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Each year, hundreds of thousands of "hits" occur to buried utility lines. These digging accidents can result in service interruptions, serious legal and financial consequences, personal injuries and sometimes death. In order to reduce damage and increase safety, the Federal Government authorized the use of 811 as a national "call before you dig" number.

When someone dials 811, they will automatically be connected to the onecall center for their area. A one-call center is responsible for initiating a request to its members for a utility locate that ensures the area is evaluated and underground utilities are marked before any digging takes place. Note: if a facility owner (i.e., pipeline or cable owner) is not a member of the one-call, they will not be notified and it is up to the party planning to dig to contact the facility owner.

National implementation of the 811 number will be completed in April of 2007, with public awareness campaigns launching shortly afterwards.

Who is Responsible for 811?
The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) is a member-driven association dedicated to ensuring public safety, environmental protection, and the integrity of services by promoting effective damage prevention practices, has been spearheading the 811 effort. The CGA invites everyone to become a member. For its $100 annual membership, you'll be kept aware of issues surrounding underground damage prevention, have access to resources, and have a voice in the national organization.

Through the CGA, two professional services contractors were hired to publicize and implement 811. Khrysanne Kerr, of Celeritis Technologies is, Project Manager and serves as the CGA's day-to-day 811 contact and manages the overall process. Fleishman Hillard, a nationally renowned advertising agency was hired to develop an education and public awareness plan.

The 811 National Awareness Campaign will be unveiled at the CGA Excavation Safety Conference and Expo in Orlando on March 7, 2007. This annual event brings together workers from all of the industries involved in the underground infrastructure.

Why 811?
Based on 2004 data, the CGA estimates that approximately 675,000 "facility events" occur each year. A facility event includes actual damage to a buried facility, as well as near-misses and minor nicks and scrapes. (You should always report any type of facility event. Even if a utility line is just nicked, it can cause a future outage that is very difficult to troubleshoot. Always contact the facility owner if you accidentally hit a line.) In some 40% of facility events no call was made to the One-Call Center to request a locate. The 811 campaign should increase public awareness by promoting one consistent message on a national level ­ "call 811 before you dig." The use of a universal easy-to-remember number should help increase the number of calls made and decrease the number of damages.

National implementation of the 811 number will be completed in april of 2007, with public awareness campaigns launching shortly afterwards.

Why 811 for Surveyors?
As surveyors, it can be easy to overlook the need to "call before you dig." Surveying ground penetration tends to be limited in width and depth. However, it is important to realize that activities such as installation of surveying monuments and permanent survey markers are considered "digs."

Not calling before below-ground disruption probably means you are breaking the law; most states require a locate request any time the earth is disturbed. You can check your state law requirements by using Page 30 of the Excavation Safety Guide at www. ExcavationSafetyGuide.com.

811 on a National Level
The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) is a member-driven association dedicated to ensuring public safety, environmental protection, and the integrity of services by promoting effective damage prevention practices, has been spearheading the 811 effort.

The CGA invites everyone to become a member. For its $100 annual membership, you'll be kept aware of issues surrounding underground damage prevention, have resources at your fingertips and have a voice in the national organization.

Market Research
Fleishman Hillard conducted four phases of research in order to craft the public campaign messages and visuals. Using findings from research done with the public, professional excavators and CGA members, Fleishman Hillard developed a baseline of current practices and awareness. These findings help set the tone and direction to develop a program that motivates the public to call before digging.

Benefits
The intent of the National 811 Awareness campaign is to improve damage and injury statistics and help ensure the reliability of the nation's underground infrastructure.

Many professional excavators have been calling one-call centers for more than three decades. The 811 implementation is designed to reach an audience beyond traditional excavators. Surveyors, homeowners, and businesses such as landscaping will all benefit from the 811 safety message.

As a surveyor, you can help ensure your personal safety as well as save your organization time and liability by calling 811 before installing permanent survey markers.

For more information, visit:
www.call811.com
www.CommonGroundAlliance.com
www.ExcavationSafetyGuide.com

Scott Landes is President of Rhino Marking and Protection Systems, and a member of the CGA.

A 1.270Mb PDF of this article, complete with images, is available by clicking HERE