS team to promote damage prevention through building be achieved through business practices as well as the law. As a result of this stronger relationships. The magazine focuses on protecting all underground group’s commitment to damage prevention, our state is a safer place to live and facilities. Our Louisiana 811 magazine is sent out to all users and members work. There is much left to do, and this is the group to get it done in Mississippi. of our system. Additionally, it is mailed to all mayors and Parish officials. The MDPC is implementing an 811 license plate program. The license plate Our first Louisiana Damage Prevention Summit is scheduled for April can help fund the organization as well as serve as a reminder to call before 16 – 18, 2012 in Baton Rouge. We expect this event to be a perfect fit to our you dig. efforts to create a stronger damage prevention program through training, Our DPC groups are very active across the state and continue to provide certification, education and networking. ideas for the MDPC to consider as we move forward. Our quarterly Mississippi 811 magazine published by the ACTS team continues to be an integral tool in reaching the users and members and other stakeholders groups with important damage prevention information. The focus of the magazine is to spot light folks in Mississippi who are committed to doing the right thing. Our next Mississippi Damage Prevention Summit is scheduled for Octo- ber 29 - 31, 2012 and will be held in Tunica this year. Every year the Summit grows in number and relevance to our mission. We’ve never been busier in Mississippi and we think it’s making a difference.
53 R ESOURCE DIRECTORY
What’s Happening in your State
MISSOURI NORTH CAROLINA MISSOURI ONE CALL SYSTEM NORTH CAROLINA ONE-CALL CENTER, INC. 800-344-7483 or 811 • www.mo1call.com 800-632-4949 • www.ncocc.org The Missouri Attorney General’s Office With 2012 in full swing, North Carolina is concerned with safeguarding the 811 is working on an aggressive com- lives and property of the citizens of munication program to reach out to our Missouri as related to the programs stakeholders in damage prevention. detailed in Chapter 319. In cooperation While email will be our primary process, with Missouri One Call Systems Inc., we intend to communicate the important the Public Service Commission message of damage prevention through and, both, the utility and excavation CGA media, Call 811, our own Newtin industries, the Attorney General’s System, our North Carolina 811 maga- Office will be increasing their visibility and investigations of utility and zine and a targeted billboard campaign. excavator violations of the law. Our Marketing Liaisons will deliver our message through presentations at Over 50 warning letters were issued since January 1, 2011 to excavators Pipes Plus meetings, UCC meeting, trade show events and safety tailgate who failed to place a locate request to locate request and utilities that failed sessions. to respond to locate requests. Additionally, letters were mailed to utilities We are looking to find ways to make it easier to access information in the who had not yet joined Missouri One Call as required by law. field. QR codes have been placed onto a window cling. These are being As damages continue to cause injuries and impact utility reliability with distributed so that field personnel can scan the codes with a smart phone service interruptions, the Attorney General is taking a more aggressive and get linked to important sites and documents. stance on ensuring that excavators and utilities alike are in compliance with Another important field tool will be the introduction of our Newtin System’s Missouri law. “update lite.” This application allows field personnel to update a ticket in Jack McManus, Director of the Agriculture & Environment Division of the the field using their ticket number and phone number. Missouri Attorney General’s Office (which serves as the chief enforcement This is proving to be an exciting year for North Carolina 811 and we look agency for Chapter 319 RSMo.) indicates their willingness to minimize the forward to finding ways to partnering with our stakeholders committed to risk to public health and safety through their actions. McManus declared, reducing damages in our state “The Missouri General Assembly has given us the responsibility to assure compliance with this law, and we take that responsibility very seriously”. OHIO OHIO UTILITIES PROTECTION SERVICE NEW MEXICO 888-362-2764 • www.oups.org NEW MEXICO ONE-CALL, INC. We are working with the ACTS team to 888-321-2537 • www.nmonecall.org host our 2nd annual Damage Prevention Like most one call systems, New Mexico Summit in Columbus on April 2 – 4, 811 has had a busy year. This past year 2012. We’re confident that the event we attained ISO 9001:2008 certification. will be another positive connection with This is a real achievement as it has taken stakeholders in Ohio as we continue to years to accomplish. The idea was to find ways to work together to promote achieve our mission statement with the safety and protect our underground highest level of quality and efficiency. infrastructure. Recently we moved into our brand new O. U. P. S. is one of the stakeholders of the Ohio Underground Damage office complex at 1021 Eubank Blvd in Prevention Coalition, whose purpose is “to biennially, at a minimum, evaluate Albuquerque. The new facility provide backup generation and computer the Ohio Revised Code as it relates to underground damage prevention in facilities, enabling New Mexico 811 to remain operational in all situations. order to develop fair and reasonable public policy which provides a safe There are meeting rooms that are made available for member’s usage as environment for the public and excavators by protecting Ohio’s underground well. utility infrastructure from excavation damage through educating and We continue to work with all stakeholders by providing training and education communicating the results of these efforts to state policymakers.” with regards to our rules of operations and damage prevention laws. Our proactive marketing team and the many volunteers across the state are Another tool used by New Mexico 811 is our quarterly publication published gearing up for another safe digging month. by ACTS and is mailed to the users and members of our organization. The We work with the ACTS team to publish the Damage Prevention Journal, our magazine focuses on New Mexico people and their perspectives as it relates quarterly magazine. The magazine has been well received and allows us to to keeping our state a safer place to live and work. focus on what’s important to all of the stakeholders in our state.
