SAFETY GUIDE DIRECTORY - Marathon Pipe Line...de emergencia puede ser obtenida directamente del operario o de las señales en los gasoductos u oleoductos. Las tuberías son parte esencial

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12 EXCAVATION

SAFETY GUIDE & DIRECTORY

SAFETY STARTS UNDERGROUND

PIPELINE EDITIONPROVIDED BY THE PIPELINE ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS

ISSUE NUMBER 7

Know what’s below. Call before you dig.2

I P E L I N E E D I T I O NPP

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.

Call before you digCall 811 or your local One-Call System

Wait the required timeGenerally 24 to 72 hours, depending upon state requirements

Respect the marksFlags, paint or other markers (normally yellow for pipelines)

Excavate with carePothole or hand dig to determine exact location of pipelines

Pipeline Safety Guidelines

Pipeline Association for Public Awareness • pipelineawareness.org

EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition

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.

Llame antes de excavarLlame al 811 o llame al número de su “One-Call System” local

Espere el tiempo necesarioGeneralmente 24 a 72 horas conforme a los requisitos estatales

Respete las señalesBanderas, pintura, u otras señales (normalmente amarillas para los gasoductos y oleoductos)

Excave con cuidadoCave a mano para determinar el lugar exacto de los gasoductos y oleoductos

Pipeline Safety Guidelines

3

CGAConference.com

March 12-14, 2013Palm Beach County Convention Center,

West Palm Beach, FL

March 11-13, 2014 Phoenix, AZ

The Excavation Safety Guide Pipeline Edition is published annually by

Pipeline Association for Public Awareness, 16361 Table Mountain Parkway, Golden, CO 80403

www.pipelineawareness.org Manufactured and printed in the

United States of AmericaThe contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part without the prior consent of Pipeline Association for Public Awareness.

The Excavation Safety Guide Pipeline Edition is designed to be a reference for readers to use all year long. The articles are concise, to the point and focus on current industry trends and technologies. The resources include the CGA Excavation Best Practices, a complete One-Call Center listing along with the state laws and provisions, a pull-out Emergency Response poster plus much more. Protecting the buried infrastructure is becoming more of a challenge every day and this guide will help you navigate through these challenges.

UNITING THE INDUSTRY

in Preventing Damage and Saving Lives.

THE CONFERENCE SO COMPLETE THAT

91% OF ATTENDEES WILL RECOMMEND THE EVENT TO OTHERS IN THEIR INDUSTRY.

Find more information or register at

I G G I N G S A F E LYTechnologies and techniques to stay safe and avoid damage.

Setting the Groundwork for Success Page 16

Tolerance Zone Page 17

Where the Shovel Meets the Dirt: Visual Evaluation of the Work Site Page 18

I P E L I N E E D I T I O N

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

D

P

D

P

E F O R E Y O U D I GWhat 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

White-Lining Reduces Damages Page 14

Excavation Delineation Guidelines Page 15

PIPELINE EDITION

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12 EXCAVATION

SAFETY GUIDE & DIRECTORY

BB

O C AT I N G A N D M A R K I N GThe 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

L

Training videos created by

industry experts at a price

everyone can afford.

H E N T H I N G S G O W R O N GWhat to do in the event of underground damage.

Damage Investigation from a Contractor’s Perspective Page 29

Gas Excavator Emergency Response Page 36

Cross Bores: Ticking Time Bombs Page 38

Safe Excavation Near Pipelines Can Save $50,000 Page 40

On Common Ground: Pipeline and Forestry Industries Must Work Together Page 41

ExcavationSafetyUniversity.com

• Locating Safely: Avoiding Hazards• Locating Best Practices• Basic Locating Theory• Basic Locating Skills• Damage Investigation: Field Investigation Techniques

Order online at ExcavationSafetyUniversity.com

EXCAVATIONSAFETY

EXCAVATIONUniversityUniversity

H E R E S O U R C E D I R E C T O RYA collection of invaluable information and access to resourcesCGA Excavation Best Practices Page 42

One-Call and State Law Directory Page 44

Canada One-Call Listings Page 50

U.S. CATS Resource Listing and Industry Publications Page 56

LL

WW

T

LOOK INSIDE FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY EXCAVATION EMERGENCIES PULL-OUT POSTERPage 32

Provided by Pipeline Association for Public Awareness

E A D E R S H I P S U RV E Y

Your feedback helps us keep improving! Page 63

RR

SERIES INCLUDES

Also available

as a 5-pack!

This manual is an informational and educational guide, but it is not intended to provide you with any definitive information regarding legal issues. You need to follow your specific state laws and OSHA rules. If you have any questions on issues raised in the guide, please consult with legal counsel and/or your state One-Call Center.




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INDICATIONS OF A LEAK

An odor like rotten eggs or a burnt match X X X

A loud roaring sound like a jet engine X X X

A white vapor cloud that may look like smoke X X

A hissing or whistling noise X X X X X X

The pooling of liquid on the ground X X

An odor like petroleum liquids or gasoline X X X

Fire coming out of or on top of the ground X X X X

Dirt blowing from a hole in the ground X X X X X X

A sheen on the surface of water X X X

An area of frozen ground in the summer X X X X X

An unusual area of melted snow in the winter X X X X X

An area of dead vegetation X X X X X X

Bubbling in pools of water X X X X X

An irritating and pungent odor X X X

HAZARDS OF A RELEASE

Highly flammable and easily ignited by heat or sparks X X X X X X

Will displace oxygen and can cause asphyxiation X X X X X X

Vapors are heavier than air and will collect in low areas X X X X X

Contact with skin may cause burns, injury, or frostbite X X X X X

Initial odor may be irritating and deaden the sense of smell X X

Toxic and may be fatal if inhaled or absorbed through skin X X X

Vapors are extremely irritating and corrosive X X X

Fire may produce irritating and/or toxic gases X X X X X X X

Runoff may cause pollution X X X

Vapors may form an explosive mixture with air X X X

Vapors may cause dizziness or asphyxiation without warning X X X X X

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Avoid any action that may create a spark X X X X X X

Do NOT start vehicles, switch lights, or hang up phones X X X X X X

Evacuate the area on foot in an upwind and uphill direction X X X X X X X X

Alert others to evacuate the area and keep people away X X X X X X X X

From a safe location, call 911 to report the emergency X X X X X X X X

Call the pipeline operator and report the event X X X X X X X X

Wait for emergency responders to arrive X X X X X X X X

Do NOT attempt to close any pipeline valves X X X X X X X X

Take shelter inside a building and close all windows X X X

General Pipeline Leak, Hazard and Emergency Response Information

Please support April as

NATIONAL SAFEDIGGING MONTH

structure. One-call centers facilitate the communication process by enabling an excavator to place just one call, prior to digging, to request that all underground facilities in the area of a planned excavation be located and marked. With the advent of 811, it is now easier than ever for excavators to reach the one-call center to begin the dialog for a safe excavation project.

The Common Ground Alliance played a key role implementing and successfully launching the new Call Before You Dig number on May 1, 2007. The national 811 number pro-vides a unique opportunity to focus national attention on the importance of calling before digging.

We all need to strive for safety in the work place so let’s utilize the resources available to stay safe and protect the Nation’s buried infrastructure.

There are many different stake-holder groups who share in the

responsibility of protecting the buried infrastructure, and each of these stakeholders play a significant but different role in damage prevention. It is important that each group know and understand their responsibility, and it is equally important for each to know the responsibilities of the other players. The primary stakeholder groups include:

• Excavators • One-Call Centers• Facility Owners • Locators

The excavator is on the front lines when it comes to digging safely around buried pipes and cables and as such has the most to gain or lose every time he puts a shovel in the ground. By definition the excavator makes his living by digging, but he also carries the huge responsibility to protect his/her workers’ safety and the underground infrastructure. There are many tools and systems in place to assist the excavator in avoiding the hazards of his chosen occupation, and the following pages of this guide are designed to outline these available resources. You need to understand your role in damage prevention but also know that others share their own role in protecting the buried infrastructure.

What is the Common Ground Alliance?

The Common Ground Alliance is a coalition of more than 1,400 excavators, locators, road builders, electric, telecommunications, oil, gas, one call centers, public works, equipment manufacturers and sup-pliers, state regulators, insurance, engineering/design and emergency

services. Officially formed in 2000, CGA represents a continuation of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Common Ground Study, which high-lighted the need for one organization to continuously update best practices among the growing underground utility industry. The Common Ground Alliance was thus formed to pre-vent damages to underground infrastructure, reduce service disruptions, save lives, and improve safety practices industry-wide. The CGA works cooperatively to enhance under-ground utility damage by:

1. Fostering a sense of shared re-sponsibility for the protection of underground facilities;

2. Identifying and disseminating the stakeholder best practices such as those embodied in the Common Ground Alliance Study;

3. Developing and conducting public awareness and educational programs;

4. Promoting Federal grants for da-mage prevention;

5. Supporting research; and,

6. Serving as a clearinghouse for da-mage data collection, analysis, and dissemination.

811In 2006 the Federal Communi-

cations Commission designated 811 to be the National three digit Call Before You Dig number for the United States. Acting as an addi-tional number to reach existing one- call centers, it was meant to be a tool to help fix the problem of damage to the Nation’s utility infra-

Excavation Safety is YOUR Responsibility By Jeff Bistodeau, Editor, Damage Prevention Professional Magazine


For more information Visit www.commongroundalliance.comand www.call811.com

E F O R E Y O U D I G BB

DIGGINGDEEPER!DIGGINGDEEPER!

You need to understand your role in damage prevention but also know that others share their own role in protecting the buried infrastructure.

One free, easy call gets your utility linesmarked AND helps protect you frominjury and expense.

Safe Digging Is No Accident:Always Call 811 Before You Dig

Know what’s below. Always call 811 before you dig.Visit call811.com for more information.

CALLDIGBEFORE YOU

ALWAYS

INSERT CALL CENTERLOGO HERE


digging. The video targets the inex-perienced digger or homeowner.

5 Steps ToolboxThe 5 Steps to Safer Digging

provides the professional excavator or experienced digger with an overview of safe digging practices.

Safety Awareness 3-PackThe 3-Pack DVD includes Red’s 5

Steps to Safer Digging, 5 Steps to Safer Digging Toolbox as well as the Call 811 for Kids video.

The CGA DVD’s can be found at CommonGroundAlliance.com.

Experience comes in University series

Excavation Safety University has a series of locating and damage investigation training videos. Their newest addition is Locating Safely: Avoiding Hazards, made exclusively for Locators. It features insight and commentary by NULCA President Christopher Koch, a 15-year locating veteran and former head of safety for one of the world’s largest contract locators.

The Locating Safely video and other training DVDs can be found at ExcavationSafetyUniversity.com.

If you are involved in excavation your number one priority is always

safety. You want to avoid injury to yourself and your co-workers. What you do could also impact the safety of others each day, and for years to come. If you nick a steel pipeline and do not report it, you may be the cause of a catastrophic explosion 5 to 10 years down the road. This is a dramatic example, but it is real and helps illustrate the point that you need to be concerned about safety from all perspectives.

Real life can have great impact

The most important safety tip I have ever heard was from Eric Giguere at the CGA Excavation Safety Conference & Expo. Eric was buried in a trench because he did not follow the safety rules that he knew. He stresses that his bad decision not only had a huge life long negative impact on his life, but that his bad decision also forced his co-workers into a no-win situation that negatively impacted their lives. Eric’s story and message are extremely powerful.

Presentations like Eric’s are similar to the locker room speeches given by coaches in every sport. They can be very motivational at the time, but the impact of the message fades over time. Safety messages given by

people like Eric can also have a jarring impact at the time, but people tend to forget how critical the message was since many companies do not have charismatic speakers on their staff to regularly give motivational safety speeches. So how do companies keep people focused on safety?

Take Eric back to the office with you

One simple, inexpensive way to keep safety messages in front of people is to use videos. You can probably think of any number of your favorite sports movies with stirring locker room talks in them. Every time I watch Herb Brooks (Curt Russell) give his speech to the team before the game against the Soviets, I get chills up my spine. Live is best, but well done videos can do the trick.

A couple of the keys to successful training are to get people in the habit of learning, and then to repeat information often enough to have it fully absorbed. Once again videos allow you to do this, and at a very low cost. This holds true for safety and all types of training.

You can find Eric Giguere’s story on a video that can be purchased at SafetyAwarenessSolutions.com.

Videos make for great common ground

The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) has created a series of safety videos to assist with educating the public and professionals on the importance of digging safely. A description of each DVD is available below.

Red’s 5 Steps to Safer DiggingThis video provides viewers with

an overview of the 5 steps to safer

Stay Safe and Work Smart

9

What you need to know and what you need to do before you dig.


on a document commonly called a “ticket” or “excavation notification”. In Pennsylvania and other states, the “serial number” of the ticket is a unique identifier that proves, in a court of law, that the excavator has fulfilled their obligation to notify a One Call center of their intent to dig. The One Call Center then sends the ticket to underground facility owners near the excavation site.

How do One Call Centers know who to notify?

Underground utility owners are responsible for providing information to the One Call Center about the location of their underground lines. The introduction of maps and spatial lookups around 2001 or so made the process more

efficient and accurate. The One Call Center checks

this database to determine which underground utility owners to notify. Once the list of underground utility owners near the excavation site is determined, each utility company receives a copy of the ticket – via email, via data modem, via fax or via other electronic means. Since 1972, Pennsylvania One Call has delivered approximately 100 million tickets to underground facility owners.

W hen an excavator dials 8-1-1, where does the telephone

get answered? What happens next? How do the utility companies get notified of the excavator’s intent to dig? More importantly, how do the right utility companies get notified? How do the underground utility lines get marked? What is the One Call Center’s role in Damage Prevention?

The One Call Centers in each state have been responsible for acting as the communications clearing-house between excavators and underground utility owners for more than 40 years. Pennsylvania One Call System, Inc. (“Pennsylvania 8-1-1”) began answering the telephone in 1972 – more than 28 years before the 2001 Common Ground Study that formed the Common Ground Alliance, and 34 years before 8-1-1. Every state One Call Center pre-dates the CGA by at least a dozen years. Since 1972, Pennsylvania One Call has taken almost 12 million calls from excavators.

Prior to 2007, an excavator needed to know the state-specific telephone number to dial before digging. The Federal Com-munications Commission desig-nated 8-1-1 as the national “Call Before You Dig” number in 2006 and mandated implementation by 2007. Each state One Call center bore the burden, and the cost, of implementing the national 8-1-1 Call Before You Dig telephone number.

8-1-1 is now one number to remember, one number to promote, and each call to 8-1-1 is directed to the appropriate state One Call center based on the caller location. Many states, including

Pennsylvania, continue to maintain their toll free telephone number in addition to 8-1-1 for callers located outside the state border.

What happens when you call?

Each telephone call received by a state One Call center, whether via their toll free telephone number or by dialing 8-1-1, is handled by a friendly and helpful Customer Service Representative. He or she collects all information necessary to accurately record the

details about a proposed excavation: Who is digging, where they are digging, and what kind of digging will take place (excavation, demolition, blasting?), when digging will occur, and how the excavator will dig.

In almost all cases maps are used to determine the precise location of the excavation area. Information collected from the excavator during the call is placed

The One Call Center: A Critical Role in Damage Prevention



One Call Centers in each state have been responsible for acting as the communications clearinghouse between excavators and underground utility owners for more than 40 years.


By Dan Lucarelli, Pennsylvania One Call System, Inc.

11

How do the lines get marked?

It is important to note that the utility companies are responsible for marking the location of their lines. Put another way: One Call Centers do not mark lines! The facility owner obligation to mark the location of underground lines is listed in many state One Call laws, including PA Act 287, as amended by PA Act 121 of 2008.

Some utility companies choose to outsource the actual line marking to a third party. Although “Contract Locators” are prevalent in the underground excavation industry, the obligation to mark lines correctly and in a timely fashion rests with the owner or operator of the underground line.

About the Author DAN LUCARELLI is the Director - Marketing & Education for Pennsylvania One Call System, Inc., and can be reached at [email protected].


What else do One Call Centers do?

Many states, including Penn-sylvania, have a “Positive Re-sponse” clause in their One Call law. This means that, after the utility company determines if their underground lines are near the excavation site, and after the lines are marked, the utility company in-dicates “Marked” or “Clear” to the One Call Center. In Pennsylvania, all responses are collected from the utility owners and sent back to the excavator via email on the morning of the excavation.

This extra step of collecting marked or clear responses from the utility owners completes the com-munications circle and provides

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 been placed incorrectly.

One Call Centers also have a deep and wide relationship with underground excavation stakeholders. Pennsylvania One Call System, Inc. provides regular out-reach and underground excavation safety advocacy and education to its 3,500 underground utility mem-bers and 125,000 excavators who dial 8-1-1 before they dig.

For more information about individual state One Call Centers, including contact information, state laws, and provisions within those laws, please refer to pages 45 through 51 of this publication.


The one call process begins with the excavator and is moved along by the One Call Center to the underground utility owner.


installations, relocations or when acquiring utilities from another company.

As you wait, they respond

After receiving your locate ticket, utility owners have a few business days to locate and mark their underground utilities. The amount of time varies from state to state. In Florida it’s two full business days with day one starting the next business day.

The utilities on the ticket match their service area to your description of the proposed excavation area. You receive a “No Conflict” or “Clear” response when the utility is not near your excavation area.

Once it’s determined that underground utilities are affected, the utility owner sends a locator out to locate and mark your site. Some utility owners hire contract locators to find their utilities. But the important thing for you to remember is, the utility is responsible for locates, NOT the one-call center.

Locators use marks that can stand up to the existing surface condition. Marks may include paint, chalk, flags, whiskers or stakes, etc. The color of the marks defines the

N ationwide, underground utility owners play a critical role in

damage prevention. You could say they are the foundation of damage prevention.

In “The One-Call Center: A Critical Role in Damage Prevention” on page 8 you learned about the one-call center responsibilities in damage prevention. It’s also important for you to know the utility owner’s responsibilities so you know what to do or who to contact when things go wrong.

For the system to be effective, the utility owner must join the state’s one-call center. Some one-call laws make this mandatory.

Creating, updating database as maps change

After joining, a utility owner builds its service area on the one-call center’s base maps. One-call mapping systems vary throughout the U.S., but their purpose is the same – to ensure that appropriate utility owners are notified when excavation may threaten their lines.

Accurate maps are critical to damage prevention. That’s why the utility owner builds and maintains its service area. The one-call center stores that data in its database.

Service areas and base maps are not static. Both need to be updated when changes to the landscape occur.

One-call centers update their base maps to accommodate for changes

such as street additions, street re-routing, housing developments and construction projects. The utility owners are then responsible for verifying the accuracy of their service areas on the revised base maps.

A utility owner should update its service area when their utilities change – changes such as new

What Utilities DoAffect Your Business, Too



One-call centers update their base maps to accommodate for changes such as street additions, street re-routing, housing developments and construction projects.

A one-call perspective on the responsibilities of utility owners and their impact on excavators


By Wendy Schaefer, Sunshine State One Call of Florida, Inc.

13

type of utility that is underground.Marking standards vary from

state to state, but most use the American Public Works Association Uniform Color Codes to identify the underground utilities.

Some utility owners may do things a little differently for large-size excavation sites or long-duration projects. They may request to meet you at your excavation site or assign a locator to locate and mark as you advance through the project. This eliminates having to re-mark your site frequently as marks are destroyed.

Positive Response completes the locate process

Positive Response is the preferred method for utility owners on your ticket to notify you when the utilities are marked or there is no conflict. Using a Positive Response System is also a best practice identified by the Common Ground Alliance (CGA).

According to the CGA Best Practice 5-8: Positive Response, “The excavator is notified by the underground facility owner/operator of the tolerance zone of the underground facility by marking, flagging, or other acceptable methods at the worksite, or is notified that a no conflict situation exists. This takes place after notification from the one call

About the Author WENDY SCHAEFER is the communications specialist for Sunshine State One Call of Florida, Inc. and can be reached at [email protected].


center to the underground facility owner/operator and within the time specified by state/provincial law.”

While preferred, positive response is not mandated in all 50 states. It is mandated in Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Tennessee to name a few.

For those states without a positive response system, Best Practice 5-8 says a utility owner can contact you in any reasonable manner including face-to-face communication, phone or phone message, email, fax, or other electronic means.

Positive response helps you identify when something isn’t quite right – like when the marks at your excavation site don’t match the utility owners listed on the ticket or the owner says its lines are marked, but you don’t see any marks.

Sharing costs for greater exposure

The final responsibility of utility owners is to educate their customers and the general public to call 811 before digging. Pipeline companies are required by federal law to provide public awareness.

Some utilities include the message “Know What’s Below.

Call 811 Before You Dig” on their website and in billing statements. Others partner with their state’s one-call center. Florida’s one-call center ran “Call 811 Before You Dig” radio traffic sponsorships with TECO Peoples Gas and Florida Power & Light.

