Call Center FAQ
Do I have to call Gopher State One Call?
Yes! Calling Gopher State One Call is a state law (Minnesota Statute Chapter 216D) designed to protect your underground facilities and the public.
Once I call Gopher State One Call, what happens next?
Gopher State One Call answering attendants will ask you many important questions about where and when you will be digging. They then will locate your excavation site on our mapping software along with a list of possibly affected facilities. These facility operators will be notified by GSOC of your excavation plans and will then mark with paint or flags the approximate horizontal location of their underground utilities.
If I'm a subcontractor on a job, do I have to get a ticket or will the general contractor's ticket protect me?
There is no such thing as a blanket ticket. If you are a subcontractor and you are excavating, protect yourself and your company by calling to get a ticket. The general contractor's ticket does not apply to anyone except them.
How soon after my start date and time do I need to begin digging?
A locate is valid for 14 days from the excavation commencement time stated on the excavation or location notice, unless the excavator has made previous arrangements with the operators affected to periodically verify, refresh, or re-mark the locate.
I've hit a facility;what do I do now?
The first thing you must do is evacuate everyone if you have created a dangerous situation. If so, call 911 immediately and keep the area clear. Also immediately call the utility you hit and make them aware of what has happened. If you don't have the number to the utility, you can call GSOC and get the number from our answering attendants.
How do I know if all the utilities have been out and marked or cleared the ticket?
To find out if any of the utilities have cleared your work area, you can call GSOC and ask for the list of NLRs (No Locate Required) for that ticket. At the job site you should have a ticket with a list of all the utilities that were notified and be able to see if they have marked the job site. Please note, an NLR response does not allow you to start digging before your legal start time.
What is my responsibility after I have filed my locate request?
Many people believe that by notifying Gopher State One Call of intended excavation they have completed all of their responsibilities in the one-call process. This is not the case. Notifying Gopher State One Call is only the first step. After markings have been made, excavators are required to maintain a minimum horizontal (side to side) clearance of two feet (24") between an unexposed facility and the cutting edge or point of any power operated excavating or earth-moving equipment. For example, if the markings indicate a 6" pipe is buried, the hand dig zone is 54" wide (6" + 24" on each side of the mark). If excavation is required within the hand dig zone, the excavation must be performed very carefully, with hand tools, and without damage to the facility or undermining of lateral support. Excavators are reminded that facility depths may vary due to installation practices, changes in the grade, erosion and other variables. Therefore, any depth readings given by a locator, if given at all, are only an indication of the approximate depth of the facilities.
If, during the course of digging, a facility has been exposed, it is the excavator's responsibility to inspect and support the facilities before backfilling. The excavator also must inspect facilities for any damage which could include the pulling or kinking of the facility or damage to the protective coating or covering. If damage exists, it is the excavator's responsibility to immediately notify the facility owner directly. If there is any question about possible danger, we strongly recommend contacting the facility owner for instructions. Minnesota rules only require an excavator to contact the center if they have reason to believe marks are incorrect or missing. Excavators should also plan their work so as to minimize damage to markings.
If I notice a problem with a ticket or locate, who should I call?
Correcting errors to a ticket can be done by calling Gopher State One Call as soon as possible. Answering attendants will assist in making corrections, depending on the circumstances. Corrections will only be accepted from the caller working for the same company from which the ticket originated. In other words, a subcontractor may not change information on a ticket filed by a general contractor. If the start date and time issued by Gopher State One Call arrives and a facility operator has not marked, or has marked the facilities incorrectly, the law requires an excavator to contact Gopher State One Call again. It is important that all facilities be marked prior to digging. The construction site should always be inspected by the excavator for evidence of underground facilities prior to beginning excavation. Gopher State One Call recognizes that this is an inconvenience for the excavator, and we will work with the excavator and assist them in any way possible. If an underground facility operator consistently fails to mark facilities prior to the legal start date and time, a complaint can be filed by calling the Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety.
What happens if I have a dispute with an excavator or facility operator?
Gopher State One Call is required to keep records for six years. "This includes tapes of all conversations and a hard copy print out of locates. In the event that you may be involved in a dispute, Gopher State One Call can be of assistance by providing copies of these records. In most cases there will be a fee for any record retrieval.
What happens after the call is made to Gopher State One Call?
After the answering attendant completes the locate request, the ticket is processed by our computers at Gopher State One Call and analyzed for facility operators who have indicated they have underground facilities near your dig site. The facility operators affected are then notified at which time they review the locate request for conflicts. If there is no conflict with the facility operators' underground facility, they may (but are not required to) notify the one-call center and file an NLR (no locate required).
If their underground facility is in conflict with the excavation area, they are required to mark the excavation site with paint or flags by the start time indicated on the locate request.
The underground facility operator may, at its option, notify the excavator and indicate if additional time or information is needed prior to marking. These markings will follow the American Public Works Association color code standards addressed in Minnesota State Statute 216D. The markings will clearly indicate the location of the underground facility. Remember that location markings are only estimates, and the exact location can vary by the width of the facility plus 24" in either direction. Always respect the hand dig zone. Please be aware that facility operators are required to only locate, without charge, those facilities which they own or operate.