Preserving the Marks
The excavator is responsible for reasonably protecting and preserving location markings until no longer required for proper and safe excavation. If the excavator has reason to believe the locate markings are obliterated, obscured, missing or incorrect, the excavator must notify the center and request a refresh ticket.
Damaging/Disturbing an Underground Facility
Excavators are required to immediately notify Nebraska 811 if any underground facility is damaged, dislocated or disturbed before or during excavation (see 76-2326). Nebraska 811 will notify the underground facility operators in the area, who will respond appropriately. If the damage results in a potentially dangerous emergency, the excavator must take reasonable actions to alleviate the emergency including, but not limited to, the evacuation of the affected area. If an excavator causes a release of natural gas or any other hazardous material, they must call 911 first, then 811. Nebraska 811 will then notify the facility owner. For everyone’s safety in any incident involving blowing gas, make calls from a safe distance. Refer to 49 CFR 196 for the federal regulation.
It is important to document information surrounding a damage. They following items are helpful when doing so:
- Ticket number
- Pictures of the damage facility with date and time stamp
- Pictures of the locate markings with date and time stamp
- Pictures of the job site with landmark and measurement references
- What damage was caused and how it happened
- Narrated video of the damage scene