Neal McLain wrote:
> I wrote:
>> 811 Access to One Call Services to Protect Pipeline and
>> Utilities from Excavation Damage (US); Available for
>> Reassignment (Canada)
> hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com> responded:
>> This was historically used as an internal access for craftspeople to
>> reach the C.O. test desk. In my area it is the ringback command, but
>> not in others.
> And in Las Vegas, it was the Sprint business office, plastered all over
> city busses. But all such non-standard uses are now preempted by FCC order.
>> As to calling for pipeline checking, a single number won't help if the
>> contractor is too lazy or stupid to make that call...
> Any contractor that's "too lazy or stupid to make that call" won't be in
> business long. If the repair bill doesn't put him out of business, his
> insurance carrier certainly will.
>> ... and I've seen them do that many times with phone cables cut as a
>> result.
> Are you sure that the cut resulted from a contractor's failure to
> call? There are numerous other requirements that both the
> contractor and the phone company must follow. If the phone company
> didn't follow through on its obligations, it would be at fault, not
> the contractor.
> Perhaps you might want to review the Pennsylvania One Call System's
> "Users Guide," which includes the full text of the Pennsylvania
> "Underground Utility Line Protection Act." http://tinyurl.com/8jq2w
I've had to call twice here in Raleigh, NC. Well, I guess I didn't
have to call but as I understand it digging without calling makes you
personally responsible for the total repair bill. Anyway. You have to
call 48 hours in advance and I had to also tell them which sides of my
house to mark. I wish I had asked for all just to know for future
reference. The service then calls everyone who is in their database
and gives them my location. All with a vested interest have 48 hours
to come out and spray paint lines on your yard, sidewalk, driveway,
etc... Different colors for each service. Now I know that my gas line
is in a bad place for me to put in that patio. Especially since the
line goes from the street to my house then to my neighbor.
One of these days I need to find out if the AT&T cable across my back
yard is still live. They have a 10' easement. I wonder who owns that
easement now? Plus there's dark fiber under my front yard from the dot
com bust. I'm sure it's "protected" but I have to wonder if it will
ever be used.
Now way back when in '67 we were putting in the driveway to our house
we were building. The payloader lifted up the bucket after slicing
just 1' down and there was a phone cable dangling from each end. (All
utilities were supposed to be 3' below grade at this time and
place. Plus we were in the drainage easement.) Phone guys came out,
checked their maps, started trenching. Boom, they hit a gas line about
2' down and 6' from the mapped location. No explosion but there was
enough pressure to blow a LOT of loose dirt out of the trench. They
hit the power button on the trencher and we all got a long break. Just
to call the gas company they had to walk over 500' to a pod to open in
up and connect their butt set to a live line to call in and report the
problem.
The current way works better. :)
DLR (news22@raleighthings.com)