54 What’s Happening in your State
PENNSYLVANIA TEXAS PENNSYLVANIA ONE CALL SYSTEM, INC. TEXAS811 888-242-1776 • www.paonecall.org 888-344-8377 • www.texas811.org Pennsylvania One Call System, Inc. PA Safety Day We just completed our 3rd annual conferences will be held at three locations in 2012: Texas Damage Prevention Thursday, May 10 at the Greater Philadelphia Summit in San Marcos and Expo Center (Eastern), Thursday, June 21 at according to the feedback from the Memorial Hall East & West at the York Expo those who exhibited and who Center (Central), and Thursday, September 13 attended the event it was the at the Cranberry Township Public Works facility most successful to date. The Summit is modeled after the CGA event, and (Western). We expect over 3,000 excavators, focuses on Texas and the challenges our members and contractors face in designers, facility owners, project owners, working together. Our next event is scheduled for February 19 – 21, 2013 public officials, emergency responders and other excavation professionals in Fort Worth. in attendance at these three conferences. If you are not familiar with PA There are currently 21 Damage Prevention Councils active across Texas. One Call’s Safety Days, or would like to see a recap of 2011, please visit And the areas covered by these councils include around 95% of the entire http://vimeo.com/36045331. population of the state. We recently started an 811 license plate program. A number of companies involved in underground excavation are adopting the 811 license plates for SOUTH CAROLINA their company vehicles. We are working hard to “drive home the damage South Carolina 811 prevention message.” 888-721-7877 • www.sc811.com We work with the ACTS team to create our quarterly magazine that focuses In the past year, various changes on Texas and damage prevention. It is one of the tools we use to provide have been implemented which training and education across the state. The magazine has likely generated will affect damage prevention of more positive feedback from the recipients than any project we’ve started. underground facilities in South Carolina. Most importantly, the South Carolina Underground UTAH Facility Damage Prevention Act was recently signed into law by Governor BLUE STAKES OF UTAH Haley. This new digging law will go into effect on June 7, 2012 and it will 888-662-4111 • www.bluestakes.org have a major impact on the future of digging in South Carolina. During the 2011 Utah Legis- This law will affect almost every aspect of digging, from calling in a locate lative Session, Senate Bill 111 to how you finish your excavation work. Here are a few of the changes: The amending Utah Code Title 54, tolerance zone will be decreased from 30 inches on either side of the utility Chapter 8a, Damage to line to 24 inches on either side of a utility line. The notification time periodwill Underground Utility Facilities be increased from 72 hours to three full working days, which does not include Act was introduced, passed the day the notice was made. Membership to the one call center (SC811) and signed into law. The amended changes became effective on May 10, will become mandatory and will be implemented over three years based on 2011. the size of the utility company. 360 Positive Response will be mandatory. Highlighted provisions of the amended changes include: This means that a locator must respond that the lines have been located and 1. Requires facility operators to mark underground facilities using as a an excavator must close out a ticket after the excavation work is done. Other guideline the Uniform Color Code and Marking Guidelines, Appendix changes include the restructuring of the SC811 Board of Directors and the B, published by the Common Ground Alliance (CGA). Also requires implementation of a damage prevention training program at SC811. excavators to pre-mark the proposed dig site when required using the To view a copy of the law, visit www.sc811.com and click on the law link at same guidelines. the bottom of the homepage. Here you will find a link to a copy of the new 2. Does not allow Update locate requests to be submitted sooner than 6 law. If your organization would like a presentation on the new law, contact calendar days before the locate request it’s updating expires. Charleigh Elebash at 803-939-1117, ext. 0 or at [email protected]. 3. Provides facility operators, when extenuating circumstances exist, the Also in the past year, Palmetto Utility Protection Service, Inc. began doing option of requesting the excavator pre-mark the proposed excavation site business as South Carolina 811 in an effort to further promote the 811 before locating and marking their underground facility. number. 811 is the national number to call in order to have the underground 4. Places liability on an excavator for damages caused to an underground facilities in your area marked so you will know where it is safe to dig. Visit facility occurring within 24 inches of an above ground presence of the www.sc811.com for more information. underground facility, such as a manhole, meter, pedestal, etc., even if the facility is not marked. 5. Excavators may seek recovery of damages from a facility operator who fails to locate and mark their underground facility where an excavator damages another like facility who had marked their facility. 6. Increases the maximum civil penalty amount from $2,500 to $5,000 per violation.
55 R ESOURCE DIRECTORY
OPS Central Region Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Community Assistance and South Dakota, Wisconsin Harold Winnie: [email protected] Technical Services (CATS) Phone: 816-329-3836 www.phmsa.dot.gov/about/org OPS Southern Region Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Tennessee Administration (PHMSA) works to protect the American Joe Mataich: [email protected] public and the environment by ensuring the safe and Phone: 404-832-1159 secure movement of hazardous materials to industries and OPS Eastern Region consumers by all transportation modes, including the nation’s Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, pipelines. There are over 2 million miles of pipelines buried in New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia the United States, which is enough to circle the earth 83 times. Karen Gentile: [email protected] Alex Dankanich: [email protected] PHMSA and its Community Assistance & Technical Services Phone: 609-989-2252 Phone: 202-550-0481 (CATS) team are charged with the task of facilitating clear OPS Southwest Region communications among all pipeline stakeholders, including the Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas public, the operators and government officials. CATS managers John Jacobi: [email protected] are located within five geographical regions. Contact information Phone: 713-272-2839 for the CATS managers for your state is noted here. OPS Western Region CATS National Coordinator Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Christie Murray: [email protected] Washington, Wyoming Phone: 202-366-4996 Bill Flanders: [email protected] Tom Finch: [email protected] Phone: 907-271-6518 Phone: 720-963-3175
Industry Publications
Damage Prevention Professional Pipeline & Gas Journal damagepreventionprofessional.com PGJonline.com Damage Prevention Professional Magazine focuses on providing in-depth For over 152 years, Pipeline & Gas Journal has maintained its position as solutions and insightful information on applications and technologies that the recognized authority on pipeline operations worldwide. P&GJ is written are shaping the future of damage prevention and excavation safety. This for those involved in moving, marketing and managing hydrocarbons from quarterly magazine will feature a wide array of articles that will benefit ALL the well head to the ultimate consumer. Readers are given information on stakeholders. If you work for a company who owns buried assets or if you the operation of energy pipelines that can be used on their jobs immediately. are involved in any type of excavation work, you can help prevent damage to our buried infrastructure.