“We secured the spots at our nonprofit rate and split the final bill,” Florida’s Damage Prevention Manager Cheryl Ritter explained. “Peoples Gas and FPL got greater exposure at a discounted rate and half the cost.”

Every day, you rely on utility owners to do their part to prevent the damages, high costs and injuries so you don’t have to dig into unknown territory.

If you do not know about your state’s one-call law, visit www.call811.com and link to your state’s one-call center.


Most states use the American Public Works

Association Uniform Color Codes to identify the

underground utilities.

The final responsibilityof utility owners is to

educate their customersand the general public tocall 811 before digging.


sometimes it’s not enough. At-fault damages do occur even when the excavator does his best to take extra precaution. What often gets overlooked are the hundreds and maybe even thousands of times that damages are prevented by an excavator because maybe he went the extra mile to white-line his jobsite. This is why it is important for all excavators to document their damage prevention efforts as well as document their own success data with regard to damage prevention.

Extra precautions to prevent damages• Have the project manager or

other supervisor review job-sites and do the white-lining personally.

Over the years white-lining, or pre-marking as it is

sometimes called, has proven to be one of the most successful damage prevention strategies of all time. In some states white-lining is a regulatory requirement under some circumstances to precisely guide locators to mark areas where excavation work is going to occur. Other states do not require pre-marking but whether or not there is a requirement, it is always a good idea to white-line your proposed excavation site.

Communication between the excavator and the locator is the theme of white-lining. All of us have heard the adage “a picture is worth a thousand words”. The same is true of white-lining. Excavators who want to be certain the locator understands where they will be excavating should always paint the area to be excavated so there is no confusion.

Reasons to white-line every time• White-lining is the next best

thing to meeting with the locator in the field.

• Information provided by the excavator working in the field often is difficult to describe to their people working in

the office. The people in the office often are the ones responsible for calling in the dig ticket adding another layer of confusion to the mix.

• More often then not, locators are burdened with more locate ticket assignments in a day than they are physically able to accomplish in the time allotted. White-lining helps to ease the burden placed on the locator giving him more time to accomplish an accurate locate in a greatly reduced area.

• White-lining reduces the number of delayed locates. Every delayed locate increases the likelihood that a locator will fail to notify the excavator of the delay which adds to the confusion.

• White-lining reduces the potential for errors that cause damage for both the locator and the excavator.

The vast majority of excavators take many precautions to protect buried facilities but

White-lining reduces damages



What often gets overlooked are the hundreds and maybe even thousands of times that damages are prevented by an excavator because they went the extra mile to white-line his job site.

Photo credits: Top left and bottom photo - Illinois 1 Call; Top right - DiggersHotline.com


By Wayne Jensen, Excavator

15

•Identifyyourcompaniesnamewithwhite-linemarks.

•Photograph the white-linemarkings and geotag theimageswithGPSinformation.

•Voluntarilywaitlongerperiodsof time to begin excavatingthan required by law tobe certain all locates arecompleted.

•Nevermobilizetoasiteunlessyouhaveapositive responsefor“marked”ornoconflict.

•Call for jobsite meets withlocators after sites have


been marked to determinethe “confidence level” of thelocatorwithregardtoaccuracyoflocatemarks.

•Ifthelocator’sconfidencelevelislow,thenvoluntarilyhanddigbeyond the state mandatedtolerancezone just tobesuredamagedoesnotoccur.

•Call the locator back to thesiteinallcaseswhereafacilitycannotbefoundasmarked.

•Call back locators any timeyou find an unmarked facilityofunknownownership.

•Document theaccuracyofalllocatesandcommunicatethatinformationbacktolocatorstoprovideimportantfeedbacktoconstantlyimprovethequalityoflocating.

DIGGING DEEPER!

Communication between the excavator and the locator is the theme of white-lining…

Single Point Excavation MarkingsDelineateinwhitepainttheproposedareaofexcavationthroughtheuseof:acontinuousline,dotsmarkingtheradiusorarec,dashesmarkingthefourcornersoftheproject;ordashesoutliningtheexcavationproject.Limitthesizeofeachdashtoapproximately6”to12”inlengthand1”inwidthwithintervalspacingapproximately4”to50”apart.Themaximumseparationofexcavationmarksistobereducedtoalengththatcanbereasonablyseenbytheoperator’slocatorswhentheterrainorexcavationsiteconditionswarrantit.Dotsofapproximately1”diameteraretypicallyusedtodefinearcsorradiiandmaybeplacedatcloserintervalsinlieuofdashes.

BEST PRACTICES CHAPTER - EXCAVATION PRACTICESPractice 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 DelineationThefollowingmarkingillustrationsareexamplesofhowexcavatorsmaychoosetomarktheirareaofproposedexcavation.Theuseofwhitemarkingproducts(e.g.,paint,flags,stakes,whiskersoracombinationofthese)maybeusedtoidentifytheexcavationsite.

Single Stake Marking Center Point of Excavation SiteWhenanexcavationsite iscontainedwithina50’maximumradius,or less, itcanbedelineatedwithasinglestake that ispositionedat theproposedcenteroftheexcavation.IftheexcavatorchoosesthistypeofdelineationtheymustconveythattheyhavedelineatedtheexcavationsitewithasinglestakeatthecenteroftheexcavationandincludetheradiusofthesiteinthenotificationtotheOneCallCenter.Thissinglestake istobewhite incolorwiththefollowinginformation:excavator’scompanyidentifier(name,abbreviations,orinitials)andtheradiusoftheexcavationsiteinblacklettersonthestakeorwithanoticeattachedtothestake.

FULL LINE RADIUS OR ARC FOUR CORNERS DASH LINE

CO. IDENTIFIER

CO. IDENTIFIER

CO. IDENTIFIER CO. IDENTIFIER

1” WIDE

1” DIAMETERDOTS

DOTS MAY HAVE LESS

THAN 4” SPACING

6” APPROXIMATE LENGTH

1” WIDE

6” APPROXIMATE

LENGTH

The circle illustrates the radius indicated

on the stake.

The single stake defines the proposed center of the excavation site. The radius of the excavation site is to be clearly indicated on the stake.


Following the building boom in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, damage to

underground utilities began increa-sing exponentially.

The one-call concept was a huge step forward. However, according to the National Utility Damage Assessment even with one-call in place, backhoes, augers, hand digging and other mechanical methods continued to result in more than 700,000 strikes annually to underground utilities including gas lines, water and sewer pipes, and electrical, cable and fiber optic lines.

Vacuum to Locate Underground Utilities:Can You Dig It?

Today, potholing has made it safer to locate underground utilities,

and the use of vacuum excavation technology has revolutionized the industry.

While paint marks and flags are a great FIRST STEP in making the process of locating underground utilities safer, the technology and technique for locating underground utilities more safely using vacuum excavation is readily available and affordable, and considered by many municipalities as a Best Practice. In fact, many governmental entities and municipalities no longer allow the use of backhoes to physically locate underground utilities, citing the risk of damaging the utility or utilities. Many have implemented policies mandating the use of vacuum excavation.

Backhoes, augers and other mechanical equipment should not be used to find underground utilities within 10 feet of a work zone. In addition, extreme care must be taken to prevent utility damage while digging by hand. Never use picks, round pointed shovels or any other type of sharp tool. Only square, blunt non-sharp tools should be considered for use.

Trust…but VerifyAll utilities within 5 feet of a work

site or planned installation should be found and physically seen (located) to identify exact location and depth. It’s not enough to accept paint marks or flags, when it’s simple and safer to physically verify paint marks or flags.

Following are some proposed simple steps to locating underground utilities more safely.

Setting the Groundwork for Success


General Practices1. At least 48 hours prior to excavation

work: - Call 811 or your local One-Call

number to request a locate from all member utilities.

- Notify other possible utility owners, which the One-Call Center does not represent, to mark all their utilities within 5 feet of the work area. (Reference the State Law Direc-tory on page 45 of this guide for a complete list of Advance Noti-fication requirements in your state.)

2. Get completed locates in writing. Most states have a positive re-sponse provision as a part of their one-call laws.

3. Physically locate utilities within 5 feet of the work site using a vacuum excavation method with the use of high pressure water (up to 4000 psi), an approved non-cutting nozzle (zero degree nozzles are not allowed), high-pressure air (with a dust containment system in place), or dry vacuum. (Make sure nozzles have been tested not to cause harm).

4. When possible, return original soil material to inspection hole and

I G G I N G S A F E LYDD

Benefits of Potholing for Locating Underground Utilities More Safely

On any given workday, there are thousands of miles of privately owned underground pipes, cables and conduits that are left unmarked or unidentified by public locators…


By Don Buckner, Founder & President, Vac-Tron Equipment, LLC

17

compact so inspection holes retain their original surface elevation.

5. Document locations and depths of all utilities and make sure they are available at the jobsite. When needed, these should be included with permit applications.

Tolerance ZoneExcavators must take extreme

precaution when digging within the Tolerance Zone. Hand digging and Vacuum excavation are the only safe methods of excavation within the Tolerance Zone. This guide contains a complete list of tolerance zones for each state. The list can be found starting on page 45 and continuing through page 51. The minimum tole-rance zone is 18” but tolerance zones do vary from state to state so make sure you know the tolerance zone for

Technologies and techniques to stay safe and avoid damage

the state in which you will be working.

Plowing, Trenching and Directional Drilling: General Excavating1. Expose and visually witness all

utility crossings (using methods described in the General Practices) prior to the crossing and at the crossing location. Utility lines should have a minimum separation of not less than 18 inches, subject

to inspection.

2. Physically locate all existing utili-ties running within 5 feet on both sides, parallel to the intended work zone or area. Physical locations should occur every 50 feet.

3. Shut off handles for existing utili-ties should be in placed in the work zone while work is being done.

For more information about locating underground utilities using vacuum, visit www.vacuumexcavation.com.

DIGGING DEEPER!

BEST PRACTICES CHAPTER - EXCAVATION PRACTICESPractice 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 ZonePictured 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.

37”TOLERANCE ZONE

18” 18”

1” LINE

18” 18”

48”TOLERANCE ZONE

12” LINE

many governmental entities and municipalities no longer allow the use of backhoes to physically locate underground utilities, citing the risk of damaging the utility or utilities


Taking the time to perform a visual inspection of your excavation site

is a key step in preventing unexpected encounters with unmarked underground facilities. “Look before you dig”

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 any excavation project. A close visual inspection of the planned dig site can reduce the chances of an unexpected surprise during excavation activities.

On any given workday, there are thousands of miles of privately owned underground pipes, cables and conduits that are left unmarked or unidentified by public locators who respond to the required 811 excavation notification calls

made prior to excavation. There are also many public and private lines which go unmarked during many emergency excavations performed by crews responding to leaks and outages of our aging utility infrastructure.

A good visual inspection of your dig site prior to breaking any ground will help you determine which underground systems should be marked in response to your 811 excavation notification and which lines will not be marked in response to your notification. It is a key step in planning a safe and productive excava-tion job. Many of these underground lines are located not only on private property but may also be

Where the Shovel Meets the Dirt


buried within the boundaries of a public utility easements or road right of ways.

Visually identify or otherwise determine the points of ownership transfer within each utility system on your planned dig site. A few visual signs of ownership transfer points would be any visible utility meter (Gas, Electric and Water Meters), and any communication demarcation point normally located at the house protector or the entrance point of a building. These underground lines feeding the water, electric, natural gas and telecommunication networks belong to the service provider. The utility service providers mark the lines feeding these points in response to your call to 811. Any lines buried beyond the ownership transfer points will most often belong to the property owner and go unmarked by the utility owner.


“Look Before You Leap” Visual Site Inspections Help Prevent Line Strikes and Unexpected Delays

On any given workday, there are thousands of miles of privately owned underground pipes, cables and conduits that are left unmarked or unidentified by public locators…

Taking the time to visually identify or otherwise determine the ownership transfer points within each utility system feeding the site can be the first step in determining what lines will probably not be marked.

A few visual signs of ownership transfer points would be any visible utility meter (Gas, Electric and Water Meters), and any communication demarcation point normally located at the house protector or the entrance point of a building. The lines that feed these metering or transfer points belongs to the service provider and should be marked up to this point by member utilities responding to your 811 notification. Any lines buried beyond the ownership transfer points will most often belong to the property owner and go unmarked by the utility owner.


By Bob Nighswonger, Damage Prevention Instructor

19

Private Electric Cables and Wires

Keep an eye out for electric meters and any structures fed by underground electric wires. Look for electric meters near property lines, within the property, outside wall of a house or building or inside the building. The lines that feed electricity to the metering points should be marked in response to your 811 call, the private electric line buried “after the meter” normal-ly will not be marked in re-sponse to your call to 811.


Private Gas or Liquid Fuel Lines and Underground Fuel Tanks

Private underground fuel lines and fuel tanks are often located on residential and commercial properties that have a need for the product. The fuel line and fuel tank to the building, house or structure will most likely not be marked in response to the your 811 call. The propane tanks and other fuel tanks may also be buried on your dig site and require extreme care when digging near the tank and the location of the fuel line should be identified. Look for signs of line entry to the house, basement or structure.

Here are a few signs of underground electric lines and a few points to consider when spotting these signs.

B

Metered Electrical Panel This specific

electrical panel is located on the property line and is fed by a single underground power service line.

From this point, six private electric lines are exiting and

are buried throughout the property.

Commercial Business Sign

fed by electric wire.

Parking Lot Light fed by electric wire.

D

C

Private Electric Splicing Box

above ground and lid to underground splicing vault. All of these lines are private

and buried beyond the meter.

E

Propane Tanks are most often fed by delivery trucks and not a pipe. The tank itself being the source, the underground pipe placed

from the tank to the house, building or structure is a service supply line. This line will most likely not be marked by the 811 locators. The tanks themselves are often buried so

be on the lookout for metal lids or caps. These tanks are similar to underground fuel tanks at commercial gas stations that have buried pipes running from the tanks to the pumps.

Private Gas Service Lines This particular set of gas meters is considered a multi-meter manifold. This metering point is fed by a single pipe from the gas company and has two separate private gas lines leaving this point to two different houses. Look for the round gas regulator. It will be placed on the 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.


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.

Pipeline MarkersKeep 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 pipeline owner.

Where the Shovel Meets the Dirt Continued from page 19



Private Fire Protection SystemsThe 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.

Excavating near PipelinesA 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.


21


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.

A. 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.

B. 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 protector in the house, conduit on the wall of a building or inside equipment room of a building for signs of telephone cables.

C. Sewer Clean Out Pipe located near roadside. This is a large diameter cleanout pipe and may possibly be part of a public system. Sewer cleanouts are most often placed on sewer laterals for access to clear drainage problems. The clean out pipe curves towards the flow of the sewer just before it connects to the top of the sewer lateral pipe. Look for sewer laterals to be located near buildings or houses as well as near property lines and other meter points.

D. Gas Meter Note: The service line from meter to building will not be marked by 811 locator.

E. Exposed Pipe on Site may be an active line or may be an abandoned section of pipe. Further investigation will probably be necessary after the 811 call.

F. Two Water Meters Note: The two service lines buried from water meter to building or house will not be marked by 811 locator.

G. Sewer Manhole This particular man-hole is placed over a public sewer main.

H. Petroleum Pipeline Marker This specific post indicates the presence of a petroleum transmission line and is considered a high profile line. (Refer to page 18) Not pictured are nearby large petroleum storage tanks. Other obvious signs of high profile lines may be an electrical substation or water towers.

Look before you dig! A visual site inspection is a key part of any damage prevention plan. For safety sake, take the time to inspect your dig site prior to excavation and daily during excavation activities. Once the temporary markings are placed on the ground, it will be up to you to protect the integrity of the marks or

call for a remark If your marks have been destroyed or are no longer reasonably visible for safe excavation.


A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H About the Author BOB NIGHSWONGER is the President of the Utility Training Academy and a long time line locating and damage prevention instructor. He has served 25 years in the damage prevention industry and is a frequent speaker at the annual CGA Excavation Conference & Expo and other industry related events. Bob also conducts frequent locator training webinars for Excavation Safety University. He can be reached at [email protected]





Online Resources for Land DevelopersDevelopments 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 Location Information

Pipeline Marker PostsSince most pipelines are buried underground, they may go unnoticed by the general public. But there are ways to identify that a pipeline may be nearby, such as above-ground pipeline marker posts. These markers are placed at road, rail and water crossings and do not indicate the exact location or depth of the pipeline below. There are three key pieces of information found on a pipeline marker:

• The operating pipeline company

• The product transported in the pipeline

• An emergency phone number

Never assume an above-ground marker is directly above the pipeline and always call 8-1-1 before you begin any digging project.

Pipelines are buried in areas called rights-of-way. Pipeline markers are used to designate the general route of the pipeline. Markers can also be found where a pipeline crosses a street or railroad, emerges from the ground, or in waterways.

PIPELINE MarkErs

BE AWARE: Pipeline markers will not designate the exact location, depth or number of pipelines in the area. Markers come in different shapes and sizes, but will always:

Include the word WARNING, DANGER OR CAUTION

Identify the material being transported

Provide a number to reach the company in event of an emergency

Provide the name of the pipeline company

O C AT I N G & M A R K I N G LL

Guidelines for Operator’s Facility Field Delineation

O perator markings of facilities include; the appropriate color for

their facility type; their company identifier (name, initials, or abbreviation) when other companies are using the same color, the number and width of their facilities and a description of the facility (HP, FO, STL etc). Use paint, flags, stakes, whiskers or a combination to identify the operator’s facility(s) at or near an excavation site.

1. Marks in the appropriate color are to be approximately 12” to 18” in length and 1” inch in width and separated by approximately 4’ to 50’ in distance as an example. When marking facilities the operator is to consider the type of facility being located, the terrain of the land, the type of excavation being done and the method to adequately mark its facilities for the excavator.

2. The following marking illustrations are examples of how an operator

may choose to mark their subsurface installations:

a. Single Facility Marking (Illustra-tions 1a & 1b): Used to mark a single facility. This can be done in one of two ways: either placing the marks over the approximate center of the facility (Illustration 1a) or, placing the marks over the approximate outside edges of the facility with a line connecting the two horizontal lines (in the form of an H) to indicate there is only one facility (Illustration 1b). These examples indicate an operator’s 12” facility. When a facility can be located or toned separately from other facilities of the same type is is marked as a single facility.b. Multiple Facility Marking (Illustra-tion 2): Used to mark multiple facilities of the same type (e.g. electric), where the separation does not allow for a separate tone for each facility but the number and width of the facilities is known. Marks are placed over the approximate center of the facilities and indicate the number

Understanding the Marks: Locating and Marking Practices

Illustration 3

Illustration 1a Illustration 1b Illustration 2

Illustration 4

Taken from the latest version of the CGA Best Practices.

and width of the facilities. This example indicates 4 plastic facilities that are 4” in diameter (4/4” PLA).c. Conduit Marking (Illustration 3): Used for any locatable facility being carried inside conduits or ducts. The marks indicating the outer extremities denote the actual located edges of the facilities being represented. An example would be 4 plastic conduits that are 4” in diameter (4/4” PLA), and the marks are 16” apart indicating the actual left and right edges of the facilities.d. Corridor Marking (Illustration 4): Used to mark multiple facilities of the same type (e.g. electric), in the same trench where the total number of facilities is not readily known (operator has no record on file for the number facilities) and that are bundled or intertwined. Marks are placed over the approximate center of the facilities and indicate the width of the corridor. The width of the corridor is the distance between the actual located outside edges of the combined facilities. This example indicates a 12” corridor (12” CDR).

Continued on next page

23 EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition



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 connections are to be clearly indicated at the point where the change in direction or connection occurs with an arrow indicating the path of the facility. A radius is indicated with marks describing the arc. When providing offset markings, (paint or stakes), show the direction of the facility and distance to the facility from the markings.

4. An operator’s identifier (name, abbre-viation or initials) is to be placed at the beginning and at the end of

7. Structures, such as vaults, inlets, lift stations that are physically larger than obvious surface indications, are to be marked so as to define the parameters of the structure. (Illustration 9)

8. Termination points or dead ends are to be indicated as such. (Illustration 10)

9. When there is “No Conflict” with the 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 identifier in the matching APWA color code for that facility (e.g., “NO AT&T”)

• Operators of multiple facilities would mark the area “NO” followed by the appropriate company identifier in the matching APWA color code for that facility with a slash and the abbreviation for the type of facility that there is “No Conflict” (e.g. “NO PG&E/G/D”). The example illustrates that PG&E has no gas distribution facilities at this excavation site. The abbreviation for; gas transmission facilities is “/G/T”, electric distribution is “/E/D” and electric transmission is “ E/T” these should be used when appropriate.

