Become a partner in damage prevention and follow these important steps when planning any type of project that involves digging, regardless of the project size or depth.

1. Pre-mark the Proposed Dig Area

The Act requires excavators pre-mark the area by physically pre-marking, providing a clear and concise verbal description or electronic white lining (when available). This allows member locators to understand the size and scope of the project.

Physical Pre-marking

Pre-marking is the process of marking the dig area with white paint, chalk, lathe, whiskers, flags, or electronic white lining prior to contacting JULIE. Unless otherwise stated on the request, all pre-marks are considered a request for a 5-foot radius of an
above ground fixed structure or single point pre-mark, or a 10-foot-wide path for linear work. In winter months, black paint or flags may be used when snow is present. Pre-marking allows member locators to complete their work more efficiently and makes it easier for excavation crews to identify the dig area.

2. Click or Call Before You Dig

The next step is submitting a locate request through JULIE.

Information needed

Please have the following information available:

  • Contact name, email and phone number at which the excavator can be reached
  • Property address including county, city or township, street and nearest cross street, or the location if not at an addressed site
  • Type of work, extent and description of the area where the excavation or demolition is to occur
  • Special instructions about the property or project
  • Earliest date and time the project will start
    • The law requires you contact JULIE at least 2 days, not including the day you contact JULIE, before you plan to start excavation. Do not submit a request for work that is more than 10 days in the future. The day you contact JULIE, weekends and JULIE recognized holidays are not considered as advance notice days.
  • Include Proper Site Contact
    • Members’ locators may have questions regarding the worksite. Please include a contact that is knowledgeable about the site and the work to be performed and a phone number at which the excavator can be reached.

Ways to submit a request

3. Wait the Required Amount of Time

 
2 days not including the day of the notification, weekends, or JULIE holidays

The dig start date and time, if providing the minimum advance notice, will be at 12:01 a.m. 2 days after the day you contact JULIE. State law requires the project to begin within 10 days after the day of the issuance of the Dig Number.
 
 
Dig number

  • A Dig Number that identifies specific information about the locate request will be provided.

  • Retain this number as proof of your contact with JULIE. Be prepared to refer to the Dig Number if it becomes necessary to call JULIE for a second request at the excavation site. JULIE agents are available 24/7 to assist with any questions.

Ticket life

  • Valid JULIE locate requests are good for 25 days not including the day of the call. For example, a locate request called in on the first day of the month is valid until
    11:59 PM on the 2nd day of the next month as long as there is no JULIE recognized holidays within that time period.
  • Excavation MUST begin within 10 days after the initial locate request to be considered to have a valid request. However, the 10-day restriction does not apply to any subsequent calls (extend, re-mark, etc.) on the same Dig Number.
  • Requesting an extension
    • An excavator can extend a Normal Locate Request online between day 20 and day 25 using our free online tool known as Re-mark-Extend-View (REV) or by calling 811 or 1 (800) 892-0123. Extended tickets will receive a new 25-day ticket life that starts after the expiration date of the original or previous extension notice.
  • Important things to know about ticket types:
      • Only new or normal notice locate request tickets can be extended. Emergency, damage, planning/design request, and joint meet notification cannot be extended.
      • No changes can be made to the jobsite address, extent of work or work type on an extended locate request ticket. A new locate request must be issued if any of these changes are required.

    Re-marks can be added to an extended locate request to specify the area where excavation is to continue be re-marked instead of the entire scope provided on the initial locate request.

      • Extended locate request tickets are considered a request for utility facility marks if requested by the caller. If re-marks are not needed then the caller must state specifically no marks are needed. If marks are requested, they require 2 day advance notice. Extensions requested within the last 2 days of a locate request life may delay your excavation project if re-marks are requested until the member facility owners have marked.

    Locate request extensions maintain the same Dig Number as the initial locate request for a period of up to five months from the initial call. Projects that require a longer period to complete will be issued a new Dig Number at the end of the five-month period.

    • JULIE’s servers will conduct a new member lookup during each extend operation to see if there is a new underground utility facility owner near the jobsite to be notified.
  • Re-mark vs. extension
    • If weather, construction activity or vandalism erode the markings, a request for Re-mark is necessary.
    • A Re-mark request does not extend the ticket life. The excavator must specifically request an extension if the project is scheduled to go beyond the 28-day ticket life.

Holidays

While JULIE agents and online request options are available on JULIE recognized holidays, members usually have crews on call to handle emergencies only. Therefore, in addition to weekends, the following days are not included in the determination of the advance notice:

  • New Year’s Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Friday after Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day

If a holiday falls on a Saturday, the previous Friday is observed. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed.

4. Respect the Marks

 

After receiving notification from JULIE, member companies may use a combination of flags, lathe with colored ribbon, chalk, whiskers, or paint as dig site and seasonal conditions warrant. If the approximate location of an underground utility facility is marked with paint, stakes or other physical means, the following color code is employed:

    • RED – Electric
    • YELLOW – Gas, oil, petroleum
    • ORANGE – Communications
    • BLUE – Potable water
    • PURPLE – Irrigation, reclaimed water
    • GREEN – Sewer

Other colors of flags or marks at a dig site may include white, which shows the extent of the proposed excavation area and is used in pre-marking prior to making a locate request, or pink which indicates a temporary survey.