Site Prep SitePrepMag.com Site Prep focuses on the challenges and opportunities of site preparation, Outside Plant Magazine including site clearing, earthmoving, utilities and envirnomental activities. OSPmag.com We cover emerging technologies for and the evolving interaction among Communications Service Providers (CSPs) rely on the OSP brand for contractors, engineers and related professions. Through in-depth concise education about evolving network architecture solutions and coverage, we provide useful information on developmental trends, project technology best practices. The most trusted HOW-TO educational resource management strategies, business processes and successful case studies. for communications and entertainment providers, OSP features the latest updates and learning about how to design, engineer, troubleshoot, upgrade, provision, and monitor mixed network architectures. What’s more, OSP connects advertisers with key buyers and decision makers for maximum exposure and enhanced brand awareness through print, online, and custom Underground Construction event offerings UndergroundConstructionMagazine.com Underground Construction, with the largest audited industry circulation, is the market leader for in-depth coverage of the North American underground infrastructure market. Articles include case studies, equipment reports, International Locate Rodeo market analysis, revealing surveys and substantive editorial coverage of Everybody wins. The best competitors win prizes. All issues and regulations. Edited for decision makers, it provides up-to-date, competitors win recognition, appreciation, admiration. essential telecommunications industry information. The public wins, too -- with higher quality utility locates and a higher level of safety. Ultimately, the International Utility Locate Rodeo will lead to higher standards of quality and performance. Visit LocateRodeo.com for more information.
56 New One-Stop Shop for Damage Prevention Information
ave you ever wished there Hwas a library where you could find all the resources you need for a presentation on safe digging or damage preven- tion, without having to spend hours Googling all kinds of topics? The Damage Prevention Professional magazine has just solved this problem for you with the introduction of our w o u l d totally revamped website. The specific like us to in- purpose of the site is to create a clude (must be non-copyrighted “damage prevention community” by material), please email them to Liz@ gathering all the key information, emailir.com. If the material is appro- photos, and videos you might need priate it will be posted and be- in one place. We have invested a great come available to anyone ac- deal of time in this site to start, but it cessing the website. will continue to improve and expand as On the Home Page, you will you send us more information. see all the latest industry news. The The resources are easy to search news will spotlight current and pertinent We also have links to: by category using key words, so you can stories relating to damage prevention • One Call Laws find what you need with just a few clicks. and excavation safety issues. Significant • Associations We are continually adding and updating stories will be logged into the News Li- • One Call Centers the materials on the site, and you can brary, if permission is granted by the add items you think might help someone originator. • Magazines else, too. Access to all these materials If you wish to do more than just re- • Regulatory Agencies is FREE. search, you can also become part of the Our Library Section is one of the high- conversation on our blog. The blog gives If you are looking for more in-depth lights of the new website. You can search you a chance to see what subjects are education we also have a listing of within each section of the library (arti- on people’s minds and being actively FREE sponsored webinars, a link to cles, news, photos, or videos), or you can discussed. It also gives you a chance to Excavation Safety University, and do one search that scours all categories. ask a question or start a conversation a link to the CGA Excavation Safety If you have photos, videos, or articles you about a subject that you think should be Conference & Expo. This site should be discussed by your peers. a one-stop shop for everything you need In our Resources Section we make it for damage prevention and excavation safety. Check it out and let us know what The specific purpose of the really easy to get right to the information you need. This section has key industry you think, or what we can add. site is to create a “damage documents, like the original Common To subscribe to the print or electronic prevention community” Ground Study, the CGA Best Practices edition of the quarterly Damage Prevention Professional magazine, go by gathering all the key & DIRT Reports, and much more. All the resources you need right at your fingertips. to DamagePreventionProfessional.com. information, photos and Please send us any public document you Subscriptions to the electronic edition videos you might need feel others could benefit from, and we will are always free, and there are a limited post it in the Resource Section. number of FREE print subscriptions in one place. available as well.
57 P IPELINE OPERATOR CONTACT INFORMATION If you would like any additional information from a pipeline member, call or visit the links below.