Illustration 5: Radius Example

Illustration 6: Lateral Connection Example

Illustration 7: Painted Offset (Off) Esample

Illustration 8: Staked Offset (Off) Example

Illustration 10

the proposed work. In addition to the previous, subsequent operators using the same color will mark their company identifier at all points where their facility crosses another operator’s facility using the same color. The maximum separation of identifiers is to be reduced to a length that can be reasonably seen by the excavator when the terrain at the excavation site warrants it.

CITYCO ELECO TELECO

5. Information as to the size and composition of the facility is to be 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

6. Facilities installed in a casing should be identified as such. Two examples are: 6” plastic in 12” steel = 6”PLA/12”STL and fiber optic in 4” steel = FO(4”STL).

GASCO TELECO 6”PLA/12”STL FO(4”STL)

Illustration 9

Download the entire CGA Best Practices at CommonGroundAlliance.com.

25

The importance of accuracy in locating and marking buried facilities.


• Place a clear plastic (translucent) flag that states “No Conflict” in lettering matching the APWA color code of the facility that is not in conflict. Include on the flag the operator’s identifier, phone number, a place to write the locate ticket number and date. Operators of multiple facilities would indicate on the flag, which facilities were in “No Conflict” with the excavation as in the previous example.

• If it can be determined through maps or records that the proposed excavation is obviously not in conflict with their facility(s) the locator or operator of

the facility may notify the excavator of “No Conflict” by phone, fax, or email, or through the One-Call Center, where electronic positive response is used. Operators of multiple facilities would indicate a “No Conflict” for each facility as in the previous examples.

• Place “No Conflict” markings or flags in a location that can be observed by the excavator and/or notify the excavator by phone, fax, or email that there is “No Conflict” with your facilities. When the excavation is delineated by the use

This is a guide for placing the accompanying abbreviations in the field. The Company Identifier is to be placed at the top or at the left of the abbreviations. Place the abbreviations in the following order, Company Identifier / Facility Identifier / Underground Construction Descriptions / Infrastructure Material (e.g. SBC/TEL/FO/PLA). This example indicates that SBC has a Telecommunication Fiber Optic line in a single Plastic conduit. The use of the abbreviation /TEL is not necessary, because the orange marking would indicate that the facility was a communication line, but its use is optional. To leave out one or more of the abbreviation types you would continue to follow the order of the abbreviations above leaving out the slash and abbreviation that does not apply (e.g. /TEL), the result would be the following (e.g. SBC/FO/PLA).

COLOR CODE IDENTIFIERSWHITE Proposed ExcavationPINK Temporary Survey MarkingsRED Electric Power Lines, Cables, Conduit and Lighting CablesYELLOW Gas, Oil, Steam, Petroleum or Gaseous MaterialsORANGE Communication, Alarm or Signal Lines, Cables or ConduitsBLUE Potable WaterPURPLE Reclaimed Water, Irrigation and Slurry LinesGREEN Sewers and Drain Lines

FACILITY IDENTIFIERCH Chemical

E Electric

FO Fiber Optic

G Gas

LPG Liquified Petroleum Gas

PP Petroleum Products

RR Railroad Signal

S Sewer

SD Storm Drain

SS Storm Sewer

SL Street Lighting

STM Steam

SP Slurry System

TEL Telephone

TS Traffic Signal

TV Television

W Water

W Reclaimed Water (purple)

INFRASTRUCTURE MATERIALSABS Acrylonitrite-Butadiene-Styrene

ACP Asbestos Cement Pipe

CI Cast Iron

CMC Cement Mortar Coated

CML Cement Mortar Lined

CPP Corrugated Plastic Pipe

CMP Corrugated Metal Pipe

CU Copper

CWD Creosote Wood Duct

HDPE High Density Polyethylene

MTD Multiple Tile Duct

PLA Plastic (conduit or pipe)

RCB Reinforced Concrete Box

RCP Reinforced Concrete Pipe

RF Reinforced Fiberglass

SCCP Street Cylinder Concrete Pipe

STL Steel

VCP Vertrified Clay Pipe

of white markings, place “No Conflict” markings or flags in or as near as practicable to the delineated area.

* Caution - Allow adequate space for all facility mark-outs. “No Conflict” indicates; that the operator providing the “No Conflict” has no facili-ties within the scope of the delineation, or when there is no delineation, there are no facilities within the work area as described on the locate ticket.

UNDERGROUND CONSTRUCTION DESCRIPTION

C Conduit

CDR Corridor

D Distribution Facility

DB Direct Buried

DE Dead End

JT Joint Trench

HP High Pressure

HH Hand Hole

MH Manhole

PB Pull Box

R Radius

STRStructure (vaults, junction boxes, inlets, lift station)

T Transmission Facility

Guide for Abbreviation Use

Professionals from many dis-ciplines 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-garding damage prevention, safety, and the project’s bottom line.

How It WorksGPR is an accessible, mobile,

and easy-to-use technology suitable for many companies, once one learns some of the fundamentals of how it works. The three components of a GPR system include a Control Unit with display connected to an Antenna and a Survey Cart. GPR works by sending a pulse of electromagnetic energy into the ground and then

displaying the reflected signal as a graph of the time it takes the signal to travel to a target and return over the distance the antenna has moved. The image is roughly similar to the reflections seen of a fish finder on a boat.

The reflections displayed on a GPR screen are the result of changes in the speed of the GPR signal as it travels through the ground and encounters different materials such as pipes, rock, and different types of soil. Because the GPR signal is electromagnetic, its signal speed changes as it passes through (or bounces off) the various buried materials based on the materials electrical conductivity. The greater the difference in the conductivity between the pipe material and surrounding soil, the better the image.

By displaying this reflection in conjunction with the horizontal location information from the survey cart, GPR can provide both

Adding GPR to Your Damage Prevention Toolkit


depth and horizontal positioning. In a typical locate, the operator will follow a utility by making a series of transects of the pipe every several feet, marking the ground as each reflection appears. If the data shows pipe reflections at a consistent depth and in a linear path, then the operator can judge that he is following the pipe. Locating with GPR is most often done in this real-time, two dimensional mode, but three dimensional options are available.

Three dimensional surveys are less common because they take more time to collect, but they do offer additional value in some situations. Most often, three dimen-sional surveys are performed on highly congested areas with many utilities. In these cases, being able to look at the subsurface from an “x-ray” style perspective helps the user understand how lines are placed in relation to one another.


By displaying [a] reflection in conjunction with

the horizontal location information from the survey

cart, GPR can provide both depth and horizontal

postioning.

Ground Penetrating Radar is a real time technology that can be deployed in just minutes.


By Peter Masters, Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc.

27

What It Can Do, What It Can’t Do

While GPR can detect all manner of pipe materials, some are easier to see than others. For example, GPR signals do not penetrate metallic materials at all, so the reflections from all types of metallic pipes are stronger and easier to see. But, GPR signals do penetrate through non-metallic pipe materials such as plastics, concrete and clay. These materials can be seen, but they are often more subtle and require operators to keep a keen eye. Other subtle changes in GPR data can reveal useful information such as evidence of a trench or buried foundation. In general, GPR performs best when the pipe material and surrounding soils are electrically different.

There are factors that affect how well radar performs on any given job site. The most important is soil conductivity; the more conductive the soil, the harder it is for the radar signal to penetrate to its full

GPR provides vast amounts of subsurface data.

The importance of accuracy in locating and marking buried facilities.

potential. Typically, this means wet, clay soils. Some areas are not suited for GPR scanning because the soil conductivity is too high and prevents GPR signals from penetrating deep enough. While

GPR works best in dry sandy soils, it still has value in areas where conditions are not perfect. In many cases, common utilities are still shallow enough to trace with GPR. It’s best to evaluate the local soils to find the probability of success for GPR in your area. Contact us to learn more about options for using GPR in your area.

As a general rule, GPR can find all types of pipe material. However, there is a guideline ratio of pipe diameter and buried depth. The ratio is roughly one inch in diameter

for every foot deep a pipe is buried. Carried further, GPR will need a two inch pipe at two feet deep, four inch pipe at four feet deep, and so on. This is a guideline and not an absolute rule.

Why Use GPR?

Using GPR in the field before con-struction benefits both safety and

efficiency. GPR is a real time technology that can be deployed in just minutes. With highly accurate horizontal positioning and depth information, GPR surveys provide detail essential

for a solid understanding of the underground environment. With more utility location information in hand before digging, crews are better protected and less likely to hit utilities.

GPR can improve the financial picture as well. With more information about what lies below, project managers can accurately figure jobs costs while crews arrive on the jobsite prepared for the job at hand. GPR surveys can even alleviate some of the costs of exploratory excavations and extensive potholing by reducing their frequency.

With highly accurate horizontal positioning and depth information, GPR surveys provide detail essential for a solid understanding of the underground environment.

About the Author Peter Masters is an application specialist for Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc. (GSSI), based in Salem, NH. You can learn more about Ground Penetrating Radar technologies and its uses by visiting www.geophysical.com.






actually locate buried pipes, cables or wires, but rather a moving magnetic field called signal in place around them either as a result of action taken by the technician or of certain other “natural” factors. A lot of things can impact that magnetic field causing the locate to be inaccurate at the surface. The deeper the facility is, the more opportunity there is for horizontal error.

The next time you see a locating technician on a job site, take a moment to ponder the mysterious profession he practices. Under the constant pressure of a ticking clock and under the watchful eye of a hundred bosses a week, he manages a wealth of variables to mark buried facilities he’ll never see.

It’s not as easy as it looks, nor is locating considered an exact science but a skilled locator with the proper training and experience will be right the vast majority of the time.

It happened again. There I was working my way through a locate when a guy in

khakis and a button down shirt walked by and said, “How do I get your job?” Right, because my job is easy. I get it.

I can’t say I was surprised. The previous week I fielded a request from an excavator who wanted me to come by his shop and teach his crew how to use a locator. It wouldn’t take much time, he suggested-- just twenty or thirty minutes. Now come on. Really? Twenty or thirty minutes?

Not always as easy as it looks!

Here’s the deal. If locating looks easy, it’s probably because the person you’re watching knows what they’re doing and has had a lot of practice at it.

Equipment manufacturers have labored for years to produce locating sets that are simple to use for the novice. This has led many people to conclude that anyone can pick up a locator and use it successfully provided they know “which setting” to select.

Salespeople have even produced pocket guides suggesting particular frequencies for particular applications. That would be like a car salesman handing out cheat sheets recommending first gear for driveway use, third for ascending low grades, and fifth for the highway. Simple. Now anyone can drive a stick.

The reality is that much like driving a car, simply knowing the basic controls really doesn’t prepare the operator

for the nearly infinite variables that will be encountered on the road during actual driving. Competency in locating doesn’t stem from a handful of simple rules, but rather from understanding the capabilities and limitations of the instrument in the context of on-site variables.

It helps to know the variables.

Among the factors that can influence a locate are the presence of metallic conductors other than those being located, the

composition, diameter and depth of the facility being located, the nature of the soil, and the presence, type and location of physical access points. Skilled locating technicians take all

of these factors into account on an intuitive level.

To the outside observer it looks like a locating technician is simply hopping out of their truck, taking a moment to set

up some equipment, and then painting the location of the target line. In reality, a number of small but important decisions are being made silently on each job site, and explaining all of them to someone who isn’t experienced can be difficult.

It’s also important to understand that the equipment commonly used to locate underground utilities doesn’t

The Artof Locating By Christopher Koch, President, Hance Utility Services

About the Author

CHRISTOPHER KOCH is president of Hance Utility Services and the Locator School. Over the past decade, he has been responsible for the training of locators in 22 states, Canada and Australia. Koch currently serves as vice-president of NULCA and helped craft the 2009 revision to the NULCA Competency Standard.

…much like driving a car, simply knowing the basic controls doesn’t really prepare the operator for the nearly infinite variables that will be encountered on the road during actual driving.


The purpose of a good damage investigation is to get to the

root cause or causes of the incident. Too many times, investigations are performed with preconceived ideas of the outcome. When documentation is collected to support only this idea, valuable evidence can be missed and opportunities are lost. These oppor-tunities include: correcting the real problem; training; and maintaining field relationships potentially lost due to a biased investigation. The following are suggestions that should help to improve the investigation process. It is meant as an overview of the process.

Putting it on paper and in pictures.

Make sure that the investigator is fully prepared with the necessary forms, equipment and proper mental attitude to accomplish the task at hand. The damage investigation form should prompt the investigator to collect the right information and ask the necessary questions following the incident. A good example is available at www.cga-dirt.com.

The investigator should, at a minimum, have a quality camera and a good measuring device with them at all times. Camera quality has improved significantly over the past few years. High quality digital cameras can be purchased at very reasonable prices. Five years ago, I would have laughed

at the thought of using a cell phone as a camera. Today, my new cell phone has the capabilities to take 8 mega- pixel photos, record audio endlessly and record and hold up to 30 minutes of videotape. It may be the best piece of damage investigation equipment that I have ever owned.

A measuring device is another essential piece of equipment. When shown in pictures, it can provide the scale necessary to prove the case. Many investigators use a standard measuring tape or a mat style mea-suring device. My device of choice is the HIT Kit (shown here). It provides a measuring device along with markers indicating “damage” and “marks” that can easily be seen in pictures from all sides. Whatever the choice, make sure that all pictures contain a good measuring device.

PMA: The intangible success factor!

The last tool for the investigator is the proper mental attitude. Going into an incident scene with a bad attitude

Damage Investigations From a Contractor’s Perspective

or preconceived ideas of it can lead to biased and inaccurate investigations. The investigator should strive to be an objective third party that is just trying to collect evidence. This is sometimes much easier said than done, but should nonetheless, be worked toward.

The investigator should arrive on site as soon as possible. Upon arriving, he/she will be responsible for taking photographs and/or videotape of the incident scene, getting statements and collecting other important data. The order in which it is collected will vary from incident to incident, but generally, photos are taken very early on in the process. This is because the act of repairing the damaged facility usually destroys evidence.

Data that should be requested includes locate request information, post-locate/pre-excavation photographs, pre-excavation meeting minutes, permits and any other information specific to the incident. Some of this information will be addressed when the investigator takes statements from the parties involved. These statements should be

H E N T H I N G S G O W R O N GWW

Five years ago, I would have laughed at the thought of using a cell phone as a camera. Today, it may be the best piece of damage investigation equipment that I have ever owned.

Damage Investigation HIT Kit helps establish size and scale at the accident site.

29EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition

By Ron Peterson, Damage Prevention Consultant

taken from all participants involved in the incident including the excavator, locator and utility representatives. Other valuable statements should be taken from witnesses that may not be involved with the incident at all. Each statement should be by each individual detailing what they were doing at the time of the incident as well as what they saw. Statements should be signed as well. A single statement signed by the entire crew will accomplish nothing in the process.

Working around the clock.

Photographs and/or videotape are critical to a quality investigation. Typically, though, claims personnel receive four to twelve pictures of a hole in the ground showing the damage. The investigator should strive to tell a story with the pictures. Overviews of the area should be provided as well as the point of damage. One good way to get good photographs is to follow the clock

method (shown below). Using the point of damage as the center of the clock, the investigator should start at the 12:00 position and be a considerable distance from the damage. After taking a picture at this point, he/she should move halfway toward the damage and take another picture, then move close to the damage and snap another. This should be performed at each indicated point around the clock. If this is performed correctly, the investigator should collect enough quality pictures to tell the story of the incident. This is especially helpful for those using film and disposable cameras that do not provide the immediate feedback found on digital cameras.

When using a camcorder to film the incident, the same method can be

applied. Additionally, the investigator should provide a narrative of what he/she is seeing while filming. Care should be taken so as not to include opinions that are not supported by fact as well as other information not related to the incident.

Once the investigation is complete, it should be forwarded to the appropriate personnel immediately. One last key point is that the person receiving the information will probably never be on site. It is critical that all of the information collected tells a clear and accurate story of the incident. By collecting solid evidence, the investigation can be used for its ultimate purpose, to identify the root cause and to put plans in place to prevent future incidents.

One last key point is that the person receiving the [investigation] information will probably never be on site. It is critical that all of the information collected tells a clear and accurate story…

ELM STREET

6

39

12

DAMAGE

4

57

8

2

1

10

11Documenting damage using the

clock method entails shooting photos from three different

distances from the accident site at each of eight different points around “the clock.”


For More Information When an underground facility is damaged, the damage should always be reported using the Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT). The Common 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.

Report all damages by visiting www.cga-dirt.com.




Conozca Los P

eligros• El gas natural y otros productos de petróleo son inflam

ables y queman. Si la piel está

expuesta serias irritaciones pueden ocurrir. Los gases escapados pueden desplazar el oxígeno.

• La electricidad hará descargas o cortocircuito a tierra produciendo temperaturas que son

cuatro veces más intensas que la tem

peratura del sol. Como m

ínimo quem

aría la piel y dañaría los organos internos. Los altos voltajes de electricidad pueden hacer arco a distancias considerables a través del aire. Usted debe estar consiente de cables aéros de alto voltaje y aleje cualquier parte del equipo por lo m

enos a 10 pies de distancia de los cables aéreos.

• 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 inflam

ables y queman.

Reconozca las C

ondiciones Peligrosas

• Los charcos de liquido, la tierra soplando, los sonidos siseantes, las nubes de vapor, los olores a gas, las burbujas en agua estancada, la vegetación com

pletamente seca,

y la tierra congelada o hielo alrededor de gasoductos/oleoductos son todas señales de escapes de gas natural o petróleo y deben de ser tratadas com

o una emergencia.

• Trate el contacto con cualquier cable eléctrico como una em

ergencia sin tener en cuenta si aparece dañado o no o si está cortado. Ésto incluye el contacto con cables aéreos de alto voltaje.

• Con frecuencia los servicios usan zanjas conjuntamente poniéndolo a usted en un m

ayor riesgo en las zanjas que tám

bien tienen electricidad.• La tierra m

ojada o descolorida es un indicio de un escape de agua/alcantarillado y debe alcantarillado y debe ser tratada com

o una condición de emergencia potencial.

Co

nd

icion

es

de

em

erg

en

cia

qu

e afectan las

instalacio

nes su

bterrán

eas in

cluyen

: escapes,

rup

turas, exp

losio

nes,

incen

dio

s, hu

nd

imien

to

severo o

mo

vimien

to d

e tierra, d

ebilitam

iento

y d

año

de g

asod

ucto

s/o

leod

ucto

s/acued

ucto

s, y caso

s similares d

on

de

es necesaria la acció

n

inm

ediata p

ara imp

edir

pérd

ida d

e vidas, h

eridas

a perso

nas, o

dañ

os a

pro

pied

ad y el m

edio

am

bien

te.C

ada situ

ación

es d

iferente y d

ebe ser

evaluad

a ind

ividu

almen

te seg

ún

las circun

stancias.

A co

ntin

uació

n se d

an

directrices g

enerales d

e em

ergen

cia para

reaccion

ar ante varias

emerg

encias/situ

acion

es d

on

de h

ay dañ

os q

ue

afectan las in

stalacion

es su

bterrán

eas.

DIR

EC

TR

ICE

S P

AR

A

RE

AC

CIO

NA

R

EN

EM

ER

GE

NC

IAS

Nunca entierre equipo dañado.Nunca entierre equipo dañado com

o cables eléctricos, gasoductos, oleoductos, o ductos de cualquier tipo. Informe de inm

ediato a la compañía

afectada cualquier leve rasguño, corte, rotura, o abolladura. Si la reparación no es hecha rápidamente en el futuro pueden resultar escapes,

interrupción de servicios, explosiones, accidentes, heridas, o muerte.

Pó

st

er

De

se

GU

rID

AD

Pro

veid

o p

or P

ipe

line

A

ssoc

iatio

n fo

r Pu

blic

A

wa

ren

ess

EX

CA

VA

TIO

N E

ME

RG

EN

CIE

S

Kn

ow

th

e h

aza

rds

• N

atur

al g

as a

nd o

ther

pet

role

um p

rodu

cts

will

igni

te a

nd b

urn.

If e

xpos

ed to

the

skin

, ser

ious

irrit

atio

ns m

ay o

ccur

. Esc

apin

g ga

ses

can

disp

lace

oxy

gen.

• E

lect

ricity

will

arc

or s

hort

to g

roun

d pr

oduc

ing

heat

that

is u

p to

four

tim

es

grea

ter t

han

the

heat

of t

he s

un. A

t a m

inim

um, i

t will

bur

n sk

in a

nd d

amag

e in

tern

al o

rgan

s. H

igh

volta

ge e

lect

ricity

can

arc

sig

nific

ant d

ista

nces

thro

ugh

the

air.

Be a

war

e of

all

abov

e gr

ound

hig

h vo

ltage

line

s an

d ke

ep a

ny p

art o

f the

eq

uipm

ent a

t lea

st 1

0 fe

et a

way

from

ove

rhea

d lin

es.