Once the facility owners’ or operators’ marks are placed, it is the responsibility of the excavator to maintain those marks.

Marks

Members’ locate staff (not JULIE personnel) mark the approximate location of the underground utility facilities. “Approximate location” is a strip of land at least 3 feet wide, but not wider than the width of the underground utility facility plus 1.5 feet on either side of the facility based upon the markings made by the owner or operator of the facility. To verify the location of the underground utility facility, employ hand or vacuum excavation methods to the depth of your proposed excavation and visually inspect the excavation while in progress until clear of the existing marked facility.

Cleared

If a JULIE member company has no underground utility facilities in the proposed area of the excavation, they are required by law to communicate this to the excavator by the requested dig start date and time on the notice. For Emergency Requests, notification should occur within 2 hours or by the date and time requested, whichever is later.

Notification can be done by:

  • Face-to-face communication
  • Phone or phone message
  • Email
  • Text
  • Fax machine
  • Posting or marking in the excavation area
  • Positive response system

5. Dig with Care

Tolerance zone

  • The tolerance zone is defined as a strip of land at least 3 feet wide, but not wider than the width of the underground utility facility plus 1.5 feet on either side of such facility based upon the markings made by the owner or operator of the facility.
  • Excavators should plan the excavation or demolition to avoid or minimize interference with underground utility facilities within the tolerance zone.
  • Working within the tolerance zone requires an excavator to utilize precautions that include, but are not limited to, hand or vacuum excavation methods to the depth of the proposed excavation, and visually inspecting the excavation activities while in progress until clear of the existing marked facility.


Private facilities

JULIE member companies only mark the underground utility facilities they own, operate and/or maintain. They do not mark private underground lines which are lines installed beyond the JULIE member company’s ownership. These lines are considered customer-owned or private lines.

Examples of private lines may include but are not limited to:

  • Natural gas or underground piping or any other type of line to a garage or an out building
  • Propane lines from the tank to building
  • Lines to gas grills and pool heaters
  • Private water systems
  • Septic systems
  • Drain lines from downspouts
  • Underground sprinkler systems
  • Electric lines installed after the meter
  • Invisible pet fences
  • Data communications lines
  • Sewer service lines
  • Water service lines
  • Geothermal systems
  • Solar systems

Water member companies mark the main lines in easements and the public right-of-way , service lines from the main lines to a water meter or curb valve, whichever is closest to the main line. However, they are not required to mark the water lines from a meter or curb valve to a home or building. Sewer member companies mark the main lines and some mark the sewer lateral line within the easement or public right–of-way but are not required to mark any portion of a lateral service to a home or building.
Check with your local water or sewer provider to determine their ownership and maintenance and marking standards.

Electric member companies mark the lines to the meter at residential properties, but not those running to swimming pool pumps and heaters, irrigation systems or other buildings on the property. Non-residential property owners should check with their electric company to determine if any or all of the electric lines will be marked by the electric company.

Private lines will be part of almost every job. Take time to survey the jobsite for signs of private lines:

  • Is there a propane storage tank on the property?
  • Is there a detached garage or outbuilding with services from the main building?
  • Is there a pool heater or gas grill?
  • Did you notice an underground sprinkler system or pet fence?
  • Is there any above ground evidence of a facility buried in your excavation area that may not be owned by a JULIE member company?

Take a few moments to review these issues with the property owner prior to beginning excavation, but keep in mind that previous property owners may have installed lines that the current owners do not know about.

Do not dig until the buried lines are identified and marked. JULIE member companies DO NOT mark privately installed lines. These lines can be marked by hiring a private locator.

If damage occurs

Even the most cautious professional excavator or homeowner can occasionally cause damage to a buried line. If an underground utility facility is damaged or dislocated, the Act requires that the excavator responsible for the excavation or demolition immediately notify the affected utility and JULIE at 811 or 1 (800) 892-0123.

Please be prepared to give the following information to the JULIE agent:

  • JULIE Dig Number
  • Type of underground line damaged (pipe, cable, etc.)
  • Affected utility, if known
  • The location of the damaged underground line at the job site

JULIE’s agents may be able to assist with contact numbers for notifying JULIE member companies.

In the event of damage to an underground utility facility that results in the escape of a flammable, toxic, or corrosive gas or liquid, the person responsible for the excavation or demolition must:

  • Immediately stop digging and evacuate the area
  • Call 911 and notify authorities
  • Contact the owners of the underground lines
  • Contact JULIE

DO NOT attempt to repair, clamp or constrict a damaged utility line unless under the direct supervision of the utility owner.

Cleanup of job site/removal of flags

When the job is complete, take the time to backfill properly. Remove large rocks, sharp objects, and large chunks to reduce the risk of damage while backfilling around underground utility facilities. All flags should be removed from the job site as the final step prior to leaving the area.

 

Back
Translate »