COMPANY EMERGENCY NON-EMERGENCY WEB ADDRESS Aera Energy, LLC (800) 247-5977 (661) 665-5149 www.aeraenergy.com Agave Energy Company (575) 748-4555 (575) 748-4546 www.yatespetroleum.com Aka Energy Group, LLC (970) 737-2601 (970) 764-6655 www.akaenergy.com Alliance Pipeline L.P. (800) 884-8811 (952) 944-3183 www.alliancepipeline.com Alliant Energy - IPL (319) 365-8040 (800) 255-4268 www.alliantenergy.com Alliant Energy - WPL (800) 758-1576 (800) 255-4268 www.alliantenergy.com Anadarko Midstream (307) 682-5106 (307) 682-2675 www.anadarko.com Anadarko Petroleum - Utah (800) 738-9816 (307) 233-4523 www.anadarko.com Anadarko Petroleum - Wyoming (307) 437-9500 (307) 233-4523 www.anadarko.com Anadarko Uintah Midstream (435) 781-7825 (435) 781-7011 www.anadarko.com Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) (563) 242-1121 (563) 241-4732 www.ADM.com Atmos Energy (866) 322-8667 (303) 831-5674 www.atmosenergy.com Aux Sable Midstream (701) 628-9380 (701) 628-9393 www.auxsable.com Barnett Gathering, LP (866) 535-6836 (817) 740-2500 www.barnettgatheringlp.com Basin Electric Power Cooperative (800) 339-5616 (701) 557-5895 www.basinelectric.com Belle Fourche Pipeline Co. (866) 305-3741 (307) 746-4417 www.truecos.com Beta Offshore (562) 606-5711 (562) 628-1534 www.betaoffshore.com Bitter Creek Pipeline (888) 859-7291 (701) 530-1500 www.bittercreekenergyservices.com Black Hills Energy (800) 694-8989 (888) 890-5554 www.blackhillscorp.com Black Hills Power, Inc. (605) 721-2289 (605) 721-2208 www.blackhillspower.com BP America Production (970) 247-6916 (970) 247-6800 www.bp.com Breitburn Management Company, LLC (310) 301-2916 (213) 225-5900 www.breitburn.com Bridger Pipeline LLC (866) 305-3741 (307) 746-4417 www.truecos.com Brigham Oil & Gas LLP (701) 580-1505 (701) 875-3300 www.bexp3d.com Butte Pipe Line Company (866) 305-3741 (307) 746-4417 www.truecos.com Canyon Pipelines LLC (800) 530-3146 (970) 858-3425 www.energytransfer.com Cascade Natural Gas (888) 522-1130 (888) 522-1130 www.cngc.com Cenex Pipeline LLC (800) 421-4122 (406) 628-5293 www.chsinc.com Central Resources, Inc. (661) 765-7783 (661) 765-2191 www.centralresources.com Central Valley Gas Storage (630) 427-5522 (630) 245-7825 www.cvgasstorage.com Chaparral Energy (866) 478-8770 (405) 426-4386 www.chaparralenergy.com Chesapeake Midstream (800) 566-9306 (855) 255-2406 www.chesapeakemidstream.com/pipelineawareness Chevron Pipe Line Company - Rangely (877) 596-2811 (970) 675-2133 www.chevron.com Chevron Pipe Line Company - Salt Lake (877) 596-2811 (801) 539-7420 www.chevron.com Cheyenne Light, Fuel & Power (800) 246-1109 (307) 778-2145 www.cheyennelight.com Cimmarron Gathering, LLC (866) 254-4373 (800) 401-9019 www.copanoenergy.com City of Blanding (435) 678-2916 (435) 678-2791 www.blanding-ut.gov City of Fort Morgan (970) 867-4350 (970) 542-3910 www.cityoffortmorgan.com City of Long Beach Gas and Oil Dept. (562) 570-2140 (562) 570-2040 www.longbeach.gov City of Sioux Falls (605) 941-2351 (605) 367-8162 www.siouxfalls.org Colorado Interstate Gas Company (CIG) (877) 712-2288 (719) 667-7740 www.cigco.com Colorado Natural Gas (800) 720-8193 (303) 979-7680 www.coloradonaturalgas.com Colorado Springs Utilities (719) 448-4800 (719) 448-4800 www.csu.org ConocoPhillips - San Juan (800) 688-0158 (505) 324-6149 www.conocophillips.com ConocoPhillips Pipe Line Company - CO (877) 267-2290 (303) 376-4365 www.conocophillips.com ConocoPhillips Pipe Line Company - WY and MT (877) 267-2290 (406) 855-6963 www.conocophillips.com Copano Energy - Oklahoma (855) 737-9555 (918) 588-5000 www.copanoenergy.com Copano Energy - Texas (855) 737-9555 (713) 621-9547 www.copanoenergy.com Copano Energy - Wyoming (307) 685-8321 (713) 621-9547 www.copanoenergy.com Cowtown Pipeline Partners L.P. (866) 234-7473 (817) 339-5555 www.crestwoodlp.com CPN Pipeline Company (877) 432-5555 (707) 374-1505 www.calpine.com Crestwood Arkansas Pipeline LLC (866) 234-7473 (817) 339-5555 www.crestwoodlp.com Crestwood New Mexico Pipeline LLC (866) 234-7473 (817) 339-5555 www.crestwoodlp.com Crestwood Panhandle Pipeline LLC (866) 234-7473 (817) 339-5555 www.crestwoodlp.com Crestwood Sabine Pipeline LLC (866) 234-7473 (817) 339-5555 www.crestwoodlp.com Crooks Municipal Utilities (605) 359-2371 (605) 543-5238 www.cityofcrooks.net Dakota Gasification Company (866) 747-3546 (701) 873-6773 www.dakotagas.com/Gas_Pipeline DCP Midstream, LLC (800) 435-1679 (361) 584-8518 www.dcpmidstream.com Denbury Onshore, LLC (888) 651-7647 (307) 276-3100 www.denbury.com Devon Energey Production Company LP (800) 214-2154 (307) 856-8111 www.dvn.com Dick Brown Technical Services (888) 764-5147 (661) 549-8518 Eagle Mountain City (801) 789-5959 (801) 420-0608 www.emcity.org El Paso Exploration & Production (435) 454-3927 (435) 823-0822 www.elpaso.com El Paso Natural Gas (EPNG) (800) 334-8047 (719) 667-7740 www.elpaso.com
