DIG IN PREVENTION TRAINING

Striking Utilities Is Dangerous & Costly

Laws and Regulations* California One Call Law (California Government

Code §4216 - 4216.9)

*Construction Safety Orders – Excavations (Cal/

OSHA Title 8, California Administrative Code,

§1541)

*Contractor State Licensing Board (CSLB) - licenses

and regulates California's construction industry

Enforcement, Fines and Penalties*California Government Code 4216 Fines currently up to $50,000 (plus additional costs for damages to facilities)

*Contractor State Licensing Board

License may be revoked

*Cal/OSHAWork stoppage

Fines

*The local or state agency which issued your permit

May revoke permit and/or deny future permits

*The Attorney General, District AttorneyCivil, criminal prosecution

*3rd Party liabilities for damages when they are impacted

The 811 Process

Overview Delineate your excavation Call 811 to get your ticket Wait the required time Confirm utilities’ positive response Requirements once excavation begins Managing your ticket

Delineate Your ExcavationCal/OSHA Title 8 Section 1541, CGC 4216.2

With white paint, stakes, other suitable material◦ For homeowners

◦ White stakes, flour or other white substance may be used.

Limit the site to manageable sizes (able to complete within 28 calendar days)

Take a physical inventory of subsurface facilities such as meters, vaults, manhole covers, utility risers, cuts in pavement, etc.

Delineate Your Excavation

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Calling 811

• Each excavator is required to have their own ‘ticket’

• Must call at least 2 working days before excavation start date

– May call up to 14 calendar days prior to excavation start date.

• Ticket number issued - Valid for 28 calendar days from date of issuance

– Copy of ticket emailed to caller (if email provided)

– Print copy at One Call Center website• One Call Center notifies its members• The valid and current ticket must be physically

present on site. Either paper or electronic copy. • Tickets must be renewed prior to expiration.

4216.2 Except in an emergency, any person planning to conduct any excavation shall contact the One Call Center.

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Calling 811 - Emergencies

• Examples of emergencies– Hazards substance released into the

environment– Construction equipment in contact with

an electric line– Liquid line causing a sinkhole– 911 Call center down due to

telecommunications line contact• Calling in an emergency does not

absolve you of the liabilities if damages should occur

• Declaration of emergency can be subject to review by an enforcement agency

4216(d)“Emergency” means a sudden, unexpected occurrence, involving a clear and imminent danger, demanding immediate action to prevent or mitigate loss of, or damage to, life, health, property, or essential public services.

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Calling 811 - Emergencies

• Examples of non-emergencies– Calling in a ticket on

Friday for a fencing projectto begin on Saturday.

– Schedule changes thataccelerate needed work.

– Being behind schedule,or poor planning on yourpart, is not an emergency.

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Working on Private Property• Must still call 811 so members may be notified of intent to excavate.

• Not all subsurface facility owners or management may be members of the One Call Center.• Examples include, but are not limited to the following:

• Homeowner with irrigation piping• Large commercial properties with multiple buildings (e.g., colleges, high-tech

campus, office complexes, hospitals)• Mobile home parks or condo complexes• California Department of Transportation

• Before beginning any excavation• Notify private property owners or management of proposed excavation.• Work together to determine locations of lines in area of the proposed

excavation.

1541; 4216.9 (a)

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Utility Response – Required Field Meetings when

Excavating near “High Priority” Facilities

Excavation proposed within 10 feet of: Greater than 60 PSIG natural gas pipelines

Petroleum lines 60 kV or greater electric lines Pressurized sewage pipelines Hazardous materials pipelines that are potentially hazardous to employees or the public if damaged.

1541(1)(b), 4216.2(a)(2)

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Additional needs for field meeting

Utility requested• One-way feed• Utilities serve critical facility -

hospital, airport, etc.• Large-scale or complex projects• Blasting, grading, ripping• Boring• Build relationships

Contractor Requested• Large scale or complex projects• Build relationships

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Utility Response – Marking Utilities

Utilities will mark the approximate, horizontal path of their facilities

4216.3, Section 1541 (1)(C)

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Utility Response – Positive Response

Mark with paint and/or stakes the “approximate location” of their subsurface facilities

“Approximate location”does not mean depth

1541 (1)(A)(2), 4216.3 (a)(1)

• “No” or “no conflict”– Fax– Email– Phone call– Markings indicating no

conflict

Excavator – Confirming Positive Response

Identify physical evidence of utilities – Meters, vaults, manhole covers, utility risers, cuts in pavement, sewer cleanouts, etc.