• W

ater

und

er h

igh

pres

sure

can

cau

se s

erio

us in

jury

. Was

tew

ater

con

tain

s ba

cter

ia

that

can

be

a si

gnifi

cant

hea

lth ri

sk. S

ewer

gas

will

igni

te a

nd b

urn.

Re

cog

niz

e u

nsa

fe c

on

dit

ion

s•

Poo

ls o

f liq

uid,

blo

win

g di

rt, h

issi

ng s

ound

s, v

apor

clo

uds,

gas

eous

odo

rs, b

ubbl

es

in s

tand

ing

wat

er, d

ead

vege

tatio

n, a

nd fr

ozen

soi

l or i

ce n

ext t

o pi

pelin

es a

re

all s

igns

of a

nat

ural

gas

or p

etro

leum

pip

elin

e le

ak a

nd s

houl

d be

trea

ted

as a

n em

erge

ncy.

• T

reat

con

tact

with

any

ele

ctric

line

as

an e

mer

genc

y re

gard

less

of w

heth

er it

ap

pear

s un

dam

aged

, dam

aged

or s

ever

ed. T

his

incl

udes

con

tact

with

abo

ve

grou

nd h

igh

volta

ge li

nes.

• U

tiliti

es o

ften

join

tly u

se tr

ench

es p

laci

ng y

ou a

t gre

ater

risk

in tr

ench

es th

at a

lso

have

ele

ctric

ity.

• W

et o

r dis

colo

red

soil

is a

n in

dica

tion

of a

wat

er/s

ewer

leak

and

sho

uld

be tr

eate

d as

a p

oten

tial e

mer

genc

y co

nditi

on.

Pro

vid

ed

by

Pip

elin

e

Ass

oc

iati

on

fo

r P

ub

lic

Aw

are

ne

ss

PU

LL

-OU

T

SA

FE

TY P

OS

TE

RE

me

rge

ncy

co

nd

itio

ns

invo

lvin

g

un

de

rgro

un

d

faci

litie

s in

clu

de

le

aks,

ru

ptu

res,

e

xp

losi

on

s, fi

res,

se

vere

se

ttlin

g o

r so

il m

ove

me

nt,

we

ake

ne

d

or

da

ma

ge

d f

ac

iliti

es

an

d s

imila

r in

sta

nc

es

wh

ere

imm

ed

iate

a

cti

on

is n

ec

ess

ary

to

pre

ven

t lo

ss o

f lif

e,

inju

ry t

o p

ers

on

s, o

r d

am

ag

e t

o p

rop

ert

y a

nd

th

e e

nvi

ron

me

nt.

Eve

ry s

itu

ati

on

is

diffe

ren

t a

nd

m

ust

be

eva

lua

ted

o

n t

he

ind

ivid

ua

l c

irc

um

sta

nc

es.

Be

low

a

re g

en

era

l em

erg

en

cy

resp

on

se g

uid

elin

es

for

vari

ou

s e

me

rge

nc

y/d

am

ag

e s

itu

ati

on

s in

volv

ing

un

de

rgro

un

d

fac

iliti

es.

NEVE

R BU

RY A

DAM

AGED

FAC

ILIT

Y!Ev

en a

min

or s

crap

e, n

ick,

cut

, tea

r, br

eak,

or d

ent s

houl

d be

repo

rted

to th

e fa

cilit

y ow

ner i

mm

edia

tely

. If n

ot p

rom

ptly

re

paire

d, it

cou

ld re

sult

in a

futu

re le

ak, s

ervi

ce o

utag

e, e

xplo

sion

, acc

iden

t, in

jury

, or d

eath

.

The

abov

e in

form

atio

n is

inte

nded

for

educ

atio

nal p

urpo

ses

only.

Infra

stru

ctur

e Re

sour

ces,

LLC

and

Pip

elin

e As

soci

atio

n fo

r Pub

lic A

war

enes

s as

sum

e no

liab

ility

fo

r any

indi

vidu

al’s

use

of o

r rel

ianc

e up

on th

e ab

ove

info

rmat

ion.

Whi

le

ever

y ef

fort

is m

ade

to p

rovi

de a

ccur

ate

and

relia

ble

info

rmat

ion,

Infra

stru

ctur

e Re

sour

ces,

LLC

and

Pip

elin

e As

soci

atio

n fo

r Pub

lic A

war

enes

s do

not

gua

rant

ee o

r w

arra

nt th

at th

e in

form

atio

n is

com

plet

e,

accu

rate

or u

p-to

-dat

e.

Re

spo

nd

imm

ed

iate

lyN

atu

ral G

as

an

d P

etr

ole

um

Liq

uid

s1.

Tur

n of

f equ

ipm

ent,

if it

can

be d

one

safe

ly.

2. A

band

on a

ll eq

uipm

ent a

nd g

et a

saf

e di

stan

ce a

way

.3.

Avo

id o

pen

flam

es o

r any

thin

g th

at m

ight

sta

rt a

fire

. Do

not s

tart

mot

or v

ehic

les

or e

lect

rical

equ

ipm

ent.

Rem

ove

all

igni

tion

sour

ces

(cig

aret

tes,

cel

l pho

nes,

or a

nyth

ing

that

cou

ld c

reat

e a

spar

k or

sta

tic e

lect

ricity

).4.

Eva

cuat

e th

e ar

ea a

nd k

eep

peop

le o

ut.

5. D

o no

t mak

e co

ntac

t with

esc

apin

g liq

uids

.6.

Do

not o

pera

te a

ny p

ipel

ine

valv

es.

7. C

all 9

11 o

r you

r loc

al fi

re, p

olic

e, o

r she

riff’s

offi

ce.

8. D

o no

t try

to p

ut o

ut a

fire

. If i

t’s b

urni

ng, l

et it

bur

n; a

sk lo

cal fi

re fi

ghte

rs to

obs

erve

and

pro

tect

adj

acen

t pro

pert

y.9.

Con

tact

the

faci

lity

oper

ator

imm

edia

tely

to re

port

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Reaccione inm

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Gas N

atural y Líquid

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erivado

s1. Apague el equipo, si lo puede hacer con seguridad.2. Abandone todo el equipo y aléjese a una distancia segura.3. Evite llam

as abiertas o cualquier cosa que pueda prender fuego. No arranque vehículos de m

otor 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. N

o haga contacto con escapes de líquidos.6. N

o maneje las válvulas de gasoductos/oleoductos.

7. Llame al núm

ero de emergencia 911 o llam

e a las oficinas locales del cuerpo de bomberos, policía, o sheriff.

8. No trate de apagar el fuego. Si está ardiendo déjelo quem

ar; pídale a los bomberos que observen y protejan la propiedad

adyacente.9. Inm

ediatamente póngase en contacto con a la com

pañía que opera los gasoductos/oleoductos para reportar las condiciones.

Electricid

ad1. Sólo m

ueva 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 m

isma vez, y luego sólo aléjese arrastrando los pies o saltando.

3. Si hay impacto con un cable enterrado y la tierra está m

ojada, la tierra en el área alrededor del impacto puede estar energizada.

(Reduzca el riesgo de electrocutarse alejándose saltando o arrastrando los pies.)4. Inm

ediatamente póngase en contacto con la com

pañía que opera las instalaciones para reportar la emergencia.

5. Si es apropiado llame al núm

ero de emegencia 911 para ayuda local.

Acued

ucto/A

lcantarillado

1. Evacúe el área de inmediato y no deje que la gente se acerque. Un escape de agua puede llenar una zanja rápidam

ente haciendo su escape sum

amente dificil.

2. No cierre las válvulas para im

pedir 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 posiblem

ente contaminar el sistem

a 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. M

uévase con cuidado alrededor de zanjas que tienen las paredes mojadas. Tierra m

ojada puede derrumbarse fácilm

ente y causar asfixia.5. Evite contacto con aguas residuales. N

o camine o trabaje alrededor de aguas residuales.

6. Los gases del alcantarillado son inflamables; evite llam

as abiertas o cualquier cosa que pueda iniciar un incendio.7. Inm

ediatamente póngase en contacto con la com

pañía que opera los acueductos y alcantarillados para reportar la emergencia.

Fibra Ó

ptica/C

om

unicación

1. Si el cable de fibra óptica está cortado, no mire adentro de la punta del cable. Graves daños a los ojos pueden ocurrir.

2. Inmediatam

ente póngase en contacto con la compañía que opera la fibra óptica para reportar la situación.

The above information is intended for

educational purposes only. Infrastructure Resources, LLC and Pipeline Association for Public Aw

areness assume no liability

for any individual’s use of or reliance upon the above inform

ation. While

every effort is made to provide accurate

and reliable information, Infrastructure

Resources, LLC and Pipeline Association for Public Aw

areness do not guarantee or w

arrant that the information is com

plete, accurate or up-to-date.

For more information or to register, call 866-279-7755 or visit CGAconference.com

UNITING THE INDUSTRYIn Preventing Damage and Saving Lives

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OOPS! Darn! Everything was going well during the excavation until that

“Pop” sound. Now the dirt is flying and the smell of rotten eggs indicates that a gas line was just hit. Now what should an excavator do?

The number one goal is the protection of life and property. That includes the excavating crew as well as the utility and the general public. That is a lot of protecting. Based on the lessons learned from a number of natural gas excavation incidents, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommends calling 911 immediately when a gas line gets hit and leaks. Then call the gas company. Many states now require a call to 911.

Even if the pipe does not appear to be damaged, or no gas seems to be leaking, it needs to be professionally inspected by utility crews before excavation is filled back in. Even a minor scrape to a pipeline could cause major safety problems in the future.

The NTSB points out Emergency responders can usually get there faster than utility crews and they carry more authority when it comes to evacuating people and securing the area.

In this same time frame, preventing ignition of the blowing gas is critical. Gas utilities and other authorities recommend shutting off or extinguishing any source of ignition, including equipment and vehicles, communication equipment including cell phones, cigarettes and/or open flames..

Move carefully and cautiously to safety

Jerry Gann, Manager of Operations Compliance for CenterPoint Energy, says to call 911 and the pipeline operator, if you know who they are, and report the leak. Provide helpful information such as describing the intensity of the leak and how it was damaged. For natural gas the sound levels of the leak may give a clue as to the size of the leak. A natural gas leak trapped underground can be a serious issue since the natural gas will take the path of least resistance and travel to unexpected places. So do not backfill boring holes if the line was hit by a boring machine. Once the gas is venting freely into the air, it is lighter than air and will travel upwards, and you only have to keep ignition sources away.

One of the first questions the excavator has to consider is where to evacuate to and how far away should I be from the leak. Gann says the excavator should move immediately to a safe location, preferably upwind

Gas Excavator Emergency Response


and evacuate others in the area. Once everyone is evacuated, limit entry into the area of the blowing leak. How far is a safe distance? Gann says, “It will vary with the size and type of the pipeline leak, but imagine if there was a burning building next to the leak, ask yourself how far away should I be from the burning structure and that should get you a safe distance away.” One caveat to that would be a liquids type of pipeline leak. You would want to be away from any vapor clouds or pooling liquids on the ground.

If the gas line was pulled up, but not broken at the hit, the excavator should ask himself where the slack came from. The odds are that the line broke somewhere and it is leaking at that location. The break may be obvious by noise and blowing dirt, but not always. If the line was a service line, the leak may be at or inside a building some distance away. Even if the break was outside the building, gas may still be migrating into the building, making prompt evacuation critical.


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.

…the NTSB recommends calling 911 immediately when a gas line gets hit and leaks. Then call the gas company…Emergency responders can usually get there faster and they carry more authority when it comes to evacuating people and securing the area.



By Walt Kelly, Damage Prevention Consultant

37

To get a more complete understanding of the seriousness of this issue, read some of the NTSB reports at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/reports_pipeline.html, especially incidents in St. Paul and St. Cloud, MN and Allentown, PA. In these three incidents, the time between damage and explosion ranged from 13 to 39 minutes. A total of eight people died, 89 were injured, and damages were in the millions. All three involved service lines.

About the Author WALT KELLY is a consultant in underground facility damage prevention and serves as an expert witness in damage lawsuits. He can be reached at [email protected] or at 507.454.5147.

What to do in the event of underground damage

No such thing as minor damage

What if the damaged line is exposed and there is a leak? Should the excavator try to stop the gas flow? “Do not attempt to repair the leak. Allow the gas to vent into the atmosphere”, says Dennis Jarnecke, Program Manager at the Gas Technology Institute says. “Static electricity in the pipe or in your clothes can be a source of ignition. An accumulation of static electricity can cause a spark and ignite the gas. During blowing gas situations charges can build up on the inside and outside of the polyethylene (PE) pipe. This is due to the high flow of natural gas inside the pipe during a blowing gas situation. Incidents have occurred where the static charge in the PE pipe has 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 in close proximity to each other creating a spark in the area of the blowing gas, similar to when a static spark is created in the winter when a person reaches out to open a car door.“

What should an excavator do if there is only the slightest damage to a gas pipeline? Jarnecke says: “Any time pipe is dented, or the wrap is scraped call the local natural gas provider. They will need to inspect the pipe before it is buried or covered with fill. Even if the pipe is just nicked or bent, leave it exposed so the local natural gas provider can inspect it and make any necessary repairs. Care should be taken to avoid breaking the small wires located on or near natural gas pipelines. Companies with buried pipelines use different types of wires, some are for locating plastic pipelines and others are necessary to monitor steel pipelines for proper protection from corrosion. If the wire is broken, call the local companies so repairs can be made to damaged facilities.”

The gas main after being hit by the backhoe. The gas main needed two repairs that day – one for the auger hit and one for the backhoe hit.

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


I t is obvious to most that operations near energized lines can be

hazardous to installer safety. But the post installation results can be even more hazardous to the general public health and operations personnel. The importance of avoiding the creation of cross bores during construction is a safety issue that has been recognized.

The highest likelihood of creating cross bores is during trenchless construction because visual observation is not pos-sible. Trenchless construction tools include HDD, plows and percussion moles.

Most utility installers are focused on one or two types of utilities. Specialization is appropriate. Fiber optic installers may not be experts at water lines. Gas installers may not be familiar with sewer lines. To avoid damage, knowledge of other types of utilities becomes important. Sure, we need to know the location of other utilities, but we need to know the consequences as well.

It is essential to take appropriate actions to locate and avoid existing installations. Errors in planning, mislo-cated utilities, improper construction and proximity effects 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- 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-

likely to see any immediate results if a cross bore results at either location. These intersections are not a water line that will show itself by water boiling to the surface or a communication line that results in a phone that does not work. So the installation is left and the project completed without the knowledge of damage and that a cross bore was created. Job well done? Not hardly.

Worsening with timeThe problem is that over the years the

sewer line can back up to the house, perhaps because the gas line ob-structs flow or roots get in the sewer. Then the home owner rents a root cutting machine or calls a sewer drain cleaning company. There are thousands of companies that do this; my phone directory has 44 sewer cleaner companies.

What happens next often includes the use of a rotating cutter designed to cut roots – it works well on cutting plastic gas lines, too. If you have put a gas line in the sewer, the cutter will cut the line, the sewer line gets pressurized. If the access has been made

Cross Bores: Ticking Time Bombs?

38

from inside the house the gas flows into the house, then an explosion and fire results. A pilot light or switch is all that is needed to set it off. Job not so well done!

This is exactly the scenario of a February, 2010 explosion in Minnesota and of many others previously. The first record of a cross bore investigation was conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of a Wisconsin cross bore explosion in 1976. There two people died and four were injured.

Once created, such a cross bore is a “ticking time bomb”. It does not melt away. It will only be eliminated by finding it through a sewer cleaner’s cutter or by other methods, usually cctv inspections. This could have been your home, your families’ home or a friends’ home. Don’t think it is just someone else’s problem and that the likelihood is remote. I have two friends that have had cross bores at their homes. In one case the directional drilling operator “felt” something (going through a clay sewer) and the other owner required an inspection before the drain cleaner started cutting. He was knowledgeable of the cross bore risks.


FIGURE 1: Class 1 Cross Bore FIGURE 3: Existing sewers

FIGURE 2: Cross bore, gas in sewer


By Mark Bruce, President, Cross Bore Safety Association

39

Most are not.

In fact the rate of cross bores discovered by legacy inspection projects of old trenchless gas distribution installations in high risk areas is between 2 to 3 cross bores per mile. By the way, live gas cross bores have been found at a school and at a hospital.

We can do better now that we know the risks and the problem

Some progressive contractors have been advocating cross bore safety since the late 1990’s. They have been involved in cross bore explosions and seen the destruction first hand. They have felt that things should and could be changed from within the industry. Their efforts have been heard.

Advantages of cross bore elimination include:1. Preservation of a company’s

reputation. 2. Action now rather than waiting

for bad news.3. The cost effectiveness of prevention.4. The morally right actions are taken.

Sure, many times the sewers are not lo-cated by the operator or at least not timely. Some states exclude gravity sewers from the requirements of locating altogether. Depths are almost universally not given. Since depths are required for avoiding cross bores, prelocating, including depth, must often be done anyway. Gas

Author’s Footnote (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.

What to do in the event of underground damage

utilities and their installers may be at a disadvantage, but it does not minimize the necessity of maintaining pipeline integrity requirements.

A case in actionToday’s best techniques insure that no

new sewer cross bores are created during new construction. Quick action by Minnesota Office of Fire Marshall and Pipeline Safety following explosions on May 10, 2010 required mandatory cross bore prevention efforts(1). These are minimum requirements for new construction. They have flexibility and offer an approval process of innovative techniques. Every contractor should take note. The requirements will help lower risk and keep your company’s operations safer and at lower risk.

Legacy inspections have been per-formed for nearly 10 years by some progressive gas utilities. The realizations of potential catastrophic results of cross bores have led to several inspection pro-grams in service areas that are high risk. High risk would include where trenchless technology was used to install gas distribution lines and where sanitary sewers are in potential proximity to those lines. If it could be determined, for in-stance, that all homes had septic systems exiting the rear of the structures and all gas lines were at the front, it may not be a high risk area.

One of the first thoughts may be “I didn’t know.” Fair enough. Let’s work together to find the best solutions and share those ideas with others in the industry.

But, I know that it is normal to have a bit of reaction when new requirements are put on our traditional way of doing things. We often need to be pulled and pushed into change kicking and screaming.

Let me share some reasons why you should be in favor of cross bore safety:1. You and your coworkers may save

yourselves from injury or death.

2. You may prevent death to unsuspecting residents including you, your family or your friends.

3. It may allow the industry to continue to use trenchless installation techniques. (Some cities have put moratoriums on trenchless).

4. A level playing field is created where all companies have the same requirements. The installers that use safe methods will not have their efforts undercut by those that cut costs by using less safe methods.

5. At least one utility study has found that cross bore prevention has been evaluated at lower cost than by con-tinuing old methods.

6. It is morally right.

Those that have looked at this issue, whether contractor, utility or regulator have found that cross bore prevention is effective, financially prudent and appropriate. Participating with your experience and knowledge will make for a more balanced solution to eliminate cross bores. For more information go to www.crossboresafety.org.


…the rate of cross bores discovered by legacy inspection projects of old trenchless gas distribution installations in high risk areas is between two to three cross bores per mile…live cross bores have been found at a school and a hospital.

eXcAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline edition

A ccording to the Common Ground Alliance’s annual DIRT Report, the

leading root cause of damages to buried pipelines is “Excavation Practices Not Sufficient.” 63.9% of these damages are caused by backhoes or trenchers. When a pipeline is being crossed there are extra precautions that can be taken to ensure you don’t add to those statistics.

Step towards safetyThe first step is to call the local One

Call center. In the U.S. you can simply call 811 to notify all utilities in the area, but your responsibility does not end there. Search the area for the existence of a pipeline. Look in all directions for pipeline warning signs by walking the perimeter 50 to 100 feet from the dig site. Look for meter stations, valve stations, casing vents, or any above ground evidence of a pipeline, and talk to local landowners. After all facilities have been located and marked, the excavator needs to set up an on-site meeting with the pipeline operator. At this meeting, detailed maps and plans should be exchanged, and the controlled area needs to be set. Once the project reaches the control area, the pipeline operator should be present during excavation.

Physically locating the facility needs to be the next step. Hand tools and

vacuum excavation can effectively and safely help you lay eyes on the pipe. Take full advantage of current technologies to ensure the pipe and its coating are not damaged during exposure. Even minor scratches can lead to major problems in the future, so any contact needs to be reported to the pipeline operator.

The safety solution? Wrap it up!

A great deal of care is taken exposing pipeline, but statistics show that once the pipeline has been exposed it is at its most vulnerable. Of the damages caused during excavation, 39% are caused by a failure to maintain clearance. The technology exists, that would greatly reduce the number of these damages or their severity while increasing safety. Using a product like Safety Wrap can eliminate small dings and scrapes caused by minor, incidental contact with the pipe that would require costly repairs and downtime.