58 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. COMPANY EMERGENCY NON-EMERGENCY WEB ADDRESS Elba Express Pipeline (800) 252-5960 (719) 667-7740 premier.sonetpremier.com/snghomepage Enbridge Energy (800) 858-5253 (218) 755-6712 www.enbridgeus.com Enbridge Pipelines (North Dakota) LLC (888) 838-4545 (701) 857-0800 www.enbridgeus.com EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. (877) 386-2200 (720) 876-5248 www.encana.com Energy Operations Management Inc. (877) 723-3344 (916) 859-4700 Energy West - Montana (800) 570-5688 (406) 791-7500 www.ewst.com Energy West - Wyoming (307) 587-4281 (307) 587-4281 www.ewst.com Enterprise - Jonah Gas Gathering (307) 352-2404 (307) 367-8025 www.epco.com Enterprise Products - Mid America Pipeline (800) 546-3482 (307) 362-2703 www.eprod.com EOG Resources Fort Worth Division - North (866) 616-9446 (817) 344-1082 www.eogresources.com EOG Resources Fort Worth Division - South (817) 389-2729 (817) 344-1082 www.eogresources.com Express Pipeline LLC (888) 449-7539 (800) 700-8666 www.kindermorgan.com ExxonMobil Pipeline Co - Montana (800) 537-5200 (406) 657-5400 www.exxonmobil.com ExxonMobil Production (307) 276-6000 (307) 276-6242 www.exxonmobil.com Fayetteville Gathering Company (800) 948-4202 (501) 887-4124 www.fayettevillegathering.com FMC Corporation (307) 875-8150 (307) 872-2131 www.fmc.com Fort Union Gas Gathering (307) 682-9710 (307) 670-6025 www.fortuniongg.com Fountain Valley Power LLC (719) 382-5155 (719) 382-5885 www.southwestgen.com Front Range Pipeline LLC (800) 421-4122 (406) 628-5293 www.chsinc.com Frontier Pipeline Company (866) 800-7677 (307) 783-7500 www.paalp.com Garretson Natural Gas (605) 594-6723 (605) 594-6723 www.garretsonsd.com Georgia-Pacific - Crossett Paper (870) 567-8421 (870) 567-8627 Great Lakes Gas Transmission (GLGT) (800) 447-8066 (248) 205-4521 www.glgt.com Great Plains Natural Gas Company (877) 267-4764 (701) 222-7900 www.gpng.com Greencore Pipeline Company, LLC (888) 651-7647 (601) 718-6202 www.denbury.com Havre Pipeline Company LLC (406) 357-2233 (406) 357-3643 Hawthorn Oil Transportation, Inc. - ND (888) 814-0188 (701) 628-1635 www.hawthornpipeline.com Hawthorn Oil Transportation, Inc. - OK (888) 814-0188 (817) 806-3876 www.hawthornpipeline.com Holly Energy Partners - Operating, L.P. (877) 748-4464 (575) 748-8943 www.hollyenergy.com Humboldt Municipal Gas Utility (605) 941-3948 (605) 363-3789 www.humboldtsd.com Inergy Services (866) 295-2176 (661) 765-4087 www.inergypropane.com Intermountain Gas Company (877) 777-7442 (800) 548-3679 www.intgas.com Kaiser-Frontier Midstream LLC (800) 876-7023 (918) 494-0000 www.kfoc.net KB Pipeline (800) 433-0252 (800) 433-0252 www.portlandgeneral.com Kern River Gas Transmission Company (800) 272-4817 (866) 415-6165 www.kernrivergas.com Kinder Morgan - Cochin Pipeline (800) 265-6000 (701) 252-9013 www.kindermorgan.com Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission (888) 763-3690 (307) 232-4413 http://www.kindermorgan.com/public_awareness/ Koch Pipeline - Northern Operations (800) 688-7594 (612) 670-2588 www.kochpipeline.com Koch Pipeline - Southeast Texas (888) 718-6597 (409) 287-1262 www.kochpipeline.com Koch Pipeline - Southern Operations (800) 666-0150 (361) 242-5534 www.kochpipeline.com Linde LLC (800) 232-4726 (307) 875-4480 www.linde.com Linn Operating Inc. (281) 840-4174 (713) 458-8719 www.linnenergy.com Lodi Gas Storage, LLC (800) 307-1107 (209) 368-9277 www.lodistorage.com Lost Creek Gathering LLC (877) 534-4117 (307) 328-2833 Macpherson Oil Company (661) 201-8320 (661) 201-8320 www.macphersonenergy.com Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (800) 720-2417 (701) 282-7134 www.magellanlp.com Marathon Oil Corporation (866) 627-5463 (307) 587-4961 www.marathon.com Marathon Pipe Line Company (800) 537-6644 (307) 347-9241 www.marathonpipeline.com Merit Energy Company (307) 328-2348 (307) 328-2345 www.meritenergy.com MGTC, Inc. (307) 682-9710 (307) 670-6025 MidAmerican Energy Company (800) 595-5325 (712) 277-7933 www.midamericanenergy.com MIGC (307) 682-9710 (307) 670-6025 www.migc.com Minnesota Energy Resources (800) 889-4970 (800) 889-9508 www.minnesotaenergyresources.com Mojave Pipeline (800) 334-8047 (719) 667-7740 www.elpaso.com Montana Dakota Utilities Company (800) 638-3278 (701) 222-7900 www.montana-dakota.com Montana Refining Company Inc. (406) 761-4100 (406) 454-9887 www.montanarefining.com Mountain Gas Resources, Inc. (307) 875-9049 (307) 875-8785 www.anadarko.com N. G. Transmission (307) 347-8221 (307) 347-2416 Naftex Operating Company (661) 363-8801 (661) 330-2044 Nephi City Gas (435) 623-0822 (435) 623-0822 www.nephi.utah.gov New Mexico Gas Company (888) 664-2726 (505) 697-3518 www.nmgco.com NGL Supply Terminal Company, LLC (800) 522-3883 (317) 379-0322 www.nglep.com Northern Border Pipeline Company (800) 447-8066 (402) 492-7454 www.northernborder.com Northern California Power Agency (916) 781-3636 (661) 549-8518 www.ncpa.com
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 59 P IPELINE OPERATOR CONTACT INFORMATION If you would like any additional information from a pipeline member, call or visit the links below.
