Just a friendly reminder to all surveyors in NC you need to remember to call 811 before setting any pins on any job, its now the law. Yep we need to have utilities located before we set pins, so make sure you blow up 811 for every job.:-O Set sarcasm meters to obliterate.
I called them to mark a 30 acre job and they cried about it the whole time, they wanted me to mark were the pins were going to be set , I told them it was going to be the whole job. They took at least a week to do it and did not finish all of it . What a pain .
Another sign of Government running a muck .
can you cite the law? I havent heard of this.
> can you cite the law? I havent heard of this.
Go to this website for all the details. http://www.nc811.org/
While a pain in the backside, most of the new law is a good thing. Last summer we called in a locate ticket for an ALTA Survey. After two weeks nothing had been marked. Even though it was obvious there were underground lines in the area.
As I was finishing the job I happened to catch the locate company representative literally across the street marking for a utility substation. I asked when he was going to mark for my project. He told me that they didn't mark for survey and refused to do the work.
As I understand the way the new law works, if this were to happen now, and I were to drive an iron through a fiber optic cable, the locate company would be liable for the damages, not me.
Larry P
I just had a quick read and I don't see where this applies to the setting of lot corners. We even seem to be specifically excepted for at least the maintenance of survey pins, whatever that means. This all seems to relate to excavation by machines. Am I missing something?
§ 87-124. (Effective October 1, 2014) Exemptions.
The notice requirements in G.S. 87-122(a) and G.S. 87-122(b) do not apply to the following:
(1) An excavation or demolition performed by the owner of a single-family residential property on his or her own land that does not encroach on any operator's right-of-way, easement, or permitted use.
(2) An excavation or demolition performed by the owner of a single-family residential property on his or her own land that encroaches on any operator's right-of-way, easement, or permitted use that is performed with nonmechanized equipment.
(3) An excavation or demolition that involves the tilling of soil for agricultural or gardening purposes.
(4) An excavation or demolition for agricultural purposes, as defined in G.S. 106-581.1, performed on property that does not encroach on any operator's right-of-way, easement, or permitted use.
(5) An excavation by an operator or surveyor with nonmechanized equipment for the following purposes:
a. Locating for a valid notification request or for the minor repair, connection, or routine maintenance of an existing facility or survey pin.
b. Probing underground to determine the extent of gas or water migration.
(6) An excavation or demolition performed when the Department of Transportation, a local government, special purpose district, or public service district is conducting maintenance activities within its designated right-of-way. Maintenance activities shall include resurfacing, milling, emergency replacement of signs critical for maintaining safety, or the reshaping of shoulders and ditches to the original road profile. Maintenance activities do not include the initial installation of traffic signs, traffic control equipment, or guardrails.
(7) An excavation or demolition performed by a railroad entirely on land which the railroad owns or operates or, in the event of an emergency, on adjacent land. No provision in this Article shall apply to any railroad which owns, operates, or permits facilities under land which the railroad owns or operates.
(8) An excavation of a grave space, as defined in G.S. 65-48(10), the installation of a monument or memorial at a grave space, or an excavation related to the placement of a temporary structure or tent by a cemetery regulated under Chapter 65 of the General Statutes that does not encroach on any operator's right-of-way, easement, or permitted use. (2013-407, s. 2.)
The State Society has been working with 811 on this , They wanted the excavation of the corners to be included in the law , but settled on setting of the pins due to their proximity to underground utilities. I believe this has been kicked around for a couple years . I would contact the Society to get the exact info on it , but setting pins was included as excavation and required for 811 .
The key if your going to call 811, then you say its excavation by way of setting metal pins 18" to 30" deep , if they dont come your covered. Its bull they cry the whole time and its a complete waste of time .
> The State Society has been working with 811 on this , They wanted the excavation of the corners to be included in the law , but settled on setting of the pins due to their proximity to underground utilities. I believe this has been kicked around for a couple years . I would contact the Society to get the exact info on it , but setting pins was included as excavation and required for 811 .
>
> The key if your going to call 811, then you say its excavation by way of setting metal pins 18" to 30" deep , if they dont come your covered. Its bull they cry the whole time and its a complete waste of time .
I have indeed heard whispers of this for some time, I just don't see where setting irons made it into the law as it's written.
Underground Utility Safety and Damage Prevention Act
So, I checked with NCSS and it looks like we are subject to this law. If I am getting this right, all I need to do is use the app to submit a ticket 3 days before I show up on site. If that's correct, I guess it's not that big of a deal. Does away with the "emergency" survey though. Not hating that.;-)
Just another law everyone will ignore
I don't think we should ignore it. I think we should comply. Like REALLY REALLY REALLY comply. Super-comply even. We should really get these guys hopping.
I'll be entering a ticket on every job I go to so I can set irons while I'm there.
I think if all of us did that they might just consider an amendment to this thing.
> I don't think we should ignore it. I think we should comply. Like REALLY REALLY REALLY comply. Super-comply even. We should really get these guys hopping.
> I'll be entering a ticket on every job I go to so I can set irons while I'm there.
> I think if all of us did that they might just consider an amendment to this thing.
My response to a similar [msg=186305]thread[/msg] here in January 2013 described how Ohio surveyors started to educate our one call locate service. Remember if you don't call and your crew hits a gas or buried electric line you are liable for ALL damages and injuries. I for one would not like to be charged with negligence if there is a serious injury or death.
My point is that I cant even get surveyors to set pins as required, they will likely ignore this rule as well. But I agree, I will comply..in fact, I have 34 spanking new lots to set houses on this week. I will need the whole sub marked and make sure you do the back, because I have to set pins there. also I have 20 some condos to stake, I have to set the property corners there too....this will be fun.
Make sure you use the word excavation.
Tips from NCSS...
Here are some tips as you adjust to working with the new law:
NC811 makes a free phone app for smart phones that makes it convenient to submit a locate request.
When asked in the drop down area what type of work is going to take place, use the category "other."
If you will be driving pins or setting corners, enter those details under the "Notes" section. If you list "surveying" only, it will be registered as a Design Ticket, which will give NC811 10 full days to respond rather than the 3 full days when excavation occurs.
Once you have used the app, your personal details such as Name, Address, Company will automatically fill in by tapping the "Go" button.
Keep your ticket numbers accessible in case you have to refer to the ticket from the job site.
If you inadvertently damage a utility owner's line, please report the damage to the utility company, NC811 and take photos as a means of collecting your own evidence in case there is a disagreement in responsibility.
Now, I go to get the app and it needs access to:
Identity
Location
Photos/Media/Files
Camera/Microphone
Device ID & call information.
Why would the red items be necessary?
I've managed over 2 million dollars worth of sub surface utility mapping in the last year and I have almost no confidence in one call contractors. The scariest thing I saw was a 138kv transmission line designated as an 8" water service line. I commonly see gas and electric off by five feet or more when they even make an attempt to find it; half the time it's "uh, we couldn't get a tone" and it's shown per plan.