Buried Facility Locating and Notification Requirements
Notification comes first
Before disturbing ground, the responsible party must notify the one-call or notification service in the area, typically within a defined advance window. The notification triggers member facility owners to locate and mark their buried facilities. Candidates must know the sequence: notify, wait the required period, confirm locates are complete and current, then proceed. Traps include assuming notification alone satisfies the obligation, or believing a locate ticket covers facilities not owned by members.
Reading the marks and the paperwork
Locate marks use standard colour conventions and symbols, and the locate documentation defines the tolerance zone around each facility. Understanding the difference between a locate request, a locate ticket, and a locate report matters in questions. A ticket has an expiry; work outside the ticket window requires a new request. Private or customer-owned facilities are frequently excluded from one-call coverage, so the excavator must arrange private locates.
Traps to watch
- Starting work before the advance notice period elapses.
- Assuming white lining (pre-marking the proposed excavation) is optional; it is often required and improves locate accuracy.
- Ignoring locate marks that conflict with as-built drawings; treat the field marks as primary but investigate discrepancies.
- Failing to re-notify when the scope, location, or depth changes.
Rule of thumb
Treat the locate ticket as a perishable document: confirm it is valid for the date of work, the exact location, and the full depth. If any of those change, stop and re-notify.
Worked example: A crew's ticket expires the morning they plan to dig. The supervisor requests a renewal, white-lines the area, and waits for confirmation that all members have responded before resuming.