Safe Excavation Near Pipelines Can Save You $50,000 By Joe Schippers, Two Rivers Pipeline Construction,

[email protected]


Safety Wrap is a temporary pipe wrap that installs in just minutes and can prevent both minor incidents or a major breach. A cut-out repair to a pipeline costs upwards of $50,000, and you can’t put a dollar figure on the safety of your workers. Low visibility can lead to problems, any operator can have a bad day, and accidents happen on the job. A highly visible, and incredibly durable, protective wrap for the pipe provides that extra level of safety.

At Two Rivers Pipeline Construc-tion we know how important it is to go the extra mile for safety. With over 50 years of experience, Tommy Cronk of Two Rivers makes safety our daily focus on the job. Not only is safety good business, but as Tommy like to say “everyone deserves to go home at night”. That goal can be accomplished by following all OSHA guidelines for benching and shoring, thorough com-munication with the pipeline operator, and taking full advantage of all the new technologies available.


Take full advantage of current technologies to ensure the pipe and its coating are not damaged during exposure. Even minor scratches can lead to major problems in the future, so any contact needs to be reported…

Safety Wrap at work


Perpendicular crossings will be designed and bridge maintenance and ROW re-storation will be specified. Established in the planning phase of the work this agreement ensures pipeline integrity and cost minimization.

Ounce of prevention, not a pound of cure

Pipeline operators usually conduct continuing surveillance and often identify unauthorized activity on the pipeline easements. Finding unauthorized en-croachment activity will often result in a costly investigation and pipeline integrity inspections at a substantial cost to the offending company.

Cooperative relations between the pipeline and logging industries can be fostered by reaching out with education and prevention programs. Events such as Logging Association festivals, contractor damage prevention seminars, and other dig safety events are valuable networking opportunities. Take advan-tage of these opportunities to build working relationships with those whom you are sharing common ground.

As the U.S. oil and natural gas pipeline infrastructure continues to

grow, so too does the forestry industry. It is inevitable that at the crossroads of this expansion there exists a high probability that the industries will experience interaction, resulting in more encroachments and the potential for facility damages. Damage Prevention is not always a high priority when production schedules are established and often times get trumped during the project planning stage.

Overground industry meets underground infrastructure

Pipelines reside primarily underground and the logging industry works primarily above ground and the buried pipelines. Heavy equipment on the surface harvest the trees and transportation equipment move product from the forest to the roadways. Crossing pipeline ROW’s with

heavy equipment and/or creating staging area within an easement can damage an underground pipeline by providing overburden stress, causing stone and rock onto the pipe causing dents or coating damage and removing pipeline cover or destroying natural vegetation promoting soil erosion. Damage to the pipeline may not manifest itself until years into the future as a result of the harmful stress or coating damage causing pipeline corrosion. Most pipeline

failures are the result of such third party damage and can be catastrophic in the worst case scenario.

Many pipeline companies require a Logging Encroach-ment Agreement before logging activi-ties are permitted. The formal agree-ment covers all aspects of work, including limits on skidding and the prohibition of wor-king in parallel to the pipeline ROW.

On Common Ground: Pipeline and Forestry Industries Must Work Together

By Ron Miller, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company


Explore OnlineFor more information about the forestry industry, visit http://forestindustry.com/

About the Author RONALD F. MILLER, in addition to his responsibilities as an Area Manager for Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. He can be reached by phone at 716.378.1840 or via email at [email protected].

Many pipeline companies require a Logging

Encroachment Agreement…cover[ing] all aspects of work, including limits on skidding

and the prohibition of working in parallel to

the pipeline ROW.

Designed crossing (inset), properly used

41 EXCAVATION Safety Guide Pipeline Edition

E S O U R C E D I R E C T O RY RR

Common Ground AllianceExcavation Best Practices 8.0

For complete listing of Common Ground Alliance Best Practices, visit CommonGroundAlliance.com

PROJECT OWNER EXCAVATOR DESIGNER

FACILITY OWNER ONE CALL LOCATOR CENTER

(1) Starting with Version 5.0, the CGA uses icons to assist readers in identifying the practices that pertain to their specific industry/stakeholder group.

5-1: One-call Facility Locate RequestPractice Statement: The excavator requests the location of underground facilities at each site by notifying the facility owner/operator through the one call center. Unless otherwise specified in state/provincial law, the excavator calls the one call center at least two working days and no more than ten working days prior to beginning excavation.

5-2: White LiningPractice Statement: When the excavation site can not be clearly and 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.

5-3: Locate Reference NumberPractice Statement: The excavator receives and maintains a reference number from the one call center that verifies the locate was requested.

5-4: Pre-excavation MeetingPractice Statement: When practical, the excavator requests a meeting with the facility locator at the job site prior to the actual marking of facility locations. Such pre-job meetings are important for major, or unusual, excavations.

5-5: Facility RelocationsPractice Statement: The excavator coordinates work which requires temporary or permanent interruption of a facility owner/operator’s service with the affected facility owner/operator in all cases.

5-6: Separate Locate RequestsPractice Statement: Every excavator on the job has a separate one call reference number before excavating.

5-7: One Call Access (24/7)Practice Statement: The excavator has access to a one call center 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.

5-8: Positive ResponsePractice Statement: The excavator is notified by the underground facility owner/operator of the tolerance zone of the underground facility by marking, flagging, or other acceptable methods at the work site, or is notified that a no conflict situation exists. This takes place after notification from the one call center to the underground facility owner/operator and within the time specified by state/provincial law.

5-9: Facility Owner/operator Failure To RespondPractice Statement: If the facility owner/operator fails to respond to the excavator’s timely request for a locate (e.g., within the time specified by state/provincial requirements) or if the facility owner/operator notifies the excavator that the underground facility cannot be marked within the time frame and a mutually agreeable date for marking cannot be arrived at, the excavator re-calls the one call center. However, this does not preclude 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.

5-10: Locate VerificationPractice Statement: Prior to excavation, excavators verify they are at the correct location and verify locate markings and, to the best of their ability, check for unmarked facilities.

5-11: Documentation Of MarksPractice Statement: An excavator uses dated pictures, videos, or sketches with distance from markings to fixed objects recorded, to document the actual placement of markings.

5-12: Work Site Review With Company PersonnelPractice Statement: Prior to starting work, the excavator reviews the location of underground facilities with site personnel.

5-13: One call Reference Number At SitePractice Statement: The excavator’s designated competent person at each job site has the one call ticket number.

5-14: Contact Names And NumbersPractice Statement: The excavator’s designated competent person at each job site has access to the names and phone numbers of all facility owner/operator contacts and the one call center.

5-15: Facility AvoidancePractice Statement: The excavator uses reasonable care to avoid damaging underground facilities. The excavator plans the excavation so as to avoid damage or minimize interference with the underground facilities in or near the work area.

5-16: Federal And State RegulationsPractice Statement: The excavator adheres to all applicable federal and state/provincial safety regulations, which includes training as it relates to the protection of underground facilities.

5-17: Marking PreservationPractice Statement: The excavator protects and preserves the staking, 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 mark is removed or no longer visible.

5-18: Excavation ObserverPractice Statement: The excavator has an observer to assist the equip-ment operator when operating excavation equipment around known underground facilities.

5 -19: Excavation Tolerance ZonePractice Statement: 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”.

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(1)

Common Ground Alliance Excavation Best Practices 8.0

5-20: Excavation Within Tolerance ZonePractice Statement: When excavation is to take place within the specified tolerance zone, the excavator exercises such reasonable care as may be necessary for the protection of any underground facility in or near the excavation area. Methods to consider, based on certain climate or geographical conditions, include: hand digging when practical (pot holing), soft digging, vacuum excavation methods, pneumatic hand tools, other mechanical methods with the approval of the facility owner/operator, or other technical methods that may be developed. Hand digging and non-invasive methods are not required for pavement removal.

5-21: Mis-marked FacilitiesPractice Statement: The excavator notifies the facility owner/operator directly or through the one call center if an underground facility is not found where one has been marked or if an unmarked underground facility is found. Following this notification, the excavator may continue work if the excavation can be performed without damaging the facility, unless specified otherwise in state/provincial law.

5-22: Exposed Facility ProtectionPractice Statement: Excavators support and protect exposed underground facilities from damage.

5-23: Locate Request UpdatesPractice Statement: The excavator calls the one call center to refresh the ticket when excavation continues past the life of the ticket (sometimes, but not always, defined by state/provincial law). This recognizes that it 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.Original locate request tickets are generated so that the minimum number of locate request updates are necessary for the duration of a project. Locate request updates are not generated after all the excavation covered by a locate request is completed. Communication between excavation project planners, field personnel, and clerical personnel is essential in accomplishing this task. (2)

5-24: Facility Damage NotificationPractice Statement: The excavator calls the one call center to refresh the ticket when excavation continues past the life of the ticket (sometimes, but not always, defined by state/provincial law). This recognizes that it 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.

5-25: Notification Of Emergency PersonnelPractice Statement: If the damage results in the escape of any flammable, toxic, or corrosive gas or liquid or endangers life, health, or property, the excavator responsible immediately notifies 911 and the facility owner/operator.(3) The excavator takes reasonable measures to protect themselves and those in immediate danger, general public, property, and the environment until the facility owner operator or emergency responders have arrived and completed their assessment.(4)

5-26: Emergency ExcavationPractice Statement: In the case of an emergency excavation, excavator notifies the one call center and facility owner/operator as soon as reasonably possible. This includes situations that involve danger to life, health or property, or that require immediate correction in order to continue the operation of or to assure the continuity of public utility service or public transportation.

5-27: BackfillingPractice Statement: The excavator protects all facilities from damage when backfilling an excavation. Trash, debris, coiled wire, or other material that could damage existing facilities or interfere with the accuracy of future locates are not to be buried in the excavation.

5-28: As-built DocumentationPractice Statement: Contractors installing underground faci-lities notify the facility owner/operator if the actual placement is different from expected placement.

5-29: Trenchless Excavation (5)

Practice Statement: All stakeholders adhere to all Best Practices and the following general guidelines prior to, during and after any trenchless excavation (as applicable): • The excavator requests the location of underground facilities at the entrance pit, trenchless excavation path, and the exit pit by notifying the facility owner/operator through the one call center. • The trenchless equipment operator performs a site inspection walking the trenchless excavation path prior to commencing work and has a good understanding of the job.• The trenchless excavation operator confirms and maintains the path and minimum clearances established by the project owner and design engineer by tracking and recording the path of the trenchless excavation until complete. Means of tracking trenchless excavations include: electronic locating/guidance de- vices, pipe lasers, water levels, visual inspection, etc.• When existing facilities are known to be present but cannot be potholed due to local conditions the facility owner and the excavator meet to discuss how to safely proceed with the excavation.• Stop the trenchless excavation operations if an abnormal condition, unknown substructure or other hidden hazard is encoun-tered. Proceed safely only after positive identification has been made. (Additional Information: Refer to practices 2-13 & 4-19)

5-30: Emergency Coordination with Adjacent Facilities (6)

Practice Statement: Emergency response planning includes coordination with emergency responders and other above and/or underground infrastructure facility owner/operators identified by the Incident Commander through the Incident Command System/Unified Command (ICS/UC) during an emergency.

5-31: No Charge for Providing Underground Facility Locations (7)

Practice Statement: Upon notification by one call centers, locations of underground facilities are provided by operators at no cost to excavators.

5-32: Vacuum Excavation (8)

Practice Statement: Vacuum excavation, when used appropriately, is an efficient, safe and effective alternative to hand digging within the designated underground facility tolerance zone. Use of equipment must also follow State/Provinical Laws and/or Local Ordinances.

(5) TR-2002-03: Amendment Approved by CGA Board on September 16, 2005(6) TR-2005-02: Amendment Approved by CGA Board on September 8, 2006(7) TR-2007-06: Amendment Approved by CGA Board on August 8, 2008(8) TR-2009-09: Amendment Approved by CGA Board on September 10, 2010

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(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


44

(1) the depth of 12” is the exemption for Agricultural purpose less than this depth(2) 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Sept - April(3) excludes weekends and state-recognized holidays

(4) 10 working days for DE; 12 business days in Eastern Shore MD(5) 24” for DE; 18” in Eastern Shore MD(6) Non-mechanized dig area is 18’ from exterior sides of facility

One-Call and State Law Directory

You can reach your local one-call center in the United States by dialing 811.

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.

ALASKAALASkA DigLine, inC. 800-478-3121 • 907-278-3121www.akonecall.com / Hours: M-F: 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM, May - Aug(2)

Advance notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 14 daysLaw Link: www.akonecall.com/faq.htm

ALABAMAALAbAMA 811 800-292-8525 • www.al811.comHours: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-FAdvance notice: 2 working days Marks Valid: 14 calendar daysLaw Link: www.al1call.com/state_law.html

ARIZONAArizOnA bLue StAke, inC. 800-782-5348 or 602-263-1100 • www.azbluestake.comHours: 6:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-FAdvance notice: 2 full working days(3) Marks Valid: 15 working days (1)

Law Link: http://www.azbluestake.com/pdfs/40-360.pdf

ARKANSASArkAnSAS One-CALL SySteM, inC. 800-482-8998 • www.arkonecall.comHours: 24 hours, 7 daysAdvance notice: 2 to 10 working days Marks Valid: 20 working daysLaw Link: www.arkonecall.com/statelaw/statelaw.html

CALIFORNIAunDergrOunD SerViCe ALert nOrtH 800-227-2600 • www.usanorth.orgHours: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM , M-FAdvance notice: 2 working days up to 14 calendar days Marks Valid: 28 daysLaw 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-FAdvance notice: 2 working days up to 14 calendar days Marks Valid: 28 daysLaw Link: www.digalert.org/statelaw.asp

COLORADOCOLOrADO 811 800-922-1987 • www.co811.orgHours: 24 hoursAdvance notice: 2 days, not to include the day of notice Marks Valid: 30 daysLaw Link:www.uncc2.org/web/pdf/colorado_one_call_law.pdfCONNECTICUTCALL befOre yOu Dig 800-922-4455 • www.cbyd.comHours: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-F; Emergencies 24 HoursAdvance notice: 2 full working days(3) up to 30 calendar daysMarks Valid: 30 days / Law Link: www.cbyd.com/education_excavator.html

DELAWAREMiSS utiLity Of DeLMArVA www.missutilitydelmarva.com800-282-8555 (DE) • 800-441-8355 (Eastern Shore MD) / Hours: 24 hours, 7 daysAdvance 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

FLORIDASunSHine StAte One-CALL Of fLOriDA, inC. 800-432-4770 • www.callsunshine.com / Hours: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM (EST), M-FAdvance notice: 2 full business days (10 if dig site is underwater) Marks Valid: 30 daysLaw Link: www.callsunshine.com

tiCketS StAte LAwS & PrOViSiOnS exeMPtiOnSnOtifiCAtiOnS

ACCePteD

N Y Y Y Y N N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 12”(1)

Y Y Y N 18”

Y Y Y Y Y N N N N Y N N N N N N Y Y Y N 24”

FAX: 907-278-0696

N Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y N N N N Y N N Y Y N 24”

Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y N N N N Y Y Y N 18”

FAX: 501-328-2522

N Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N N N Y N Y N 24”

N Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N N N Y N Y N 24”

N Y Y Y Y Y N N Y(6)

N Y Y N Y Y N Y Y Y N 18”

N Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y N N N Y N Y Y Y N 18”

Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y N N Y N N N N Y Y N (5)

FAX: 410-712-0062

N Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N 24”

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(1) excluding the day called in(2) but not more than 28 calendar days(3) 48 hours notice (two working days), but no more than a 14 calendar day advance notice prior to the start of excavation


You can also reach your local one-call center in the United States by dialing 811.

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.

HAWAIIHawaii One CaLL Center 866-423-7287 • www.callbeforeyoudig.orgHours: 24 hours, 7 daysadvance notice: 5 working days(2) Marks Valid: 28 calendar daysLaw Link: www.CallBeforeYouDig.org/law.htm

GEORGIAGeOrGia 811 800-282-7411 • www.Georgia811.comHours: 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM, M-F • (24/7 emergency)advance notice: 48 hours1) Marks Valid: 21 calendar daysLaw Link: http://www.georgia811.com/lawspolicies.aspx

IDAHODiG Line 800-342-1585 • www.digline.comHours: 24 hoursadvance notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 3 weeksLaw Link: www.3.state.id.us/idstat/TOC/55022KTOC.html

BOnner/BOunDry One-CaLL 800-626-4950 • www.passwordinc.comHours: 24 hoursadvance notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 3 weeksLaw Link: www.password.com/dt_laws.html

SHOSHOne/BenewaH One-CaLL 800-398-3285 • www.passwordinc.comHours: 24 hoursadvance notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 3 weeksLaw Link: www.password.com/dt_laws.html

KOOtenai COunty One-CaLL 800-428-4950 • www.passwordinc.comHours: 24 hoursadvance notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 3 weeksLaw Link: www.password.com/dt_laws.html

ILLINOISJuLie, inC. 800-892-0123 • www.illinois1call.comHours: 24 hours, 7 daysadvance notice: 2 working days minimum(3) Marks Valid: 28 calendar daysLaw Link: www.illinois1call.com/law_policies/law.htm

CHiCaGO DiGGer 312-744-7000 • www.cityofchicago.org/transportation Hours: 6:00 AM - 10:00 PMadvance notice: 48 hours Marks Valid: 28 daysLaw Link: www.illinois1call.com/law_policies/law.htm

INDIANAinDiana 811 800-382-5544 • www.indiana811.orgHours: 24 hours, 365 daysadvance notice: 2 full working days (3) Marks Valid: 20 calendar daysLaw Link: www.indiana811.org/law.php

IOWAiOwa One-CaLL 800-292-8989 • www.iowaonecall.comHours: 24 hours, 7 daysadvance notice: Two working days Marks Valid: No expiration(4)

Law Link: www.iowaonecall.com/Default.aspx?tabid=404#iowa

tiCKetS State LawS & PrOViSiOnS exeMPtiOnSnOtifiCatiOnS

aCCePteD

N Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y 24”

Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N Y N N N Y Y Y N 30”

FAX: 877-695-2466

Y Y N Y Y Y N Y N Y N N 15” N Y 15” Y Y Y Y 24”

FAX: 208-342-8907


FAX: 208-769-2805


FAX: 208-769-2805


FAX: 208-769-2805

Y Y N Y Y Y N N Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y N 18”

FAX: 800-292-0222

Y Y N Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y N N N Y N Y N Y N 18”

FAX: 312-742-0950

N Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y N N N Y Y N Y Y Y N 24”

N Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y N N N N N 15”(5)

Y Y Y N 18”

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(4) Markings will be done in a manner that will last for a minimum of five working days on any non-permanent surface, or a minimum of ten working days on any permanent surface. If the excavation will continue for a longer period of time, the excavator may contact the Iowa One Call Center to have the lines re-marked.(5) Agriculture ONLY


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(1) not including the day the notice was placed(2) excludes weekends and holidays

Know what’s below. 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.

