Six.

Every six minutes an underground utility line is damaged because an excavator did not FIRST call the utility marking call center at 8-1-1, according to research performed by the Common Ground Alliance (CGA). Line strikes of hazardous materials pipelines, such as high pressure natural gas or oil pipelines, can present potential harm to people and the environment. However, in the interest of ensuring public safety, laws have been established stipulating actions by diggers and operators. To those unfamiliar with the regulations, these laws can appear overwhelming and complicated but generally, in Texas, if any type of digging is planned, a call to 8-1-1 by the excavation party is required at least forty-eight hours prior to beginning a dig. Operators of underground utilities have forty-eight hours to respond to a ticket by communicating or marking their underground assets.

August 11th (8-1-1) is the awareness day for the underground marking damage prevention initiative in U.S. and Canada. This free service is not just for pipeline contractors or excavators, but also for homeowners digging for landscape projects or installing a new pool!

The small, temporary flags in the ground of different colors are placed in response to a call in advance of digging called a “One Call Ticket.” The flag colors indicate what utilities are below ground:

Additionally, operators of high pressure pipelines are required to mark their pipelines at highway crossings and visibly along the route with waterproof markers containing contact information. I was reminded of how pipelines are encountered routinely by the public during a quick trip to my local Walmart when I parked near a pipeline marker. As an oil and gas pipeline industry professional, I am confident to park over a pipeline knowing the safety measures operators take to keep the products inside the pipe. Both the state regulator body, the Texas Railroad Commission, and PHMSA, the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials  Safety Administration, support state 811 One Call damage prevention programs to protect people from damage to underground utilities.

For further information, a comprehensive Texas Excavator Guide includes the applicable regulations and exemptions from the Chapter 18 of Texas Administrative Code as well as the Texas Utilities Code Chapter 251. A concise summary of specific actions and timelines an excavator must take is a handy quick reference resource.

Happy 8-1-1 Day! Know what’s below by calling 8-1-1 at least two days prior to digging.