Telecom vault matches marks Street light pole matches marks

Water, gas and electric markings match meters, utility boxes

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Excavator – No Utility Response Follow-up:

USA North 811 • 1st No Response Call to 811

– Identify utility that has not provided Positive Response– Wait at least 1 hour for utility to respond

• 2nd No Response Call to 811– Identify utility that has not provided Positive Response– Wait at least 1 hour for utility to respond

• 3rd No Response Call to 811– Identify utility that has not provided Positive Response– One Call Center will attempt to make a call to the utility involved

requesting they response ASAP.• Keep calling 811 until the appropriate utility responds• We should strive to develop a relationship with the facility operators, this

may help us get them to respond in a more timely manner.

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• No Response - Call USA North at 811– For your documentation always contact USA North– Identify facilities that have not provided

Positive Response– Wait a reasonably amount of time – allow enough

time for facility owners to respond

• Still No Response - Call USA North at 811– USA North will send out your request that facility owners still have

not provided Positive Response– Request the phone numbers to the facility owner(s) so you can

contact them directlyRemember, Positive Response could be notification that there is nothing in conflict with your proposed excavation

Excavator – No Utility Response Follow-up: USA North

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Requirements Once Excavation Begins:

Overview Approximate Location

Hand digging requirements

Use of power operated equipment

Protecting exposed facilities

When to call 811 again

by Randen L. Pederson

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Your Job Site Has Been MarkedOnce Positive Response has been confirmed for all notified utilities, you are now ready to begin your excavation.

You must have a valid and current 811 ticket physically present (electronic or paper) on all excavation sites.

Maintaining Marks on site If unmarked utility is found during excavation:

◦ Stop all excavation activities in the area near the unmarked utility and notify the operator and USA North 811. Do not resume excavation until the utility has been located and marked.

If utility cannot be found as marked:◦ Stop all excavation activities in the area of the utility and Request that the

operator provides to you additional information, to the extent that information is available to the operator, to enable the excavator to determine the exact location of the installation.

If marks are no longer visible on your jobsite:◦ Stop all excavation activities and call 811 and request a remark. A remark

request requires a 2 working day notice.

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Approximate location of subsurface installations

4216(a)

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Approximate location of subsurface installations

4216(a)

24” Buffer24” Buffer

Approximate location does NOT mean depth

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Hand Digging and Power Operated Equipment

Power-operated or power-driven excavating or boring equipmentOnly for the removal of any pavement if there are no subsurface installations contained in the pavement. Power Operated or Power Driven Excavation equipment tools will NOT be used within the 24”

tolerance zone.

4216.4

Hand digging requirement • Utilize hand tools within the area of the

approximate location to determine the exact location of subsurface installations. Only hand tools will be used within the 24” tolerance zone

Hand Digging within Approximate Location

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The excavator shall determine the exact location of subsurface installations

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Power Operated Equipment within Approximate Location

Mutual agreement required between the operator or operators and the excavator Vacuum excavation devices

Power-operated or power-driven excavating equipment

Boring equipment

4216.4

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When to Call 811 and 911Notify 811 and/or utility if: Damage occurs Unable to locate utilities as marked Unknown utilities are exposed/discovered

Marks are no longer visible Make ANY type of contact with a utility◦ Breaks, leaks, nicks, dents,

gouges, grooves, or other damages

◦ Conduits◦ Coatings or cathodic protection

1541.5, 4216.4(c)

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When to Call 811 and 911Call 911 immediately from a safe distance, then 811 and the utility Contact with any facility resulting in a leak or break causing the release of any flammable, toxic or corrosive gas or liquid

This includes “high priority” facilities

1541.5, 4216.4(c)

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Utilities May Have Additional Requirements

Require Standby Personnel be on-site during Excavation or Boring Operations

Require special permits to Cross Easements Special Requirements to Support Facilities Special Backfill Requirements Special Excavation Requests

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Ticket Management Overview

Must call at least 2 working days prior to excavation start date

May call up to 14 calendar days prior to excavation start date

Ticket valid for 28 calendar days

Ticket extensions without re-marks

Ticket extensions with re-marks

You must renew locating tickets prior to expiration

4216.3(c) re-marks

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Ticket Management – 2 Working Days Notice

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Resources

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Resources

• Cal/OSHA Section 1541 - Excavation, Trenching, and Shoring• Common Ground Alliance (CGA) Best Practices• California Regional Common Ground Alliance (CARCGA)• USA North 811• Dig Alert• Your local utilities• Industry Associations• California State Licensing Board (CSLB) “Contractors License Law & Reference Book”

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Questions?

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Thank you for your time.