KENTUCKYKentuCKy 811 800-752-6007 • www.kentucky811.orgHours: 24 hours, 365 daysAdvance notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 21 daysLaw Link: www.kentucky811.org/law.asp

KANSASKAnsAs One-CALL systeM, InC. 800-344-7233 • www.kansasonecall.comHours: 24 hours, 7 daysAdvance notice: 2 full working days(1) Marks Valid: 15 calendar daysLaw Link: www.kansasonecall.com/static/pdf/KUUPDA_04.03.2010.pdf

LOUISIANALOuIsIAnA One CALL 800-272-3020 or 811 • www.laonecall.comHours: 7:00 AM - 6:00 PMAdvance notice: 48 to 120 hours Marks Valid: 10 calendar daysLaw Link: www.laonecall.com/law_frame_page.htm

MAINEDIg sAfe 888-344-7233 • www.digsafe.comHours: 24 hours, 7 daysAdvance notice: 72 hours(2) Marks Valid: 60 daysLaw Link: www.digsafe.com/laws_statelaws.htm

MARYLANDMIss utILIty CALL Center 800-257-7777 • www.missutility.netHours: 24 hours, 7 daysAdvance notice: 2 full business days Marks Valid: 12 business daysLaw Link: www.missutility.net/maryland/mdstatelaw.asp

MICHIGANMISS DIg systeM, InC. 800-482-7171 • www.missdig.orgHours: 24 hoursAdvance notice: 3 business days(2) Marks Valid: 3 weeks to 6 monthsLaw Link: www.missdig.org/MissDig/PublicAct53.htm

MASSACHUSETTSDIg sAfe 888-344-7233 • www.digsafe.com Hours: 24 hours, 7 daysAdvance notice: 72 hours(2) Marks Valid: 30 days from ticket dateLaw Link: www.digsafe.com/laws_statelaws.htm

MINNESOTAgOpHer stAte One-CALL 800-252-1166 or 651-454-0002 • www.gopherstateonecall.org Hours: 24 hours • Advance notice: 48 hours(2) Marks Valid: 14 daysLaw Link: www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/statutes/?id=216D

MISSISSIPPIMIssIssIppI 811, InC. 800-227-6477 or 811 • www.ms811.orgHours: 24 hours, 7 daysAdvance notice: 2 working days Marks Valid: 10 working daysLaw Link: www.ms1call.org/one-call-law

MISSOURIMIssOurI One CALL systeM 800-344-7483 • www.mo1call.comHours: 24 hours, 7 daysAdvance notice: 2 working days Marks Valid: As long as visibleLaw Link: www.mo1call.com/manual_law.php

tICKets stAte LAws & prOVIsIOns exeMptIOnsnOtIfICAtIOns

ACCepteD

N Y Y Y Y Y N N Y N N N N N Y N N Y Y N 24”

N Y Y Y Y N N N Y Y N Y N Y Y N Y Y Y N 18”

Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y N N Y N N N N Y Y N 18”

FAX: 225-272-2770

N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N Y N Y N Y N 18”

Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y N N N N N N N Y Y N 18”

FAX: 410-712-0062

N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N N N Y N Y N Y N 18”

N Y Y N Y Y N N Y Y N Y N N N N N Y Y Y 18”

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N N N N N N N Y Y N 24”

FAX: 651-454-0170 or 800-236-4697

Y Y Y N Y Y N N Y Y Y N N N 24” 12” Y Y Y N 18”

FAX: 601-362-7533

Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y N Y N N Y Y N Y Y Y N 24”

FAX: 800-217-3717

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(1) excluding weekends and state/federal holidays(2) up to 28 calendar days(3) excluding the day of the call




MOntana One CaLL Center 800-551-8344 www.montana811.com • Hours: 24 hours, 365 daysadvance notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 30 daysLaw Link: http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca_toc/69_4_5.htm

MONTANAMOntana 811800-424-5555 • www.montana811.org / Hours: 24 hours, 365 daysadvance notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: 30 daysLaw Link: http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/mca/69/4/69-4-501.htm

NEBRASKADiggerS HOtLine Of nebraSka 800-331-5666 • www.ne-diggers.comHours: 24 hours, 365 daysadvance notice: 48 hours(1) Marks Valid: 10 daysLaw Link: www.ne-diggers.com/statelaw/stateordinances.aspx

NEVADAUnderground Service alert north 800-227-2600 • www.usanorth.orgHours: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM, M-Fadvance notice: 2 working days(2) Marks Valid: 28 daysLaw Link: www.usanorth.org/USANmarking.html

NEW HAMPSHIREDig Safe 888-344-7233 • www.digsafe.comHours: 24 hours, 7 daysadvance notice: 72 hours(1) Marks Valid: 30 daysLaw Link: www.digsafe.com/laws_statelaws.htm

NEW JERSEYnew JerSey One-CaLL 800-272-1000 • www.nj1-call.orgHours: 24 hoursadvance notice: 3 full business days Marks Valid: 45 business daysLaw Link: www.nj1-call.org/ufa-law.phpNEW MEXICOnew MexiCO One-CaLL, inC. 800-321-2537 • www.nmonecall.orgHours: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-F / Emergencies: 24 hoursadvance notice: 2 working days Marks Valid: 10 business daysLaw Link: www.nmonecall.org/law_main.htm

NEW YORKDig SafeLy new yOrk 800-962-7962 • www.digsafelynewyork.comHours: 24 hours, 365 daysadvance notice: 2 to 10 working days(3) Marks Valid: 10 working daysLaw Link: www.digsafelynewyork.com/res/coderule.asp

Dignet Of new yOrk City/LOng iSLanD 800-272-4480 • www.dignetnycli.com / Hours: 24 hours, 7 daysadvance notice: 2 business days (3) Marks Valid: 10 working daysLaw Link: www.dignetnycli.com

NORTH CAROLINAnOrtH CarOLina One-CaLL Center, inC. 800-632-4949 • www.ncocc.orgHours: 24 hours, 365 daysadvance notice: 2 Full working days (1) Marks Valid: 15 working daysLaw Link: http://nc811.org/nclaws.htm

tiCketS State LawS & PrOViSiOnS exeMPtiOnSnOtifiCatiOnS

aCCePteD

Y Y N Y Y Y N N N N N N N N N N N Y Y N 18”

FAX: 800-424-5555

Y Y N Y Y Y N N N N N N N N N N N Y Y Y 18”

FAX: 406-752-7306

Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y N Y Y N Y Y N Y Y Y N 18”

FAX: 402-330-5626

N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N N N Y N Y N 24”

N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N Y N Y N Y N 18”

Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y Y N N N N N Y N Y N 24”

FAX: 800-705-4559

Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y Y N N N N N Y Y Y N 18”

FAX: 800-727-8809

N Y N Y Y Y N N Y Y N N N N N N Y Y Y N 24”

N Y N Y Y Y N N Y Y N N N N N N Y Y Y N 24”

Y Y Y N Y N N N Y N Y Y N N Y N Y Y Y Y 30”

FAX: 366-299-1914

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(1) excludes weekends and holidays(2) during construction phase; 10 to 90 days, design phase(3) as long as equipment is on site(4) from start date on ticket

(5) for agricultural tilling and road and ditch maintenance only; homeowners have a 12” depth exception for tilling of soil and gardening.(6) 2’ either side of the facility plus the width of the facility(7) but not more than 10 working days(8) As long as marks are visible and work begins within 10 days of original ticket


OHIOOhiO Utilities PrOteCtiOn serviCe 800-362-2764 • www.oups.orghours: 24 hours, 7 daysAdvance notice: 48 hours (7) Marks valid: As long as visible (8)

law link: law link: www.oups.org/Home/TheLaw.aspx

NORTH DAKOTAnOrth DAKOtA One-CAll 800-795-0555 • www.ndonecall.comhours: 24 hoursAdvance notice: 48 hours(1) Marks valid: 10 calendar days

Oil AnD GAs UnDerGrOUnD PrOteCtiOn serviCe 800-925-0988 • www.ogpups.org / hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-F (except holidays)Advance notice: 48 hours Marks valid: 7 dayslaw link: law link: www.oups.org/law/Law_law.html

OKLAHOMACAll OKie 800-522-6543 • www.callokie.comhours: 24 hours, 7 daysAdvance notice: 48 hours Marks valid: 10 business dayslaw link: www.callokie.com/information/law/default.asp

OREGONOreGOn Utility nOtifiCAtiOn Center 800-332-2344 • www.digsafelyoregon.com / hours: 24 hours, 7 daysAdvance notice: 2 days to the life of the project Marks valid: Life of projectlaw link: www.digsafelyoregon.com/faqs/ounc_ors_oar.htm

RHODE ISLANDDiG sAfe 888-344-7233 • www.digsafe.comhours: 24 hours, 7 daysAdvance notice: 72 hours(1) Marks valid: 60 days (exemption state contract work)law link: www.digsafe.com/laws_statelaws.htm

PENNSYLVANIAPennsylvAniA One CAll systeM, inC. 800-242-1776 • www.paonecall.orghours: 24 hours, 7 daysAdvance notice: 3 to 10 business days(2) Marks valid: (3)law link: www.paonecall.org/palaw

SOUTH CAROLINAsOUth CArOlinA 811 888-721-7877 • www.sc811.com hours: 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM, M-F • Marks valid: 15 working daysAdvance notice: Not less than 3 or more than 10 full working dayslaw link: http://www.sc811.com/SCStateLaw.aspx

SOUTH DAKOTAsouth Dakota One-Call Center 800-781-7474 • www.sdonecall.comhours: 24 hoursAdvance notice: 48 hours(1) Marks valid: 21 working days(4)

law link: www.sdonecall.com/law.asp

TENNESSEEtennessee 811 800-351-1111 • www.tnonecall.comhours: 24 hours Marks valid: 15 calendar daysAdvance notice: Not less than 3 working days, not more than 10 working dayslaw link: www.tnonecall.com/index-3.html

tiCKets stAte lAws & PrOvisiOns exeMPtiOnsnOtifiCAtiOns

ACCePteD

Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N Y N N N N N N N N Y N 24”

FAX: 877-848-7479

N Y Y N Y Y N N N Y N N N N Y N Y Y Y N 18”

Y N Y N Y Y N N N Y N N N N N N Y Y N N 18”

FAX: 740-587-0446

Y Y Y N Y N Y N Y Y N N N N Y N N Y Y N 24”

FAX: 800-377-1339

Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N 12” N N N N Y Y N 24”

FAX: 503-293-0826

N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N Y N Y Y Y N 18”


N Y Y Y Y N N N N N Y Y Y N N N N Y Y N 30”

N Y Y Y Y Y N N N Y N N N N Y 18”(5)

Y Y Y N 18”

Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N N N Y N N Y Y N 24”(6)

FAX: 615-366-5021

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(1) but not more than 14 days(2) 18” plus half the diameter of the pipeline from the outside edge of either side of the pipeline(3) excluding weekends and holidays(4) excluding the day of the call

(5) www.missutilityofvirginia.com/utiloperloc/DamagePreventionAct/tabid/361/Default.aspx(6) Utilities Code Title 5, Chapter 251: http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/UT/htm/UT.251.htm Admin Code, Title 16, Chapter 18: http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=4&ti=16&pt=1&ch=18&rl=Y




LOne Star nOtifiCatiOn Center800-669-8344 • www.lsnconecall.com / Hours: 24 hours, 7 daysadvance notice: 2 working days(1) Marks Valid: 14 working daysLaw Link: www.rrc.state.tx.us/formpr/tdr.html

TEXAStexaS 811 800-344-8377 • www.texas811.orgHours: 24 hoursadvance notice:48 hours(1) (3) Marks Valid: 14 working daysLaw Link: (6)

UTAHBLue StakeS Of utaH 800-662-4111 • www.bluestakes.orgHours: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-F Marks Valid: 14 calendar daysadvance notice: 2 business days, 48 hours notice Law Link: www.le.state.ut.us/%7Ecode/TITLE54/54_08a.htm

VERMONTVerMOnt Dig Safe 888-344-7233 • www.digsafe.comHours: 24 hours, 7 daysadvance notice: 48 hours(3) Marks Valid: 30 daysLaw Link: www.digsafe.com/laws_statelaws.htm

VIRGINIAVirginia utiLity PrOteCtiOn SerViCe, inC. 800-552-7001 • www.va811.com / Hours: 24 hours, 7 daysadvance notice: 2 working days(4) Marks Valid: 15 working daysLaw Link: (5)

WASHINGTONutiLity nOtifiCatiOn Center 800-424-5555 • www.washington811.comHours: 24 hours, 365 daysadvance notice: 2 business days Marks Valid: Once marked, must be kept visibleLaw Link: www.callbeforeyoudig.org/law.htm

WASHINGTON D.C.DiStriCt One CaLL 800-257-7777 • www.missutility.netHours: 24 hours, 7 daysadvance notice: 48 hours Marks Valid: 15 business daysLaw Link: www.missutility.net/media/pdf/dcTitle34.pdf

WISCONSINDiggerS HOtLine 800-242-8511 • www.diggershotline.comHours: 24 hours, 7 daysadvance notice: 3 working days Marks Valid: 1o calendar daysLaw Link: www.diggershotline.com/alt-wilaw.htm

WEST VIRGINIAWeSt Virginia 811 800-245-4848 • www.wv811.comHours: 24 hours Marks Valid: 10 daysadvance notice: 2 days but not more than 10 daysLaw Link: www.muwv.org/modules.php?name=WV_Law

tiCketS State LaWS & PrOViSiOnS exeMPtiOnSnOtifiCatiOnS

aCCePteD

N Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y Y Y N Y Y 16” Y Y Y N (2)

N Y

N Y Y Y N Y N N Y Y N N N N N N N N Y N 24”


N Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y N N Y Y Y N Y Y Y N 24”

Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N N N N N N Y Y N Y Y Y 24”

FAX: 503-234-7254

Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y N N N N N N N N Y N 18”

FAX: 301-621-1711

Y Y Y Y Y N N N N N N Y N N Y N Y Y Y N 24”

FAX: 800-217-3720

Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N Y N N N N N N Y Y Y Y 18”

FAX: 800-338-3860

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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 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 unclear, providing the method of positive response to the one-call center, making a second notice to the one-call center if a positive response is not made or evidence of a of pipeline is present, and 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.


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(1) extendable to 30 days provided certain conditions are met(2) 300 mm (12”) hand tools only

(3) Entire length of project as long as excavation started within 14 days of placing the request (4) except provisional holidays


GULFSAFEGulfSafe 888-910-4853 (GULF) • www.gulfsafe.com(Covers state and federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico, the florida Straits and atlantic Coast)

Hours: 24 hoursadvance Notice: 7 working days Marks Valid: Not Applicablelaw link: Not Applicable

WYOMINGONe-Call Of WyOMiNG 800-849-2476 • www.onecallofwyoming.comHours: 24 hoursadvance Notice: 2 full business days Marks Valid: 14 business dayslaw link: www.onecallofwyoming.com/law.htm

ALBERTAalberta ONe-Call COrpOratiON 800-242-3447 • www.alberta1call.comHours: 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM, M-F (Emergency: 24/7)advance Notice: 2 full working days Marks Valid: 14 days(1)

BRITISH COLUMBIAbC ONe-Call 800-474-6886 • www.bconecall.bc.ca Hours: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PMadvance Notice: 3 working days excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidaysMarks Valid: (3)

QUEBECiNfO-exCaVatiON 800-663-9228 • www.info-ex.comHours: 24 hoursadvance Notice: 72 hours (3 working days)Marks Valid: 30 days

ONTARIOONtariO ONe-Call 800-400-2255 • www.on1call.comHours: 24 hours, 365 daysadvance Notice: Minimum of five days for standard requestsMarks Valid: 30 days

SASKATCHEWANSaSK 1St Call 866-828-4888 • www.sask1stcall.com Hours: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM, M-F(4)

advance Notice: 2 full working daysMarks Valid: 10 working days

tiCKetS State laWS & prOViSiONS exeMptiONSNOtifiCatiONS

aCCepted

Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y Y N N N Y N Y Y Y N 24”

FAX: 800-217-3719

N Y N N N N Y N N N N Y NA NA NA NA Y Y Y NA NA

tiCKetSprOViNCial laWS

& prOViSiONS exeMptiONSNOtifiCatiONS

aCCepted

Y Y Y N N N N N N Y Y N N N N (2) Y Y Y N 1m(39”)

FAX: 800-940-3447

Y Y Y N Y N Y N Y N N N N N N N Y Y Y N

FAX: 604-451-0344

Y Y Y N Y N N N Y Y Y N N N N N Y Y Y Y

FAX: 800-400-8876

Y Y Y N Y N Y N Y Y Y N N N N N Y Y Y N

FAX: 514-331-0791

Y Y Y N N N N N N N N N N N N N Y N Y N

FAX: 866-455-5559

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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA

UndergroUnd Service Alert north 800-227-2600 • www.usanorth.org

A recent report by the common ground Alliance, has determined an underground unity line is damaged during digging projects every three minutes nationwide. When calling 811 in Central & Northern California and throughout Nevada, homeowners and contractors will be connected to USA north, the local one-call center. USA North in turn notifies the appropriate owner / operators of the underground facilities who are also members of USA North. Members who have been notified of your intent to dig will 1) mark or stake the horizontal path of their facility, 2) provide information about the location of the facility, or 3) advise the excavator of the clearance, for the facilities that they own, operate or maintain.

Public awareness is also an important service we provide and our Public Relations Department has been in high demand this year. We stayed busy offering free safety presentations to our members as well as contractors. The presentations are a great way to educate your employees on the California Government Code 4216 / Cal-OSHA 1541 code and the NRS 455 and NAC 455 for Nevada. Use our presentations in your required safety meetings, as a refresher course for those who need to be reminded of the importance of Calling Before you Dig!

Our Safety presentations last approximately 90 minutes and also include information on USA North background, procedures, and different ways to 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].

What’s Happening in your State

UndergroUnd Service Alert SoUthern cAliForniA 800-227-2600 • www.digalert.org

Possibly the time has arrived to introduce a new phrase. It’s no longer just “call before you dig” because so much is being done on the internet now. When someone uses twitter, they tweet. On FaceBook, people post. Possibly when someone uses digAlert express, they can Expressit!

DigAlert Express can speed the ticketing process along and is available at your convenience – 24/7 – and no waiting on the phone for the next available representative to help you. So, submit your single address locations any time, night or day…just Expressit! It’s fast and, just like all DigAlert tickets, it’s still free. DigAlert Express can be found on the internet at www.digalert.org. As for choosing new phrases, another good one is “ticket first, safety always.”

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAALABAMA

AlABAMA 811 800-292-8525 • www.azbluestake.com

Our plans for 2011 were interrupted by a catastrophic tornado this past April that completely destroyed our offices. We spent the rest of the year regrouping and rebuilding, however it gave us a chance to learn what we did well and what we need to do better. Our business continuity plan was certainly put to the test and by all accounts we passed.

What was important to our board and to our members after we knew that all of our employees were safe, was could we continue to provide protection to our state’s underground facilities and the answer was yes.

We have since rebuilt and recently moved into our new complex that was rebuilt at the same location.

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.

colorAdo 811 800-992-1987 • www.co811.org

At colorado811, 2012 will bring about the realization of yet more, cost and time saving automation and enhancements.

In early 2012, we will deploy the new HTML5 version of ticket express, an online, self-service application where the general public may access and process underground facility locate requests. By second quarter, we will deploy additional phone switch automation to systematically deliver Tier One, Tier Two and Legal Disclaimers through a Text-To-Speech engine. Colorado811.org has a new foundation, framework and design, and in 2012 many new features and improvements will be added to the site functionality. The new site is built on the Liferay Portal technology, and this is the same technology used to buile the damage Prevention Portal.

DPPortal.org is an internet/intranet site built for use by the colorado damage Prevention Action team (cdPAt) as well as the entire damage Prevention council (dPc) community. With this site, DPCs will have the ability to create and manage events, invite and track invitations and attendees and provide industry related content and topics of discussion. The portal also allows stakeholders to issue and track non-compliance notifications. DPPortal is online in a version one (v.1) state and is currently in the “build-up” process for both users and content.

COLORADO



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SUNSHINE STATE ONE-CALL OF FLORIDA, INC. 800-432-4770 • www.callsunshine.com

Large fines, low-impact marking require-ments, penalties for false emergency tickets. These are just a few of the changes included in legislation effective October 1, 2010. Don’t let dangerous digging affect your bottom line.

Any local or state law enforcement officer, government code inspector, or code enforcement officer in Florida can issue citations to excavators who do not follow two new requirements in Chapter 556, F.S. Those violations, described below, are in addition to the existing violations: failure to request a locate ticket, failure to wait the legal time before digging, failure to stop digging when marks are destroyed, and failure to stop digging when an underground facility is contacted or damaged. The minimum fine is $500.

1. s.556.107(1)(a)6 and s.556.109(2), F.S.: Creates a non-criminal violation 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 substance transported by means of an underground facility; any interruption of vital public service or communication caused by any break or defect in a member’s underground facility; or any impairment of public roads or utilities that requires immediate repair, as determined by FDOT or another affected political subdivision.

a. Emergency tickets are for emergencies as defined above. Don’t use them to avoid waiting for locate marks.

b. Callers and ITE users are required to answer six questions to verity the emergency. If they cannot answer yes to any of the questions but still insist on an emergency ticket, they can be cited for a false emergency ticket.

c. Excavators that damage an underground facility and create an emergency situation as defined above should stop excavating and notify the member directly.

2. s.556.107(1)(a)7, F.S.: Creates a non-criminal violation for failure to follow low-impact marking practices..

GEORGIA 811 800-282-7411 • www.Georgia811.com

Homeowner eTicket is now available at http://georgia811.com/quiktik.aspx

Homeowner eTicket is an online 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.

FLORIDA

GEORGIA

Please follow these simple steps and you will be on your way to obtaining your locate request.

Step 1 - Complete the online application for the eTicket

Step 2 - Upon completion, your application will be sent to Georgia 811

Step 3 - If the we have any questions you will be contacted either by phone or email.

Step 4 - Once we have processed your application, you will receive an email confirmation and your eTicket.

Please remember that you are not clear to dig until the eTicket has been processed and we send a copy of your completed eTicket to you.

Step 5 - Georgia law states that you must wait until the “legal date” (the date you may legally begin your work as shown on your locate request ticket), before any mechanized excavation is to take place. However, we recommend for safety’s sake that you wait for this date before beginning any digging project.

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 consider your application null and void.

JULIE, INC. 800-892-0123 • www.illinois1call.com

Since JULIE’s founding more than 35 years ago, excavator safety and utility damage prevention have been our primary mission. As a not-for-profit organization covering the state of Illinois (outside the city limits of Chicago), JULIE is involved in a number of proactive activities throughout the year. JULIE’s Damage Prevention Managers are available at no cost to discuss and provide safety and education presentations to excavators, facility owners or the general public regarding the one-call process, common marking terms or state law. Classes or presentations can be tailored to meet the specific educational needs of a company or group

JULIE’s helpful call center agents are available to receive and process locate 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 for details.

