Ditchmen • NUCA of Florida Ditchmen • June 2017 | Page 10

LOCAL, FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES CALL
TO 911 WHEN PIPELINE DAMAGED
Sunshine 811 provides tools to reduce likelihood of
damages and max federal fines up to $2 million
Effective July 1, 2017, Florida
excavators will be required to
call 911 to report any contact
with an underground facility
that results in the release of a
natural gas or other hazardous
material or substance regulated
by the Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration
(PHMSA ) of the United States
Department of Transportation.
The 911 provision was one of
five specific amendments to the
Underground Facility Damage
Prevention and Safety Act,
Chapter 556, Florida Statutes,
effective July 1, 2017.
“You’re still required to stop
excavation or demolition
activities that may further
damage the underground facility
until the repair is complete,”
explains Sunshine 811 Executive
Director Mark Sweet. “It also
does not change the existing
requirement to notify member
utilities immediately when you
contact or damage a pipe, cable
or its protective covering.”
Protect yourself
Avoid damaging underground
facilities by always notifying 811
before you dig to request locate
marks and then following the
special procedures for High
Priority Subsurface Installations
(HPSI).
These are underground
transmission or distribution
pipelines used to transport
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DITCHMEN • JUNE 2017
any gas, refined petroleum
product or hazardous/highly
volatile liquid such as anhydrous
ammonia or carbon dioxide
that are deemed critical and
identified as HPSI by the facility
operator.
Check the Sunshine 811 Positive
Response System early and
when you’re at the job site.
Access it at sunshine811.com
or on the new Sunshine 811
app available in the Apple and
Google Play stores.
When you see positive
response code 2C: “Marked
with Exceptions – High Priority
subsurface installations in
conflict” this is what you need to
know:
1. The pipeline operator has
determined that your proposed
dig site is within 15 feet of their
HPSI pipeline. They know what
they’re talking about!
2. You MUST contact the
pipeline operator/member utility
with the start date and time for
the excavation or demolition so
that they may be present during
the excavation. This is important
and required by Florida law.
Protect your business
Damaging pipelines carries
its own set of risks. But now,
PHMSA may place maximum
civil penalties of $209,002
per violation per day with a
maximum of $2,090,022 for
any related series of violations
on any Florida excavators
who damage their regulated
pipelines.
PHMSA has developed a
Federal Standard for Excavators
(49 CFR Part 196) consisting of
six elements that mirror what
we teach online and during in-
person sessions:
1. Call 811 before digging.
2. Wait for pipelines to be
marked.
3. Dig with proper regard for the
marks and take steps to avoid
digging damage.
4. Use one-call as necessary.
5. Report any contact with
pipelines to operator at earliest
practical time.
6. Call 911 if there is a release.
Persistence counts even when
you don’t get the 2C code
All jobs should be visually
inspected before digging. That
means compare the codes on
your positive response summary
to what you see in the field. Look
for pipeline and other buried
permanent utility markers. These
could be a sign that there may
be more at your jobsite than you
think. If something doesn’t look
right, contact 811 or the utility.
Remember, your safety and $2
million are on the line!
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