safe digging process - florida rural water association · safe digging process ... poor location...

Safe Digging Process

Kathy Thrash, Damage Prevention Liaison

Using the

Excavator

Quick Reference Card

http://sunshine811.com/


811 Safe Digging Process

WaitPrepare Notify

Protect Dig safelyVerify



Where do you work?

1. Public Works/Utilities

2. Private Utilities

3. Roadway Contractor

4. Utility Contractor

5. Design / Engineer Consultant

6. State Agency

7. Enforcement Agency

8. Locator / Surveyor

9. Fencing / Landscaping

10. Somewhere ElsePublic

Work

s/Util

ities

Roadway C

ontract

or

Design /

Engineer C

onsul..

.

Enforc

ement A

gency

Fencin

g / La

ndscapin

g

0% 0% 0% 0% 0%0%0%0%0%0%



Do you dig?

1. At Work

2. At Home

3. At Work and Home

4. I Don’t Dig

At Work

At Hom

e

At Work

and H

ome

I Don’t

Dig

0% 0%0%0%



Choose your 3 biggest concerns?

1. Late Locates

2. Inappropriate Positive Responses

3. Mismarked Utilities

4. Abandoned Facilities

5. Drops Not Located

6. No Locate Request

7. Careless Excavation

8. Poor Location Descriptions

Late

Loca

tes

Inappro

priate

Posit

ive ..

.

Miss

-mar

ked Util

ities

Abandoned Facil

ities

Drops N

ot Loca

ted

No Loca

te R

equest

Carele

ss Exca

vation

Poor Loca

tion D

escrip

tions

0% 0% 0% 0%0%0%0%0%



Has your company caused or experienced

damage in the past year?

1. Yes

2. No

3. I Plead the 5th

YesNo

I Ple

ad the 5th

0%0%0%



What is the normal ticket wait time?

1. 48 hours

2. 2 business days

3. 3 business days

4. 1 week

48 Hours

2 Busin

ess D

ays

3 Busin

ess d

ays

1 Week

0% 0%0%0%

Starting the day after you call!



How long are locate tickets good for?

1. 21 days

2. 45 days

3. 14 days

4. 30 days

21 Days

45 Days

14 Days

30 Days

0% 0%0%0%




What is the response from the

locator called?

1. Positive response

2. Locator response

3. 811 response

4. Utility response

Positiv

e Resp

onse

Loca

tor R

esponse

811 Resp

onse

Utility

Resp

onse

0% 0%0%0%



How big is the tolerance zone?

On each side of the utility

1. 18 inches – 1.5 feet

2. 48 inches – 4 feet



18 inch

es – 1.5

feet

48 inch

es – 4 fe

et

24 inch

es – 2 fe

et

36 inch

es – 3 fe

et

0% 0%0%0%



What should you do if the marks

are gone?

1. Dig carefully

2. Stop and call in a new ticket

3. Hand dig only

4. Put your own marks down

Dig ca

refu

lly

Stop a

nd call

in a

new

tick

et

Hand dig

only

Put your o

wn m

arks d

own

0% 0%0%0%



CALL before you DIG

6 steps

1. Prepare before 811

2. Get a ticket

3. Wait for paint

4. Verify utility response

5. Protect the marks

6. Dig safely



811 Before You DigChapter 556 Florida Statutes

1. Prepare before 811

2. Wait the Required Time before Digging

3. Check Positive Response System

4. Protect the Marks

5. Dig Safely

Excavation:

Move dirt, auguring, boring….

disturb the Earth’s surface….

Demolition:

Move or remove a structure

which could cause damage



Prepare Before 811



1. Call 811 before You Dig. It’s the Law!




5. Dig Safely

Prepare Before You 811

Be ready to describe the

actual excavation

area



Get a Ticket







5. Dig Safely

Get a Ticket

Three Ways to Get a Ticket1. Call 8112. Sunshine811.com3. Online811.com



Tips for Requesting a Ticket

• Only include areas you will dig in the

next 30 days

• Directions: Use north, south, east or west,

not left or right

• White line areas that are hard to describe

• Provide an accurate field contact phone

number



Locate 665 Palm PlaceTicket : 999603743 Rev:000 Taken: 03/14/16 13:16ET

State: FL County: PINELLAS Place: DREAM LAND

Address : 665 Street : Palm Place

Cross 1 : 6TH ST North

Within 1/4 mile: Y

Locate: LOCATE THE ENTIRE PROPERTY AT 665 PALM PLACE

Remarks : Will be trenching in the ROW. Mark all service line drops. Call

homeowner at 727-555-2362 to gain access to side yard.

Caller: Brian Dean Phone: 727-555-2362

Due Date: 03/17/16 Time 23:59ET

Work Date: 03/21/16 Time: 23:59ET

Service Area

CodeService Area Contact

Phone

NumberUtility Type

BIG BOOM GAS LINE LOCATOR 813-555-1234 Gas Transmission

Ticket Number:Must give to law

enforcement







Within 1/4 mile: Y







Service Area


Phone

NumberUtility Type


Remarks:Give locator

more info







Within 1/4 mile: Y







Service Area


Phone

NumberUtility Type


Due date &work date







Within 1/4 mile: Y







Service Area Code Service Area ContactPhone

NumberUtility Type


Member Utilities:Call with questions



Length of a Ticket



Length of a Ticket

Locate tickets are good for 30 calendar days

Starting the day after you call in the ticket

Be sure to renew tickets if needed

Only renew the areas left to excavate



Wait For Paint



Wait For Paint

Normal – 2 Business DaysUnderwater – 10 Business DaysStarts Next Business Day After You Call