CHICAGO DIGGER 312-744-7000 • www.cityofchicago.org/transportation

If digging within the city limits of Chicago, excavators should contact DIGGER (Chicago Utility Alert Network) at 312-744-7000. If excavating in other states, you can reach that state’s notification center by simply calling 811.

ILLINOIS

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Mississippi 811, inc. 800-227-6477 or 811 • www.ms811.org

Mississippi 811 is proud to be one of the stakeholders in the Mississippi Damage prevention council working to create a stronger and more effective damage prevention program. Our focus is change behaviors and we recognize that can be achieved through business practices as well as the law. As a result of this group’s commitment to damage prevention, our state is a safer place to live and work. There is much left to do, and this is the group to get it done in Mississippi.

The MDPC is implementing an 811 license plate program. The license plate can help fund the organization as well as serve as a reminder to call before you dig.

Our DPC groups are very active across the state and continue to provide 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.

MISSISSIPPI

iOWA OnE-cALL 800-292-8989 or 811 • www.iowaonecall.com

As of February 1, 2011, One call concepts (Occ) has taken over operations at the Davenport, Iowa call center. Call center operations were previously handled by One call systems (Ocs), until their closing in early fall of 2010. As the new call center vendor, OCC brings new technologies, including new ticketing software. The old ticket entry systems, IBIS and ONTRY, are no longer available. The new online ticket entry system is called “iTic” and it is a very intuitive and user-friendly software solution. Iowa One Call users can set up their own ITIC user accounts by registering online at www.iowaonecall.com.

2012 will bring many positive changes and enhancements to the Iowa One Call system, including a new website to be implemented in early August, enhanced features to the ITIC online ticket entry system, and other software system solutions (e.g.: enhanced Positive Response). I look forward to a safe and productive year as excavators, operators and stakeholders across the state adhere to uncompromising safety standards, which always includes effective use of the Iowa One Call Notification System and the Common Ground Alliance’s Recommended Best Practices.

iOWA OnE-cALL 800-252-1166 or 811 or 651-454-0002 www.gopherstateonecall.org

Perhaps you’ve seen or used (Quick Response) QR codes to shop your favorite retail store online? A two-dimensional matrix barcode first designed for the automotive industry in 1994, QR codes have recently become increasingly popular outside of that industry due to their fast readability and relatively large storage capacity.

Gopher State One Call (GSOC) constantly works to offer ever more efficient ways to contact your call center, while at the same time offering options to accommodate your personalized communication style. Savvy smartphone users, whether facility operator, locator, professional excavator or homeowner, can now anticipate a steady increase

in the use of QR codes by GSOC on its promotional and educational publications. Today, tomorrow, and in the coming future, count on GSOC to utilize, maintain and develop the cutting edge technology that will help streamline the Gopher State One Call “experience”.

IOWA MINNESOTA

LOUisiAnA OnE cALL 800-272-3020 or 811 • www.iaonecall.com

2012 looks to be another banner year in Louisiana. We continue to work with our members and stakeholders in Louisiana to help make our “Dig Law” and enforcement of the law be more effective and fairer for all stakeholders.

We work with the AcTs team to promote damage prevention through building stronger relationships. The magazine focuses on protecting all underground facilities. Our Louisiana 811 magazine is sent out to all users and members of our system. Additionally, it is mailed to all mayors and Parish officials.

Our first Louisiana Damage prevention summit is scheduled for April 16 – 18, 2012 in Baton Rouge. We expect this event to be a perfect fit to our efforts to create a stronger damage prevention program through training, certification, education and networking.

LOUISIANA



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NORTH CAROLINANORTH CAROLINA ONE-CALL CENTER, INC. 800-632-4949 • www.ncocc.org

With 2012 in full swing, North Carolina 811 is working on an aggressive com-munication program to reach out to our stakeholders in damage prevention. While email will be our primary process, we intend to communicate the important message of damage prevention through CGA media, Call 811, our own Newtin System, our North Carolina 811 maga-zine and a targeted billboard campaign.

Our Marketing Liaisons will deliver our message through presentations at Pipes Plus meetings, UCC meeting, trade show events and safety tailgate sessions.

We are looking to find ways to make it easier to access information in the field. QR codes have been placed onto a window cling. These are being distributed so that field personnel can scan the codes with a smart phone and get linked to important sites and documents.

Another important field tool will be the introduction of our Newtin System’s “update lite.” This application allows field personnel to update a ticket in the field using their ticket number and phone number.

This is proving to be an exciting year for North Carolina 811 and we look forward to finding ways to partnering with our stakeholders committed to reducing damages in our state

MISSOURI ONE CALL SYSTEM 800-344-7483 or 811 • www.mo1call.com

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office is concerned with safeguarding the lives and property of the citizens of Missouri as related to the programs detailed in Chapter 319. In cooperation with Missouri One Call Systems Inc., the Public Service Commission and, both, the utility and excavation industries, the Attorney General’s Office will be increasing their visibility and investigations of utility and excavator violations of the law.

Over 50 warning letters were issued since January 1, 2011 to excavators who failed to place a locate request to locate request and utilities that failed to respond to locate requests. Additionally, letters were mailed to utilities who had not yet joined Missouri One Call as required by law.

As damages continue to cause injuries and impact utility reliability with service interruptions, the Attorney General is taking a more aggressive stance on ensuring that excavators and utilities alike are in compliance with Missouri law.

Jack McManus, Director of the Agriculture & Environment Division of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office (which serves as the chief enforcement agency for Chapter 319 RSMo.) indicates their willingness to minimize the risk to public health and safety through their actions. McManus declared, “The Missouri General Assembly has given us the responsibility to assure compliance with this law, and we take that responsibility very seriously”.

MISSOURI

NEW MEXICONEW MEXICO ONE-CALL, INC. 888-321-2537 • www.nmonecall.org

Like most one call systems, New Mexico 811 has had a busy year. This past year we attained ISO 9001:2008 certification. This is a real achievement as it has taken years to accomplish. The idea was to achieve our mission statement with the highest level of quality and efficiency.

Recently we moved into our brand new office complex at 1021 Eubank Blvd in Albuquerque. The new facility provide backup generation and computer facilities, enabling New Mexico 811 to remain operational in all situations. There are meeting rooms that are made available for member’s usage as well.

We continue to work with all stakeholders by providing training and education with regards to our rules of operations and damage prevention laws. Another tool used by New Mexico 811 is our quarterly publication published by ACTS and is mailed to the users and members of our organization. The magazine focuses on New Mexico people and their perspectives as it relates to keeping our state a safer place to live and work.

OHIOOHIO UTILITIES PROTECTION SERVICE 888-362-2764 • www.oups.org

We are working with the ACTS team to host our 2nd annual Damage Prevention Summit in Columbus on April 2 – 4, 2012. We’re confident that the event will be another positive connection with stakeholders in Ohio as we continue to find ways to work together to promote safety and protect our underground infrastructure.

O. U. P. S. is one of the stakeholders of the Ohio Underground Damage Prevention Coalition, whose purpose is “to biennially, at a minimum, evaluate the Ohio Revised Code as it relates to underground damage prevention in order to develop fair and reasonable public policy which provides a safe environment for the public and excavators by protecting Ohio’s underground utility infrastructure from excavation damage through educating and communicating the results of these efforts to state policymakers.”

Our proactive marketing team and the many volunteers across the state are gearing up for another safe digging month.

We work with the ACTS team to publish the Damage Prevention Journal, our quarterly magazine. The magazine has been well received and allows us to focus on what’s important to all of the stakeholders in our state.

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SOUTH CAROLINASouth Carolina 811 888-721-7877 • www.sc811.com

In the past year, various changes have been implemented which will affect damage prevention of underground facilities in South Carolina. Most importantly, the South Carolina Underground Facility Damage Prevention Act was recently signed into law by Governor haley. This new digging law will go into effect on June 7, 2012 and it will have a major impact on the future of digging in South Carolina.

This law will affect almost every aspect of digging, from calling in a locate to how you finish your excavation work. Here are a few of the changes: The tolerance zone will be decreased from 30 inches on either side of the utility line to 24 inches on either side of a utility line. The notification time period will be increased from 72 hours to three full working days, which does not include the day the notice was made. Membership to the one call center (SC811) will become mandatory and will be implemented over three years based on the size of the utility company. 360 Positive Response will be mandatory. This means that a locator must respond that the lines have been located and an excavator must close out a ticket after the excavation work is done. Other changes include the restructuring of the SC811 Board of Directors and the implementation of a damage prevention training program at SC811.

To view a copy of the law, visit www.sc811.com and click on the law link at the bottom of the homepage. Here you will find a link to a copy of the new law. If your organization would like a presentation on the new law, contact Charleigh Elebash at 803-939-1117, ext. 0 or at [email protected].

Also in the past year, Palmetto utility Protection Service, inc. began doing business as South Carolina 811 in an effort to further promote the 811 number. 811 is the national number to call in order to have the underground facilities in your area marked so you will know where it is safe to dig. Visit www.sc811.com for more information.

PENNSYLVANIAPEnnSYlVania onE Call SYStEM, inC. 888-242-1776 • www.paonecall.org

Pennsylvania One Call System, Inc. PA Safety Day conferences will be held at three locations in 2012: Thursday, May 10 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (Eastern), Thursday, June 21 at the Memorial Hall East & West at the York Expo Center (Central), and Thursday, September 13 at the Cranberry Township Public Works facility (Western). We expect over 3,000 excavators, designers, facility owners, project owners, public officials, emergency responders and other excavation professionals in attendance at these three conferences. If you are not familiar with PA One Call’s Safety Days, or would like to see a recap of 2011, please visit http://vimeo.com/36045331.

UTAHBluE StaKES oF utah 888-662-4111 • www.bluestakes.org

During the 2011 Utah Legis-lative Session, Senate Bill 111 amending Utah Code Title 54, Chapter 8a, Damage to Underground Utility Facilities Act was introduced, passed and signed into law. The amended changes became effective on May 10, 2011.

Highlighted provisions of the amended changes include:

1. Requires facility operators to mark underground facilities using as a guideline the Uniform Color Code and Marking Guidelines, Appendix B, published by the Common Ground alliance (CGa). Also requires excavators to pre-mark the proposed dig site when required using the same guidelines.

2. Does not allow Update locate requests to be submitted sooner than 6 calendar days before the locate request it’s updating expires.

3. Provides facility operators, when extenuating circumstances exist, the option of requesting the excavator pre-mark the proposed excavation site before locating and marking their underground facility.

4. Places liability on an excavator for damages caused to an underground facility occurring within 24 inches of an above ground presence of the 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.

TEXAStEXaS811 888-344-8377 • www.texas811.org

We just completed our 3rd annual Texas Damage Prevention Summit in San Marcos and according to the feedback from those who exhibited and who attended the event it was the most successful to date. The Summit is modeled after the CGA event, and focuses on Texas and the challenges our members and contractors face in working together. Our next event is scheduled for February 19 – 21, 2013 in Fort Worth.

There are currently 21 Damage Prevention Councils active across Texas. And the areas covered by these councils include around 95% of the entire 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 their company vehicles. We are working hard to “drive home the damage prevention message.”

We work with the aCtS team to create our quarterly magazine that focuses on Texas and damage prevention. It is one of the tools we use to provide training and education across the state. The magazine has likely generated more positive feedback from the recipients than any project we’ve started.

Community Assistance and Technical Services (CATS)www.phmsa.dot.gov/about/org

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) works to protect the American public and the environment by ensuring the safe and

secure movement of hazardous materials to industries and consumers by all transportation modes, including the nation’s pipelines. There are over 2 million miles of pipelines buried in the United States, which is enough to circle the earth 83 times.PHMSA and its Community Assistance & Technical Services (CATS) team are charged with the task of facilitating clear communications among all pipeline stakeholders, including the public, the operators and government officials. CATS managers are located within five geographical regions. Contact information for the CATS managers for your state is noted here.

CATS National CoordinatorChristie Murray: [email protected]: 202-366-4996

OPS Central RegionIllinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin Harold Winnie: [email protected]: 816-329-3836

OPS Southern RegionAlabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee Joe Mataich: [email protected]: 404-832-1159

OPS Eastern RegionConnecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia Karen Gentile: [email protected] Alex Dankanich: [email protected]: 609-989-2252 Phone: 202-550-0481

OPS Southwest RegionArkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas John Jacobi: [email protected]: 713-272-2839

OPS Western RegionAlaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming Bill Flanders: [email protected] Tom Finch: [email protected]: 907-271-6518 Phone: 720-963-3175

International Locate RodeoEverybody wins. The best competitors win prizes. All competitors win recognition, appreciation, admiration. 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.

Industry Publications

Damage Prevention Professional damagepreventionprofessional.comDamage Prevention Professional Magazine focuses on providing in-depth solutions and insightful information on applications and technologies that are shaping the future of damage prevention and excavation safety. This quarterly magazine will feature a wide array of articles that will benefit ALL stakeholders. If you work for a company who owns buried assets or if you are involved in any type of excavation work, you can help prevent damage to our buried infrastructure.

Outside Plant Magazine OSPmag.comCommunications Service Providers (CSPs) rely on the OSP brand for concise education about evolving network architecture solutions and technology best practices. The most trusted HOW-TO educational resource 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 event offerings

Pipeline & Gas Journal PGJonline.comFor over 152 years, Pipeline & Gas Journal has maintained its position as the recognized authority on pipeline operations worldwide. P&GJ is written for those involved in moving, marketing and managing hydrocarbons from the well head to the ultimate consumer. Readers are given information on the operation of energy pipelines that can be used on their jobs immediately.

Site Prep SitePrepMag.comSite Prep focuses on the challenges and opportunities of site preparation, including site clearing, earthmoving, utilities and envirnomental activities. We cover emerging technologies for and the evolving interaction among contractors, engineers and related professions. Through in-depth coverage, we provide useful information on developmental trends, project management strategies, business processes and successful case studies.

Underground Construction UndergroundConstructionMagazine.comUnderground 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, market analysis, revealing surveys and substantive editorial coverage of issues and regulations. Edited for decision makers, it provides up-to-date, essential telecommunications industry information.


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We also have links to:• One Call Laws• Associations• One Call Centers• Magazines• Regulatory Agencies

If you are looking for more in-depth education we also have a listing of FREE sponsored webinars, a link to Excavation Safety University, and a link to the CGA Excavation Safety Conference & Expo. This site should be a one-stop shop for everything you need for damage prevention and excavation safety. Check it out and let us know what you think, or what we can add.

To subscribe to the print or electronic edition of the quarterly Damage Prevention Professional magazine, go to DamagePreventionProfessional.com. Subscriptions to the electronic edition are always free, and there are a limited number of FREE print subscriptions available as well.

Have you ever wished there was a library where you

could find all the resources you need for a presentation on safe digging or damage prevention, 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 totally revamped website. The specific purpose of the site is to create a “damage prevention community” by gathering all the key information, photos, and videos you might need in one place. We have invested a great deal of time in this site to start, but it will continue to improve and expand as you send us more information.

The resources are easy to search by category using key words, so you can find what you need with just a few clicks. We are continually adding and updating the materials on the site, and you can add items you think might help someone else, too. Access to all these materials is FREE.

Our Library Section is one of the high-lights of the new website. You can search within each section of the library (arti-cles, news, photos, or videos), or you can do one search that scours all categories. If you have photos, videos, or articles you

w o u l d like us to in-

clude (must be non-copyrighted material), please email them to [email protected]. If the material is appro-priate it will be posted and be-come available to anyone ac-cessing the website.

On the Home Page, you will see all the latest industry news. The news will spotlight current and pertinent stories relating to damage prevention and excavation safety issues. Significant stories will be logged into the News Li-brary, if permission is granted by the originator.

If you wish to do more than just re-search, you can also become part of the conversation on our blog. The blog gives you a chance to see what subjects are on people’s minds and being actively discussed. It also gives you a chance to ask a question or start a conversation about a subject that you think should be discussed by your peers.

In our Resources Section we make it really easy to get right to the information you need. This section has key industry documents, like the original Common Ground Study, the CGA Best Practices & DIRT Reports, and much more. All the resources you need right at your fingertips. Please send us any public document you feel others could benefit from, and we will post it in the Resource Section.

New One-Stop Shop for Damage Prevention Information

The specific purpose of the site is to create a “damage prevention community” by gathering all the key information, photos and videos you might need

in one place.

COMPANY EMERGENCY NON-EMERGENCY WEB ADDRESSAera Energy, LLC (800) 247-5977 (661) 665-5149 www.aeraenergy.comAgave Energy Company (575) 748-4555 (575) 748-4546 www.yatespetroleum.comAka Energy Group, LLC (970) 737-2601 (970) 764-6655 www.akaenergy.comAlliance Pipeline L.P. (800) 884-8811 (952) 944-3183 www.alliancepipeline.com

Alliant Energy - IPL (319) 365-8040 (800) 255-4268 www.alliantenergy.comAlliant Energy - WPL (800) 758-1576 (800) 255-4268 www.alliantenergy.comAnadarko Midstream (307) 682-5106 (307) 682-2675 www.anadarko.comAnadarko Petroleum - Utah (800) 738-9816 (307) 233-4523 www.anadarko.comAnadarko 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.comAtmos Energy (866) 322-8667 (303) 831-5674 www.atmosenergy.comAux Sable Midstream (701) 628-9380 (701) 628-9393 www.auxsable.comBarnett 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.comBeta Offshore (562) 606-5711 (562) 628-1534 www.betaoffshore.com

Bitter Creek Pipeline (888) 859-7291 (701) 530-1500 www.bittercreekenergyservices.comBlack Hills Energy (800) 694-8989 (888) 890-5554 www.blackhillscorp.comBlack Hills Power, Inc. (605) 721-2289 (605) 721-2208 www.blackhillspower.comBP America Production (970) 247-6916 (970) 247-6800 www.bp.comBreitburn Management Company, LLC (310) 301-2916 (213) 225-5900 www.breitburn.com

Bridger Pipeline LLC (866) 305-3741 (307) 746-4417 www.truecos.comBrigham Oil & Gas LLP (701) 580-1505 (701) 875-3300 www.bexp3d.comButte Pipe Line Company (866) 305-3741 (307) 746-4417 www.truecos.comCanyon Pipelines LLC (800) 530-3146 (970) 858-3425 www.energytransfer.comCascade Natural Gas (888) 522-1130 (888) 522-1130 www.cngc.comCenex Pipeline LLC (800) 421-4122 (406) 628-5293 www.chsinc.comCentral Resources, Inc. (661) 765-7783 (661) 765-2191 www.centralresources.com

Central Valley Gas Storage (630) 427-5522 (630) 245-7825 www.cvgasstorage.comChaparral 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.comCimmarron Gathering, LLC (866) 254-4373 (800) 401-9019 www.copanoenergy.comCity of Blanding (435) 678-2916 (435) 678-2791 www.blanding-ut.govCity 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.govCity of Sioux Falls (605) 941-2351 (605) 367-8162 www.siouxfalls.orgColorado Interstate Gas Company (CIG) (877) 712-2288 (719) 667-7740 www.cigco.comColorado Natural Gas (800) 720-8193 (303) 979-7680 www.coloradonaturalgas.comColorado Springs Utilities (719) 448-4800 (719) 448-4800 www.csu.orgConocoPhillips - San Juan (800) 688-0158 (505) 324-6149 www.conocophillips.comConocoPhillips Pipe Line Company - CO (877) 267-2290 (303) 376-4365 www.conocophillips.comConocoPhillips Pipe Line Company - WY and MT (877) 267-2290 (406) 855-6963 www.conocophillips.comCopano 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.comCrestwood Arkansas Pipeline LLC (866) 234-7473 (817) 339-5555 www.crestwoodlp.comCrestwood New Mexico Pipeline LLC (866) 234-7473 (817) 339-5555 www.crestwoodlp.comCrestwood Panhandle Pipeline LLC (866) 234-7473 (817) 339-5555 www.crestwoodlp.comCrestwood Sabine Pipeline LLC (866) 234-7473 (817) 339-5555 www.crestwoodlp.comCrooks Municipal Utilities (605) 359-2371 (605) 543-5238 www.cityofcrooks.netDakota Gasification Company (866) 747-3546 (701) 873-6773 www.dakotagas.com/Gas_PipelineDCP Midstream, LLC (800) 435-1679 (361) 584-8518 www.dcpmidstream.comDenbury Onshore, LLC (888) 651-7647 (307) 276-3100 www.denbury.comDevon Energey Production Company LP (800) 214-2154 (307) 856-8111 www.dvn.comDick Brown Technical Services (888) 764-5147 (661) 549-8518Eagle Mountain City (801) 789-5959 (801) 420-0608 www.emcity.org

El Paso Exploration & Production (435) 454-3927 (435) 823-0822 www.elpaso.comEl Paso Natural Gas (EPNG) (800) 334-8047 (719) 667-7740 www.elpaso.com


I P E L I N E O P E R AT O R C O N TA C T I N F O R M AT I O NPPIf you would like any additional information from a pipeline member, call or visit the links below.