COMPANY EMERGENCY NON-EMERGENCY WEB ADDRESS Northern Natural Gas Company (888) 367-6671 (402) 530-3835 www.northernnaturalgas.com NorthWestern Energy - MT (888) 467-2427 (406) 497-2446 www.northwesternenergy.com NorthWestern Energy - NE and SD (800) 245-6977 (406) 497-2446 www.northwesternenergy.com NuStar Logistics, L.P (800) 481-0038 (361) 249-9408 www.nustarenergy.com NuStar Pipeline Operating Partnership L.P. (800) 759-0033 (605) 883-4866 www.nustarenergy.com Occidental of Elk Hills (661) 763-6911 (661) 763-6363 www.oxy.com Omimex Canada, Ltd. (800) 230-9892 (406) 357-3156 ONEOK Rockies Midstream (800) 778-7834 (800) 778-7831 www.oneokpartners.com ONEOK Rockies Midstream - Wyoming (866) 575-6465 (307) 687-3103 www.oneokpartners.com Overland Pass Pipeline Company (800) 635-7400 (307) 872-2833 www.williams.com/overlandpass/ OXY USA Inc. - LA Basin (562) 624-3452 (562) 624-3400 www.oxy.com Pacific Coast Energy Company, LP (310) 301-2916 (213) 225-5900 www.breitburn.com Pacific Gas and Electric Company (800) 743-5000 (831) 635-2201 www.pge.com Pacific Operators Offshore (805) 643-1195 (805) 899-3144 www.pacops.com Paiute Pipeline (800) 624-2153 (775) 887-2819 www.paiutepipeline.com Patara Oil & Gas LLC (866) 774-8385 (435) 686-7600 www.pataraog.com Pecan Pipeline Company - ND (866) 899-2626 (701) 628-4025 www.pecanpipeline.com Pecan Pipeline Company - TX (866) 899-2626 (817) 806-3876 www.pecanpipeline.com Petro - Hunt, LLC (701) 863-6500 (701) 863-6500 www.petrohunt.com Pinedale Natural Gas, Inc. (307) 367-4427 (970) 928-9208 www.pinedalegas.com Pioneer Pipe Line Company (877) 267-2290 (801) 299-3627 www.conocophillips.com Plains Exp. & Prod. (PXP) Los Angeles (800) 766-4108 (805) 934-8223 www.pxp.com Plains Exp. & Prod. (PXP) Santa Barbara (805) 739-9111 (805) 934-8223 www.pxp.com Plains Pipeline (866) 800-7677 (307) 783-7500 www.paalp.com Plains Pipeline, L.P. (800) 708-5071 (701) 575-4254 www.plainsmarketing.com Plains Pipeline, R.M.P.S. - MT (866) 800-7677 (701) 575-4254 www.paalp.com Plains Pipeline, R.M.P.S. - SD (866) 800-7677 (701) 575-4254 www.paalp.com Platte Pipe Line (888) 449-7539 (800) 700-8666 www.kindermorgan.com Platte River Power Authority (970) 229-1733 (970) 226-4000 www.prpa.org Portland Natural Gas Transmission System (800) 830-9865 (615) 465-5111 www.pngts.com PPL Interstate Energy Company (800) 747-3375 (610) 327-5334 www.ppliec.com QEP Field Services - LA (888) 599-4922 (307) 922-5700 www.qepres.com QEP Field Services - ND (888) 599-4923 (307) 922-5700 www.qepres.com QEP Field Services - WY (800) 840-3482 (307) 922-5700 www.qepres.com Questar Gas (800) 767-1689 (307) 352-7701 www.questargas.com Questar Pipeline Company (800) 300-2025 (307) 382-8882 www.questarpipeline.com Quicksilver Resources, Inc. (866) 420-5396 (817) 665-5000 www.qrinc.com Red Cedar Gathering Company (970) 382-0828 (970) 764-6900 www.redcedargathering.com Redding Electric Utilities (530) 245-7009 (661) 549-8518 www.reupower.com Ringwood Gathering Company (800) 967-8493 (580) 438-2345 www.ringwoodgathering.com Rockies Express Pipeline LLC (877) 436-2253 (307) 232-4422 http://www.kindermorgan.com/public_awareness/ Rockies Express Pipeline LLC - Western CO (877) 436-2253 (970) 208-1266 http://www.kindermorgan.com/public_awareness/ Running Horse Pipeline, LLC (800) 889-7437 (435) 651-3475 www.nnogc.com San Diego Gas & Electric (800) 611-7343 (800) 411-7343 www.sdge.com ScissorTail Energy, LLC (800) 782-8686 (800) 401-9019 www.copanoenergy.com Seneca Resources (888) 595-8595 (661) 549-8518 http:www.natfuel.com/seneca SG Interests I, LTD (866) 261-9766 (970) 929-5313 Silicon Valley Power (408) 423-6550 (661) 549-8518 www.siliconvalleypower.com Sinclair Pipeline Company (800) 321-3994 (307) 328-3643 www.sinclairoil.com/pipelines.htm SM Energy Company (406) 208-3563 (406) 869-8706 www.stmaryland.com SourceGas Distribution (800) 563-0012 (303) 243-3541 www.sourcegas.com SourceGas Transmission (866) 477-1190 (303) 243-3541 www.sourcegas.com South Dakota Intrastate Pipeline Co. (800) 852-0949 (605) 224-0949 www.sdipco.com Southern California Gas Company (800) 427-2000 (800) 427-2000 www.socalgas.com Southern Dome, LLC (800) 728-8686 (800) 401-9019 www.copanoenergy.com Southern Natural Gas (SNG) (800) 252-5960 (719) 667-7740 premier.sonetpremier.com/snghomepage Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline (800) 324-9696 (785) 462-4901 www.sscgp.com Southwest Gas - Central AZ (800) 528-4277 (702) 876-7011 www.swgas.com Southwest Gas - Northern NV and CA (800) 773-4555 (702) 876-7011 www.swgas.com Southwest Gas - Southern AZ (800) 722-4277 (702) 876-7011 www.swgas.com Southwest Gas - Southern CA (800) 867-9091 (702) 876-7011 www.swgas.com Southwest Gas - Southern NV (800) 447-5422 (702) 876-7011 www.swgas.com