Verify Positive Response




2. Wait the Required Time

3. Check Positive Response


5. Dig Safely

Verify Positive Response







5. Dig Safely

Verify Positive Response1. Call 800-852-80572. Sunshine811.com3. Online811.com

How to Access Positive Response



Ticket ID: 146603743 Phone Number: (727) 424-7778

Dig Site Information Excavator Information

Ticket ID: 146603743

Street Name: PALM PLACE

Place: DREAM LAND

State: FL

Company Name: MAIL BOXERS

Contact: Brian Dean

Phone Number: 727-669-5747

City, State: Dream Land, FL

Service Area Current Response

BIG BILL – FIBER OPTICS 1: Marked

LIL-FIRE – GAS COMPANY 3F: Delay Requested

WAWA – DREAM LAND WATER 2B: Marked with Exceptions - Private

ZAP YA – ELECTRIC COMPANY 3N: Description Insufficient

BIG-BOOM – GAS TRANSMISSION 2C: Marked with Exceptions – High Priority

NOT DEEP – PHONE COMPANY No Response

Positive Response – 22 Codes

Address Number not on Internet View!

Response Code # not on Email View!



1. BIG BILL – FIBER OPTICS 1: Marked

3. WAWA – DREAM LAND WATER 2B: Marked w/ Exceptions – Private Lines

4. ZAP YA – ELECTRIC COMPANY 3F: Unmarked Delay Requested

6. NOT DEEP – PHONE COMPANY No Response

5. BIGBOOM – GAS TRANSMISSION 3N: Unmarked Description Insufficient

4. LIL-FIRE – GAS COMPANY 2D: Marked w/ Exceptions – High Profile

Marked means you should see marks on the ground.

The positive response code may include additional information or requirements.

If it doesn’t, call the utility.









Unmarked codes include the reason the utility was not marked.

Check the Positive Response to see if the locator is waiting for you to do something.









No Response means the locator did not respond within the required time.

You can dig with reasonable care, but the law requires you to locate the utility with locating equipment or by acceptable means.



Standard Locate Marks

Other than the APWA Color Codes, Florida has no marking standards

If you don’t understand the marks, call the locator.



Unknown or Unmarked Utilities

• Treat all lines as if they are live

• Follow your company protocol

–Protect exposed lines

–Support lines when soil is removed

• Let Sunshine 811 know about non-members



Protect the Marks



Protect the Marks





5. Dig Safely

Marks Must Remain Visible.

If not, request a new ticket.

To protect the marks:

• Consider using offset marks.

• Do not place spoil piles or building materials over marks.

• Do not drive machinery over the marks.

• Sweep paved areas often so painted marks remain visible.



Dig Safely



Dig Safely





5. Dig Safely



Dig Safely





5. Dig Safely

Observe the Tolerance Zone



Dig Safely





5. Dig Safely

Hand Dig, Pothole, or Soft Dig to Expose Utilities



Dig Safely





5. Dig Safely

Use a Spotter in the Tolerance Zone



Emergency Ticket Exception

Must notify system or member operator at earliest

convenience

Can be processed using 811 or by internet after web

training

Must make all reasonable precautions to protect

underground facilities

Not exempt from potential liability



1. Is this excavation necessary to protect life or property?

2. Is there a material escaping from an underground facility?

3. Is there a vital public service that has been interrupted?

4. Was/is there a break in an underground facility?

5. Has a roadway been impaired?

6. How does this “Emergency Excavation” meet the criteria of Florida State Law?

Emergency Ticket Criteria



What number do you call

before you dig?

1. 211

2. 411

3. 811

4. 911

211411

811911

0% 0%0%0%

Response Counter



What is the normal ticket wait time?

1. 48 hours

2. 2 business days

3. 3 business days

4. 1 week

48 Hours

2 Busin

ess D

ays

3 Busin

ess d

ays

1 Week

0% 0%0%0%




How long are locate tickets good for?

1. 21 days

2. 45 days

3. 14 days

4. 30 days

21 Days

45 Days

14 Days

30 Days

0% 0%0%0%




What is the response from the

locator called?

1. Positive response

2. Locator response

3. 811 response

4. Utility response

Positiv

e Resp

onse

Loca

tor R

esponse

811 Resp

onse

Utility

Resp

onse

0% 0%0%0%



How big is the tolerance zone?

On each side of the utility

1. 18 inches – 1.5 feet




18 inch

es – 1.5

feet

48 inch

es – 4 fe

et

24 inch

es – 2 fe

et

36 inch

es – 3 fe

et

0% 0%0%0%



What should you do if the marks

are gone?

1. Dig carefully

2. Stop and call in a new ticket

3. Hand dig only

4. Put your own marks down

Dig ca

refu

lly

Stop a

nd call

in a

new

tick

et

Hand dig

only

Put your o

wn m

arks d

own

0% 0%0%0%



What is the scope for a normal locate

ticket?

1. One square mile with one ROW or road

2. One mile of ROW with side roads up to 150 feet

3. 5 individual addresses on one mile of road

4. Any ONE of the above

One Square

Mile

with

...

One Mile

of R

OW w

ith Si

..

5 Indiv

idual A

ddress

es ..

Any ONE o

f the A

bove

0% 0%0%0%



Cliff Meidl on

Lessons Learned



If your spotter runs, RUN!



Kathy J. Thrash

Damage Prevention Liaison

386-575-2057 Office

[email protected]

www.Sunshine811.com



safe digging process - florida rural water association · safe digging process ... poor location...

Documents