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COMPANY EMERGENCY NON-EMERGENCY WEB ADDRESSElba Express Pipeline (800) 252-5960 (719) 667-7740 premier.sonetpremier.com/snghomepageEnbridge Energy (800) 858-5253 (218) 755-6712 www.enbridgeus.comEnbridge Pipelines (North Dakota) LLC (888) 838-4545 (701) 857-0800 www.enbridgeus.comEnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. (877) 386-2200 (720) 876-5248 www.encana.comEnergy Operations Management Inc. (877) 723-3344 (916) 859-4700Energy West - Montana (800) 570-5688 (406) 791-7500 www.ewst.comEnergy West - Wyoming (307) 587-4281 (307) 587-4281 www.ewst.comEnterprise - Jonah Gas Gathering (307) 352-2404 (307) 367-8025 www.epco.comEnterprise Products - Mid America Pipeline (800) 546-3482 (307) 362-2703 www.eprod.comEOG Resources Fort Worth Division - North (866) 616-9446 (817) 344-1082 www.eogresources.comEOG Resources Fort Worth Division - South (817) 389-2729 (817) 344-1082 www.eogresources.comExpress Pipeline LLC (888) 449-7539 (800) 700-8666 www.kindermorgan.comExxonMobil Pipeline Co - Montana (800) 537-5200 (406) 657-5400 www.exxonmobil.comExxonMobil Production (307) 276-6000 (307) 276-6242 www.exxonmobil.comFayetteville Gathering Company (800) 948-4202 (501) 887-4124 www.fayettevillegathering.com

FMC Corporation (307) 875-8150 (307) 872-2131 www.fmc.comFort Union Gas Gathering (307) 682-9710 (307) 670-6025 www.fortuniongg.comFountain Valley Power LLC (719) 382-5155 (719) 382-5885 www.southwestgen.comFront Range Pipeline LLC (800) 421-4122 (406) 628-5293 www.chsinc.comFrontier Pipeline Company (866) 800-7677 (307) 783-7500 www.paalp.comGarretson Natural Gas (605) 594-6723 (605) 594-6723 www.garretsonsd.comGeorgia-Pacific - Crossett Paper (870) 567-8421 (870) 567-8627Great Lakes Gas Transmission (GLGT) (800) 447-8066 (248) 205-4521 www.glgt.comGreat Plains Natural Gas Company (877) 267-4764 (701) 222-7900 www.gpng.comGreencore Pipeline Company, LLC (888) 651-7647 (601) 718-6202 www.denbury.comHavre Pipeline Company LLC (406) 357-2233 (406) 357-3643Hawthorn Oil Transportation, Inc. - ND (888) 814-0188 (701) 628-1635 www.hawthornpipeline.comHawthorn Oil Transportation, Inc. - OK (888) 814-0188 (817) 806-3876 www.hawthornpipeline.comHolly 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.comInergy Services (866) 295-2176 (661) 765-4087 www.inergypropane.comIntermountain Gas Company (877) 777-7442 (800) 548-3679 www.intgas.comKaiser-Frontier Midstream LLC (800) 876-7023 (918) 494-0000 www.kfoc.netKB Pipeline (800) 433-0252 (800) 433-0252 www.portlandgeneral.comKern River Gas Transmission Company (800) 272-4817 (866) 415-6165 www.kernrivergas.comKinder Morgan - Cochin Pipeline (800) 265-6000 (701) 252-9013 www.kindermorgan.comKinder 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.comKoch Pipeline - Southeast Texas (888) 718-6597 (409) 287-1262 www.kochpipeline.comKoch Pipeline - Southern Operations (800) 666-0150 (361) 242-5534 www.kochpipeline.comLinde LLC (800) 232-4726 (307) 875-4480 www.linde.com

Linn Operating Inc. (281) 840-4174 (713) 458-8719 www.linnenergy.comLodi Gas Storage, LLC (800) 307-1107 (209) 368-9277 www.lodistorage.com

Lost Creek Gathering LLC (877) 534-4117 (307) 328-2833Macpherson Oil Company (661) 201-8320 (661) 201-8320 www.macphersonenergy.comMagellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (800) 720-2417 (701) 282-7134 www.magellanlp.comMarathon Oil Corporation (866) 627-5463 (307) 587-4961 www.marathon.com

Marathon Pipe Line Company (800) 537-6644 (307) 347-9241 www.marathonpipeline.comMerit Energy Company (307) 328-2348 (307) 328-2345 www.meritenergy.comMGTC, Inc. (307) 682-9710 (307) 670-6025MidAmerican Energy Company (800) 595-5325 (712) 277-7933 www.midamericanenergy.comMIGC (307) 682-9710 (307) 670-6025 www.migc.comMinnesota Energy Resources (800) 889-4970 (800) 889-9508 www.minnesotaenergyresources.comMojave Pipeline (800) 334-8047 (719) 667-7740 www.elpaso.comMontana Dakota Utilities Company (800) 638-3278 (701) 222-7900 www.montana-dakota.comMontana Refining Company Inc. (406) 761-4100 (406) 454-9887 www.montanarefining.comMountain Gas Resources, Inc. (307) 875-9049 (307) 875-8785 www.anadarko.comN. G. Transmission (307) 347-8221 (307) 347-2416Naftex 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.comNGL Supply Terminal Company, LLC (800) 522-3883 (317) 379-0322 www.nglep.comNorthern Border Pipeline Company (800) 447-8066 (402) 492-7454 www.northernborder.comNorthern California Power Agency (916) 781-3636 (661) 549-8518 www.ncpa.com



I P E L I N E O P E R AT O R C O N TA C T I N F O R M AT I O NPPIf you would like any additional information from a pipeline member, call or visit the links below.

COMPANY EMERGENCY NON-EMERGENCY WEB ADDRESSNorthern Natural Gas Company (888) 367-6671 (402) 530-3835 www.northernnaturalgas.comNorthWestern Energy - MT (888) 467-2427 (406) 497-2446 www.northwesternenergy.comNorthWestern Energy - NE and SD (800) 245-6977 (406) 497-2446 www.northwesternenergy.comNuStar Logistics, L.P (800) 481-0038 (361) 249-9408 www.nustarenergy.comNuStar Pipeline Operating Partnership L.P. (800) 759-0033 (605) 883-4866 www.nustarenergy.comOccidental of Elk Hills (661) 763-6911 (661) 763-6363 www.oxy.comOmimex Canada, Ltd. (800) 230-9892 (406) 357-3156ONEOK Rockies Midstream (800) 778-7834 (800) 778-7831 www.oneokpartners.comONEOK Rockies Midstream - Wyoming (866) 575-6465 (307) 687-3103 www.oneokpartners.comOverland 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.comPacific Coast Energy Company, LP (310) 301-2916 (213) 225-5900 www.breitburn.comPacific Gas and Electric Company (800) 743-5000 (831) 635-2201 www.pge.comPacific Operators Offshore (805) 643-1195 (805) 899-3144 www.pacops.comPaiute Pipeline (800) 624-2153 (775) 887-2819 www.paiutepipeline.comPatara Oil & Gas LLC (866) 774-8385 (435) 686-7600 www.pataraog.comPecan Pipeline Company - ND (866) 899-2626 (701) 628-4025 www.pecanpipeline.comPecan Pipeline Company - TX (866) 899-2626 (817) 806-3876 www.pecanpipeline.comPetro - Hunt, LLC (701) 863-6500 (701) 863-6500 www.petrohunt.comPinedale Natural Gas, Inc. (307) 367-4427 (970) 928-9208 www.pinedalegas.comPioneer Pipe Line Company (877) 267-2290 (801) 299-3627 www.conocophillips.comPlains Exp. & Prod. (PXP) Los Angeles (800) 766-4108 (805) 934-8223 www.pxp.comPlains Exp. & Prod. (PXP) Santa Barbara (805) 739-9111 (805) 934-8223 www.pxp.comPlains Pipeline (866) 800-7677 (307) 783-7500 www.paalp.comPlains Pipeline, L.P. (800) 708-5071 (701) 575-4254 www.plainsmarketing.comPlains Pipeline, R.M.P.S. - MT (866) 800-7677 (701) 575-4254 www.paalp.comPlains Pipeline, R.M.P.S. - SD (866) 800-7677 (701) 575-4254 www.paalp.comPlatte Pipe Line (888) 449-7539 (800) 700-8666 www.kindermorgan.comPlatte River Power Authority (970) 229-1733 (970) 226-4000 www.prpa.orgPortland Natural Gas Transmission System (800) 830-9865 (615) 465-5111 www.pngts.comPPL Interstate Energy Company (800) 747-3375 (610) 327-5334 www.ppliec.comQEP Field Services - LA (888) 599-4922 (307) 922-5700 www.qepres.comQEP Field Services - ND (888) 599-4923 (307) 922-5700 www.qepres.comQEP Field Services - WY (800) 840-3482 (307) 922-5700 www.qepres.comQuestar Gas (800) 767-1689 (307) 352-7701 www.questargas.comQuestar Pipeline Company (800) 300-2025 (307) 382-8882 www.questarpipeline.comQuicksilver Resources, Inc. (866) 420-5396 (817) 665-5000 www.qrinc.comRed Cedar Gathering Company (970) 382-0828 (970) 764-6900 www.redcedargathering.comRedding Electric Utilities (530) 245-7009 (661) 549-8518 www.reupower.comRingwood Gathering Company (800) 967-8493 (580) 438-2345 www.ringwoodgathering.comRockies 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.comSan Diego Gas & Electric (800) 611-7343 (800) 411-7343 www.sdge.comScissorTail Energy, LLC (800) 782-8686 (800) 401-9019 www.copanoenergy.comSeneca Resources (888) 595-8595 (661) 549-8518 http:www.natfuel.com/senecaSG Interests I, LTD (866) 261-9766 (970) 929-5313Silicon Valley Power (408) 423-6550 (661) 549-8518 www.siliconvalleypower.comSinclair Pipeline Company (800) 321-3994 (307) 328-3643 www.sinclairoil.com/pipelines.htmSM Energy Company (406) 208-3563 (406) 869-8706 www.stmaryland.comSourceGas Distribution (800) 563-0012 (303) 243-3541 www.sourcegas.comSourceGas Transmission (866) 477-1190 (303) 243-3541 www.sourcegas.comSouth Dakota Intrastate Pipeline Co. (800) 852-0949 (605) 224-0949 www.sdipco.comSouthern California Gas Company (800) 427-2000 (800) 427-2000 www.socalgas.comSouthern Dome, LLC (800) 728-8686 (800) 401-9019 www.copanoenergy.comSouthern Natural Gas (SNG) (800) 252-5960 (719) 667-7740 premier.sonetpremier.com/snghomepageSouthern Star Central Gas Pipeline (800) 324-9696 (785) 462-4901 www.sscgp.comSouthwest Gas - Central AZ (800) 528-4277 (702) 876-7011 www.swgas.comSouthwest Gas - Northern NV and CA (800) 773-4555 (702) 876-7011 www.swgas.comSouthwest Gas - Southern AZ (800) 722-4277 (702) 876-7011 www.swgas.comSouthwest 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


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COMPANY EMERGENCY NON-EMERGENCY WEB ADDRESSSummit Gas Gathering - Southeastern CO (719) 846-0272 (719) 845-2100 www.summitgasgathering.comSummit Gas Gathering - Southwestern CO (970) 247-7708 (970) 247-7708 www.summitgasgathering.comSummit Gas Gathering - Utah (435) 748-5395 (435) 748-5395 www.summitgasgathering.comSuncor Energy (U.S.A.) Pipeline Company (866) 978-6267 (307) 775-8101 www.suncor.comTennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP) (800) 231-2800 (719) 667-7740 www.tennesseeadvantage.comTesoro Alaska Pipeline Company (907) 776-3549 (907) 776-3520 www.tsocorp.comTesoro Hawaii Corporation (808) 682-3991 (808) 479-0527 www.tsocorp.comTesoro High Plains Pipeline Company (866) 283-7676 (701) 225-8973 www.tsocorp.comTesoro Refining - Northern California (925) 372-3120 (952) 335-3452 www.tsocorp.comTesoro Refining - Southern California (310) 522-6000 (310) 522-8602 www.tsocorp.comTesoro Refining and Marketing - Utah (801) 521-4900 (801) 521-4987 www.tsocorp.comThunder Creek Gas Services, LLC (877) 619-4680 (307) 687-0614 www.thundercreekgas.comTimberland Gathering & Processing Co. Inc. (620) 624-3868 (620) 624-3868 www.timberlandgathering.comTransCanada - ANR Pipeline (ANR) (800) 447-8066 (248) 205-4521 www.anrpl.comTransCanada - Bison Pipeline Company (800) 447-8066 (402) 492-7454 www.bisonpipelinellc.comTransCanada - GTN Pipeline System (800) 447-8066 (509) 533-2869 www.gastransmissionnw.comTransCanada - Keystone Pipelines (800) 447-8066 (402) 492-7454 www.transcanada.comTransCanada - North Baja Pipeline (800) 447-8066 (509) 533-2869 www.northbajapipeline.comTransColorado Gas Transmission Co. LLC (800) 944-4817 (970) 208-1266 www.kindermorgan.com/public_awarenessTrend Gathering & Treating, LP (866) 316-3377 (254) 359-4658 www.trendgathering.comTuscarora Gas Transmission (800) 447-8066 (509) 533-2869 www.gastransmissionnw.comUNEV Pipeline LLC (877) 748-4464 (801) 510-1907 www.unevpipeline.comVenoco Inc. (888) 836-6261 (805) 745-2150 www.venocoinc.comViking Gas Transmission Company (888) 417-6275 (218) 745-5082 www.vgt.nborder.comVintage Production California, LLC (866) 746-4293 (661) 869-8072 www.oxy.comWalden Gas (970) 723-4662 (970) 928-9208 www.pinedalegas.comWatertown Municipal Utilities (605) 882-6233 (605) 882-6233 www.watertownsd.usWhite Cliffs Pipeline (800) 522-3883 (303) 324-2182 www.semgrouplp.comWhite River Hub LLC (800) 558-1913 (307) 352-7690 www.whiteriverhub.comWhiting Oil and Gas Corporation - MI (800) 713-3401 (303) 390-4957 www.whiting.comWhiting Oil and Gas Corporation - ND (701) 627-2754 (701) 227-8703 www.whiting.comWhiting Oil and Gas Corporation - OK (800) 713-3401 (303) 390-4957 www.whiting.comWild Goose Storage, LLC (866) 940-7351 (530) 846-7351 www.niskags.comWilliams Midstream - CO and NM (800) 635-7400 (505) 634-4954 www.williams.comWilliams Midstream - Wyoming (800) 635-7400 (307) 872-2839 www.williams.comWilliams Northwest Pipeline - Kemmerer Dist. (800) 972-7733 (307) 828-4061 www.williams.comWilliams Northwest Pipeline - Moab District (800) 972-7733 (435) 686-2214 www.williams.comWilliams Northwest Pipeline - Vernal District (800) 972-7733 (435) 781-3200 www.williams.comWilliston Basin Interstate Pipeline (888) 859-7291 (406) 359-7316 www.wbip.comWyoming Gas Company (307) 347-2416 (307) 347-2416 www.wyogas.comWyoming Refining Company (307) 746-4931 (307) 746-2379Xcel Energy, NSP - MN - Gas Distribution (800) 895-2999 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.comXcel Energy, NSP - MN - Gas Transmission (800) 895-2999 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.comXcel Energy, NSP - WI - Gas Distribution (800) 895-2999 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.comXcel Energy, NSP - WI - Gas Transmission (800) 895-2999 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.comXcel Energy, PSCo - Gas Distribution (800) 895-2999 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.comXcel Energy, PSCo - Gas Transmission (800) 698-7811 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.comXcel Energy, SPS (800) 895-2999 (800) 895-4999 www.xcelenergy.comXTO Energy - Arkansas (479) 667-4819 (479) 667-4819 www.xtoenergy.comXTO Energy - Central Louisiana (318) 443-3391 (318) 992-8397 www.xtoenergy.comXTO Energy - East TX & West LA (800) 870-5698 (903) 753-2997 www.xtoenergy.comXTO Energy - New Mexico (866) 479-5117 (505) 333-3550 www.xtoenergy.comXTO Energy - North Louisiana (888) 745-4576 (318) 832-4215 www.xtoenergy.comXTO Energy - Oklahoma (918) 423-0366 (918) 423-0366 www.xtoenergy.comXTO Energy - South TX and South LA (866) 535-6835 (713) 553-8094 www.xtoenergy.comXTO Energy - West TX (877) 311-1007 (806) 529-2939 www.xtoenergy.comXTO Energy - Western CO (970) 878-6800 (970) 878-6800 www.xtoenergy.comZIA Natural Gas Company - Central NM (800) 520-4277 (800) 520-4277 www.zngc.comZIA Natural Gas Company - Hobbs, NM (575) 392-4277 (800) 520-4277 www.zngc.comZIA Natural Gas Company - Jal, NM (575) 395-2080 (800) 520-4277 www.zngc.comZIA Natural Gas Company - Northeast NM (575) 375-2277 (800) 520-4277 www.zngc.com




Federal Laws and Regulations Concerning Underground FacilitiesTitle 49, Transportation, Subtitle VIII, Pipelines, Chapter 601, Safety

§ 60123. Criminal Penalties (a) General penalty. A person knowingly and willfully violating section 60114(b), 60118(a), or 60128 of this title or a regulation prescribed or order issued under this chapter [49 USCS § § 60101 et seq.] shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.

(b) Penalty for damaging or destroying facility. A person knowingly and willfully damaging or destroying an interstate gas pipeline facility, an interstate hazardous liquid pipeline facility, or either an intra-state gas pipeline facility or intrastate hazardous liquid pipeline facility that is used in interstate or foreign commerce or in any activity affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or attempting or conspiring to do such an act, shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both, and, if death results to any person, shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life. (c) Penalty for damaging or destroying sign. A person knowingly and willfully defacing, damaging, removing, or destroying a pipeline sign or right-of-way marker required by a law or regulation of the United States shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.

(d) Penalty for not using one-call notification system or not heeding location information or markings. A person shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both, if the person:

(1) knowingly and willfully engages in an excavation activity(A) without first using an available one-call notification system to establish the location of underground facilities in the excavation area; or(B) without paying attention to appropriate location information or markings the operator of a pipeline facility establishes; and

(2) subsequently damages(A) a pipeline facility that results in death, serious bodily harm, or actual damage to property of more than $50,000;(B) a pipeline facility, and knows or has reason to know of the damage, but does not report the damage promptly to the operator of the pipeline facility and to other appropriate 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.

OSHA Regulations, 1926.651, Specific Excavation RequirementsAt www.osha.gov, under compliance assistance programs, you can get to publications and print out “Working Safely in Trenches” (OSHA 3243), which contains great safety tips in both English and Spanish. Injury rate and fatality statistics can be found at www.bls.gov.

1926.651(b) Underground installations (1) The estimated location of utility installations, such as sewer, telephone, fuel, electric, water lines, or any other underground installations that reasonably may be expected to be encountered during excavation work, shall be determined prior to opening an excavation.

(2) Utility companies or owners shall be contacted within established or customary local response times, advised of the proposed work, and asked to establish the location of the utility underground installations prior to the start of actual excavation. When utility companies or owners cannot respond to a request to locate underground utility installations within 24 hours (unless a longer period is required by state or local law), or cannot establish the exact location of these installations, the employer may proceed, provided the employer does so with caution, and provided detection equipment or other acceptable means to locate utility installations are used.

(3) When excavation operations approach the estimated location of underground installations, the exact location of the installations shall be determined by safe and acceptable means.

(4) While the excavation is open, underground installations shall be protected, supported or removed as necessary to safeguard employees.

(1) knowingly and willfully engages in an excavation activity(A) without first using an available one-call notification system to establish the location of underground facilities in the excavation area; or(B) without paying attention to appropriate location information or markings the operator of a pipeline facility establishes; and

(2) subsequently damages(A) a pipeline facility that results in death, serious bodily harm, or actual damage to property of more than $50,000;(B) a pipeline facility, and knows or has reason to know of the damage, but does not report the damage promptly to the operator of the pipeline facility and to other appropriate authorities; or

(C) a hazardous liquid pipeline facility that results in the release of more than 50 barrels of product.

Pipeline Safety Regulations


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Documents

SAFETY GUIDE DIRECTORY - Marathon Pipe Line...de emergencia puede ser obtenida directamente del operario o de las señales en los gasoductos u oleoductos. Las tuberías son parte esencial