NOTE:  Always call 811 before you dig. or Click here Pipeline Safety Improvement Act 2002 Click here to view the SSOCOF Positive Ressponse Codes News Release! The Law Excavator Responsibilities All excavators must call 811 before they dig: whether it’s digging with a shovel, digging with a trencher or using equipment that penetrates the ground. There is no excuse for not calling before you dig to find out the location of buried facilities – after all, it’s the law.   By not calling, you run the risk of striking a buried facility, carrying with it many risks. If you hit a gas or electric line, there's the physical danger to your crew and people who live and work in the area. There's the possibility of cutting facility service, including fiber optic cables and 911 emergency lines. Lastly, there is the risk of a fine, repair costs and long-term, costly damage to your company's reputation.   Remember, the decisions you make in your work affect people in very serious ways. Open communication, professionalism, and respect for everyone’s side of the business should be everyone’s goal. Click on the topics below to learn more. Call 811 before you dig A minimum of two full business days before digging, call Sunshine State One Call at 811 to request a locate ticket so that SSOCOF members that own or operate underground facilities can locate and mark their underground facilities near you dig site. If your dig site is in an area that is underwater, you must call 10 full business days before digging. Day one begins the day after you call. Why two full business days? That amount of time gives SSOCOF members enough time to complete one of the following tasks: Let you know that no conflict exists. Physically locate and mark the horizontal location of underground facilities within your excavation site. Note: This does not include the vertical depth of the underground facility. Contact you to schedule a new locate due date and time that is mutually agreeable and will not unreasonably delay your work. Keep marks visible If, during the course of excavation, the marks are destroyed, you must STOP excavation and contact SSOCOF to request a new locate ticket. Reference the old ticket to save time. Dig Safely Proceed cautiously when digging within 24 inches on either side of the locate marks. This area represents the tolerance zone, and underground facilities can fall anywhere within that space. The use of any mechanized equipment within the tolerance zone requires supervision by the excavator. Exemptions Members or their agents working entirely on single family residential property are exempt from calling SSOCOF if they are digging to a depth of 10 inches or less. However, members or their agents must call when any excavation is going to be done within the utility easements or when excavation will take place where underground utilities exist. For the lastest law revisions, Please click here 2010 Excavator Summary.pdf Membership (Utility Owner) Responsibilities Respond within two full business days SSOCOF members are required to respond to a locate ticket within two full business days (10 full business days for underwater tickets) by doing one of the following: Provide an all clear code to the positive response system when your company does not have underground facilities within the excavation site. Physically mark the excavation site and update the positive response system. Contact the excavator to reschedule the locate. If the excavator's voice mail is reached, leave a message explaining the situation and your need to re-schedule. Enter positive response code 3F only after the excavator has been reached and the new schedule arranged. Enter the appropriate positive response code when one of the above three are not true. Note: Provide the best information available when underground facilities cannot be located. For the lastest law revisions, Please click here 2010 Locator Summary.pdf Please go to http://www.callsunshine.com/ for more information and updates. Click here to download A copy of the SSOCOF Excavation Guide Click here to view the SSOCOF Positive Ressponse Codes Click here for the Sunshine State One Call of Florida (SSOCOF) Positive Response Codes Click here to view the official Florida State Senate version of the law revisions. Click here for a condensed version of the law revisions. NOTE:  Always call 811 before you dig.