In the state of New York it is the law to call in for a utility mark out before excavating the roadway. The contractor must call the 811 “one-call center” and provide all requested information specific to the water main or sewer replacement. At this point the one-call center will provide the contractor with a reference number for record purposes.
The overall goal of the 811 “one-call” system is to assist each utility contractor in excavating as safe as possible, with as much information on other utilities in the roadway.
Important steps prior to excavating
|
Active 811 Mark-out |
Active 811 Mark-out |
It is always a good idea to have the entire team walk-through the site and familiarize each team member with the locations of each utility.
Be aware for a change in direction for any marked utilities
If utility marks have faded, call the on-call center for a secondary mark-out
If the water main or sewer excavation has beed postponed for more than ten days, call the one-call center for a secondary mark-out.
What is the Tolerance Zone?
The tolerance zone is defined as two feet on either side of the specified center line of the facility.
What can happen if the utility is not marked?
In a rare case the utilities may not be marked or may be marked in the wrong location, for this reason it is important to always dig with caution and have the supporting field members dig by hand to assist.
|
Digging around utility line |
Team member assists in navigating |
There are cases where a utility line is broken or damaged, it is important for the contractor to contact the other carrier on an emergency basis, notify the Fire Dept. and stay clear of the exposed lines.
