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Loaders, Excavation & Property MaintenanceUtility Locating Before Digging
Hitting a buried line can cut power, rupture a gas main or injure you. A phone call and a few days of patience prevent most of it.
Key points
- Call 811 before any digging and wait for marks.
- Know that marks are approximate and keep them visible.
- Locate private lines yourself or hire a locator.
- Hand dig near marked lines as your state requires.
- Look up for overhead lines before raising any boom.
What is 811 and when do you call it?
811 is the national number you call before you dig. It connects you to your state or regional one-call center, which notifies the utility owners so they can mark their lines. The call is free, and it is required by law in most places for most digging. Check with your state for the details.
Call before digging fence post holes, trenches, ponds, tree planting, grading deeper than the surface and drainage work. Shallow lines exist in many places. Even a small project like installing a mailbox post, a yard light or a gate post counts. People often assume that a shallow dig is safe, but many lines run only a short distance below the surface, and some are not buried as deep as you would expect.
How far ahead should you call?
Waiting periods vary by state, so check with your state one-call center. Call early enough for crews to arrive and mark. Do not start digging until the markings are done or the utility has told you the area is clear.
Mark the proposed dig area with white paint or flags if your center asks for it. Describe the location clearly when you call. Save your ticket number and the dates of your request. Ask the center what the marks mean in your state and when they expire, since the markings are only good for a limited time and conditions can change.
What do the marks mean?
Utility markings use a color code, with different colors for gas, electric, water, communications and so on. Your one-call center or 811 materials explain the colors used in your area. Treat the marks as approximate. Lines can sit off the marked line, and depth may vary.
Keep the marks visible. If rain or work washes them away, call to have them refreshed.
- Paint, flags or stakes mark the approximate path
- Marks show the line, not always the exact depth
- Respect the tolerance zone with hand digging
- Re-call if marks fade
What private lines does 811 miss?
Utilities mark their own lines, usually up to the meter. Lines you own, like a buried feed to a barn, a well line, a yard hydrant, an irrigation system, propane lines past the tank and septic components, are your responsibility. Check your records, old plans and anyone who installed them. A private locator can find lines for a fee.
On a farm with many outbuildings, a drawing of every buried line is worth making and updating. Draw a simple map of your private lines each time you add one, and keep a copy with your property papers. A future owner or a contractor will thank you, and so will your future self.
How do you dig safely near marked lines?
Many states require hand digging or other careful methods within a set distance of a marked line. Check your state's rule. Use a shovel or vacuum excavation, not a bucket tooth, near marks. Expose the line to see it before you dig past it.
If you hit a line, stop. Back away, keep others away and call 911 for gas or electrical contact. Call the utility. Do not try to fix it yourself. Use hand tools near the marks, and avoid prying, since a pry bar can nick a line that still holds pressure or voltage. If a line is exposed, keep the trench open only as long as you must, and support the line as the utility owner directs.
What about overhead lines?
Overhead power lines are a major hazard for raised booms, loaders, augers and trucks. Look up before you work, keep equipment well away, and know the clearance guidance in your manual and from your utility. If a machine contacts a line, stay put unless there is fire, and call for help. Raising a hay elevator, an auger or a loader near an overhead line can be fatal even without direct contact. Ask your utility about safe clearances, and mark overhead lines on your site map.
When is a professional needed?
Work near major utilities, large gas lines or complicated sites is best left to a contractor who locates and exposes lines regularly. Your insurer may also ask about how digging was done if a problem occurs. Ask your insurance agent how a utility strike on your property would be handled, and what records they would want to see.
Sources and further reading
Organization homepages are linked so you can search them for current guidance on this topic.