60 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. COMPANY EMERGENCY NON-EMERGENCY WEB ADDRESS Summit Gas Gathering - Southeastern CO (719) 846-0272 (719) 845-2100 www.summitgasgathering.com Summit Gas Gathering - Southwestern CO (970) 247-7708 (970) 247-7708 www.summitgasgathering.com Summit Gas Gathering - Utah (435) 748-5395 (435) 748-5395 www.summitgasgathering.com Suncor Energy (U.S.A.) Pipeline Company (866) 978-6267 (307) 775-8101 www.suncor.com Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP) (800) 231-2800 (719) 667-7740 www.tennesseeadvantage.com Tesoro Alaska Pipeline Company (907) 776-3549 (907) 776-3520 www.tsocorp.com Tesoro Hawaii Corporation (808) 682-3991 (808) 479-0527 www.tsocorp.com Tesoro High Plains Pipeline Company (866) 283-7676 (701) 225-8973 www.tsocorp.com Tesoro Refining - Northern California (925) 372-3120 (952) 335-3452 www.tsocorp.com Tesoro Refining - Southern California (310) 522-6000 (310) 522-8602 www.tsocorp.com Tesoro Refining and Marketing - Utah (801) 521-4900 (801) 521-4987 www.tsocorp.com Thunder Creek Gas Services, LLC (877) 619-4680 (307) 687-0614 www.thundercreekgas.com Timberland Gathering & Processing Co. Inc. (620) 624-3868 (620) 624-3868 www.timberlandgathering.com TransCanada - ANR Pipeline (ANR) (800) 447-8066 (248) 205-4521 www.anrpl.com TransCanada - Bison Pipeline Company (800) 447-8066 (402) 492-7454 www.bisonpipelinellc.com TransCanada - GTN Pipeline System (800) 447-8066 (509) 533-2869 www.gastransmissionnw.com TransCanada - Keystone Pipelines (800) 447-8066 (402) 492-7454 www.transcanada.com TransCanada - North Baja Pipeline (800) 447-8066 (509) 533-2869 www.northbajapipeline.com TransColorado Gas Transmission Co. LLC (800) 944-4817 (970) 208-1266 www.kindermorgan.com/public_awareness Trend Gathering & Treating, LP (866) 316-3377 (254) 359-4658 www.trendgathering.com Tuscarora Gas Transmission (800) 447-8066 (509) 533-2869 www.gastransmissionnw.com UNEV Pipeline LLC (877) 748-4464 (801) 510-1907 www.unevpipeline.com Venoco Inc. (888) 836-6261 (805) 745-2150 www.venocoinc.com Viking Gas Transmission Company (888) 417-6275 (218) 745-5082 www.vgt.nborder.com Vintage Production California, LLC (866) 746-4293 (661) 869-8072 www.oxy.com Walden Gas (970) 723-4662 (970) 928-9208 www.pinedalegas.com Watertown Municipal Utilities (605) 882-6233 (605) 882-6233 www.watertownsd.us White Cliffs Pipeline (800) 522-3883 (303) 324-2182 www.semgrouplp.com White River Hub LLC (800) 558-1913 (307) 352-7690 www.whiteriverhub.com Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation - MI (800) 713-3401 (303) 390-4957 www.whiting.com Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation - ND (701) 627-2754 (701) 227-8703 www.whiting.com Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation - OK (800) 713-3401 (303) 390-4957 www.whiting.com Wild Goose Storage, LLC (866) 940-7351 (530) 846-7351 www.niskags.com Williams Midstream - CO and NM (800) 635-7400 (505) 634-4954 www.williams.com Williams Midstream - Wyoming (800) 635-7400 (307) 872-2839 www.williams.com Williams Northwest Pipeline - Kemmerer Dist. (800) 972-7733 (307) 828-4061 www.williams.com Williams Northwest Pipeline - Moab District (800) 972-7733 (435) 686-2214 www.williams.com Williams Northwest Pipeline - Vernal District (800) 972-7733 (435) 781-3200 www.williams.com Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline (888) 859-7291 (406) 359-7316 www.wbip.com Wyoming Gas Company (307) 347-2416 (307) 347-2416 www.wyogas.com Wyoming Refining Company (307) 746-4931 (307) 746-2379 Xcel Energy, NSP - MN - Gas Distribution (800) 895-2999 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.com Xcel Energy, NSP - MN - Gas Transmission (800) 895-2999 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.com Xcel Energy, NSP - WI - Gas Distribution (800) 895-2999 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.com Xcel Energy, NSP - WI - Gas Transmission (800) 895-2999 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.com Xcel Energy, PSCo - Gas Distribution (800) 895-2999 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.com Xcel Energy, PSCo - Gas Transmission (800) 698-7811 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.com Xcel Energy, SPS (800) 895-2999 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.com XTO Energy - Arkansas (479) 667-4819 (479) 667-4819 www.xtoenergy.com XTO Energy - Central Louisiana (318) 443-3391 (318) 992-8397 www.xtoenergy.com XTO Energy - East TX & West LA (800) 870-5698 (903) 753-2997 www.xtoenergy.com XTO Energy - New Mexico (866) 479-5117 (505) 333-3550 www.xtoenergy.com XTO Energy - North Louisiana (888) 745-4576 (318) 832-4215 www.xtoenergy.com XTO Energy - Oklahoma (918) 423-0366 (918) 423-0366 www.xtoenergy.com XTO Energy - South TX and South LA (866) 535-6835 (713) 553-8094 www.xtoenergy.com XTO Energy - West TX (877) 311-1007 (806) 529-2939 www.xtoenergy.com XTO Energy - Western CO (970) 878-6800 (970) 878-6800 www.xtoenergy.com ZIA Natural Gas Company - Central NM (800) 520-4277 (800) 520-4277 www.zngc.com ZIA Natural Gas Company - Hobbs, NM (575) 392-4277 (800) 520-4277 www.zngc.com ZIA Natural Gas Company - Jal, NM (575) 395-2080 (800) 520-4277 www.zngc.com ZIA Natural Gas Company - Northeast NM (575) 375-2277 (800) 520-4277 www.zngc.com
EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition 61 P IPELINE EDITION
Pipeline Safety Regulations
