According to the Common Ground Alliance, the nation’s leading organization focused on protecting underground utility lines and the safety of people who dig near them, there is an underground utility strike approximately once every minute. When you think of everything that is underground in our municipalities – electric, gas, telephone, fiber optic, cable television, and water and sewer lines – you can believe this statistic. This damage causes serious and sometimes fatal injuries, results in costly fines and repairs disrupts essential services.
On May 1, 2007, the Federal Communications Commission launched 8-1-1 as the national "Call Before You Dig" telephone number. The national number eliminates the confusion of multiple numbers from the 62 One-Call centers across the country. Excavators and homeowners simply call 811 to connect with their local One-Call center.
South Carolina’s One-Call center is the Palmetto Utility Protection Service, Inc. P.U.P.S. is a computerized notification center that establishes a computer link between those who dig underground (excavators) and those who operate underground facilities (operators). Contact P.U.P.S by dialing 811 or 1.888.721.7877, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
State law requires excavators give a 72-hour notice (3 working days excluding weekends and holidays) to allow locators to mark the area. This free service reduces the chance of death and injury. In addition, it prevents costly damage to property and interruption of services.
What information is needed when placing an 8-1-1 call?
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County or City
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Location of work -- Street Address
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Intersecting Streets/Roads
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Distance From Intersection/Direction
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Extent of Work Front/Rear/Both Sides
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Date of Excavation
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Start Time of Excavation
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Type of Work
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Caller’s Name
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Contractor
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Contact Number
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Contact Person
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Additional Information
How do I know what the markings mean?
Locators will mark the area using the following color coding system.
Color Meaning
RED - Electric Power Lines, Cables, Conduit and Lightning Cables
YELLOW - Gas, Oil, Steam, Petroleum or Gaseous Materials
ORANGE - Communication, Alarm or Signal Lines, Cables or Conduit
BLUE - Water, Irrigation, and Slurry Lines
GREEN - Sewers and Drain Lines
PINK - Temporary Survey Markings
WHITE - Proposed Excavations
What should I be doing?
Protecting your employees and assets is the primary concern. To assist employers, CGA has developed a set of best practices for all aspects of underground excavation. For a copy, visit the CGA Web site, www.commongroundalliance.com.
Sample Best Practices
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It should be standard practice to call 811 before any excavation work begins.
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If your entity owns any underground infrastructure, participate with P.U.P.S. and promptly mark all of your underground lines within the necessary time frames.
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Use proper excavation techniques.
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Require marking of lines before allowing any work in a public right-of-way.
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Promote "Call Before You Dig" to citizens.
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Train first responders how to handle incidents when a line has been cut.