Federal Laws and Regulations Concerning OSHA Regulations, 1926.651, Underground Facilities Specific Excavation Requirements Title 49, Transportation, Subtitle VIII, Pipelines, Chapter 601, Safety At www.osha.gov, under compliance assistance programs, § 60123. Criminal Penalties you can get to publications and print out “Working Safely in (a) General penalty. A person knowingly and willfully violating Trenches” (OSHA 3243), which contains great safety tips in both section 60114(b), 60118(a), or 60128 of this title or a regulation English and Spanish. Injury rate and fatality statistics can be prescribed or order issued under this chapter [49 USCS § § found at www.bls.gov. 60101 et seq.] shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not 1926.651(b) Underground installations more than 5 years, or both. (1) The estimated location of utility installations, such as sewer, (b) Penalty for damaging or destroying facility. A person telephone, fuel, electric, water lines, or any other underground knowingly and willfully installations that reasonably may be expected to be encountered damaging or destroying during excavation work, shall be determined prior to opening an an interstate gas pipe- excavation. line facility, an interstate (2) Utility companies or owners shall be contacted within hazardous liquid pipeline established or customary local response times, advised of the facility, or either an intra- proposed work, and asked to establish the location of the utility state gas pipeline facility or underground installations prior to the start of actual excavation. intrastate hazardous liquid When utility companies or owners cannot respond to a request pipeline facility that is used to locate underground utility installations within 24 hours (unless in interstate or foreign commerce or in any activity affecting a longer period is required by state or local law), or cannot interstate or foreign commerce, or attempting or conspiring to establish the exact location of these installations, the employer do such an act, shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for may proceed, provided the employer does so with caution, and not more than 20 years, or both, and, if death results to any provided detection equipment or other acceptable means to person, shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life. locate utility installations are used. (c) Penalty for damaging or destroying sign. A person knowingly (3) When excavation operations approach the estimated and willfully defacing, damaging, removing, or destroying location of underground installations, the exact location of the a pipeline sign or right-of-way marker required by a law or installations shall be determined by safe and acceptable means. regulation of the United States shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than one year, or both. (4) While the excavation is open, underground installations shall be protected, supported or removed as necessary to safeguard (d) Penalty for not using one-call notification system or not employees. heeding location information or markings. A person shall be (1) knowingly and willfully engages in an excavation activity fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both, if the person: (A) without first using an available one-call notification system (1) knowingly and willfully engages in an excavation activity to establish the location of underground facilities in the (A) without first using an available one-call notification excavation area; or system to establish the location of underground facilities in (B) without paying attention to appropriate location information the excavation area; or or markings the operator of a pipeline facility establishes; and (B) without paying attention to appropriate location (2) subsequently damages information or markings the operator of a pipeline facility (A) a pipeline facility that results in death, serious bodily harm, establishes; and or actual damage to property of more than $50,000; (2) subsequently damages (B) a pipeline facility, and knows or has reason to know of (A) a pipeline facility that results in death, serious bodily the damage, but does not report the damage promptly to harm, or actual damage to property of more than $50,000; the operator of the pipeline facility and to other appropriate (B) a pipeline facility, and knows or has reason to know of authorities; or the damage, but does not report the damage promptly to (C) a hazardous liquid pipeline facility that results in the release the operator of the pipeline facility and to other appropriate of more than 50 barrels of product. authorities; or (C) a hazardous liquid pipeline facility that results in the release of more than 50 barrels of product. Penalties under this subsection may be reduced in the case of a violation that is promptly reported by the violator.
62 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org Know what’s below. Call before you dig. Help us keep improving the Excavation Safety Guide Readership Survey The Excavation Safety Guide is designed to be a reference for readers to use all year. The articles are concise and focused on current industry trends and technologies. In order for us to make this Guide a useful tool for our readers, we need your comments and suggestions. Please complete the following survey and fax it back to 952.703.7022. Or, if you prefer, you may complete the survey online at ExcavationSafetyOnline.com/esg. Thank you.
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