Locator training and damage prevention go hand-in-hand, and the two day seminar provides both rookie and seasoned veteran locators the opportunity to greatly expand their line-locating skills. The Staking University instructors present an intensive hands-on class filled with the theory, science, practical application methods and equipment used by ‘best-of-the-best’ locators out there!

Since 1999, Staking University has provided comprehensive underground utility locator training to over 400 utilities, municipalities and private organizations. Staking University, via its Locating Unlimited resources, also offers DVD’s, online training, and magazines to serve you.

For more information; or to register online for the Locator Certification Seminar at GSOC’s office in Chanhassen, link to: http://www.locatingunlimited.com/calendar.php or call 815-468-7814.

Minneapolis, MN, (March 27, 2012) – April 2012 marks the fifth annual National Safe Digging Month, reminding Minnesota excavator and homeowners to always contact Gopher State One Call a few days before any digging project. National Safe Digging Month is formally recognized by the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate and has traditionally earned the support from nearly every state governor across the country.  Minnesota’s Governor, Mark Dayton, has signed a proclamation declaring April as the National Safe Digging Month.  Click here to view the proclamation.

811 is a national hotline established to connect homeowners and contractors to their state’s One Call Center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig.  Each One Call Center also provides a local number to reach them, as well as quick online tools to submit dig information electronically.  Gopher State One Call’s online ticket submission website, E-Ticket, can be found at www.gopherstateonecall.org/submit.

Once dig notification is received by Gopher State One Call, professional locators are then sent to the requested digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, paint or both. A utility line is damaged by digging once every three minutes nationwide, and one-third of these incidents are caused by failure of the professional excavator or homeowner to contact their One Call Center before beginning their digging project.

Striking a single line can cause injury, repair costs, fines and inconvenient outages. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants contacting Gopher State One Call. Installing a mailbox, building a deck and planting a tree or garden are all examples of digging projects that should only begin a few days after providing notice to Gopher State One Call.

“As April marks the traditional start of the digging season, we are using this month to strongly encourage individuals and companies to contact Gopher State One Call before they begin digging,” said Jon Eisele, Gopher State One Call Director of Public Relations and Education. “By providing notice of excavation to Gopher State One Call and having the underground utility lines in their area marked, homeowners and professionals are making an important decision that can help keep them and their communities safe and connected.” 

The depth of utility lines can vary for a number of reasons, such as erosion, previous digging projects and uneven surfaces. Utility lines need to be properly marked because even when digging only a few inches, the risk of striking an underground utility line still exists.

Throughout April, Gopher State One Call will be promoting National Safe Digging Month through statewide outreach and local events. For more information, visit www.gopherstateonecall.com or www.call811.com.

1. Smartphone E-Ticket submission – www.gopherstateonecall.org/submit
2. Smartphone Ticket search – www.gopherstateonecall.org/search
3. Smartphone Ticket positive response – www.gopherstateonecall.org/respond

If you’ve already registered your smartphone, simply go to the E-Ticket, Mobile Search and Positive Response links listed above. To register your smartphone initially and get started today, visit: http://mnticketentry.korterraweb.com

Now until March 4th, 6PM, and right there in the heart of the landscaping, invisible and visible fencing, mailbox, patio and deck, swimming pool, solar-light, new home, mobile home, solar home, and---whew! Lots more… GSOC is there, and sharing its educational message of excavation safety for the attending families. With literally tens of thousands of visitors during the 5-day event, the Home & Garden Show truly earns its moniker as “The Big One”.

In serving all excavators in the great State of Minnesota, GSOC regularly receives one of the very highest, if not the highest, percentage of notifications before excavation by Homeowners and “casual” excavators in the United States. 

Warmer weather and Spring is right around the corner. Come join us at the 2012 Home & Garden Show! For more information go to: www.homeandgardenshow.com

Heads Up! Professional Excavators, Online registration for the annual Spring 2012 Damage Prevention Seminar season has officially kicked off! Beginning March 12, with approximately 40 seminars to be scheduled in nearly every corner and compass-point area of Minnesota throughout Spring, chances are you’ll find one nearby!

Various local facility operators and utility coordinating committees statewide sponsor and coordinate the free seminars with your excavation safety education and the integrity of their underground facilities as Job # 1!

Excavation safety videos, awesome safety presentations by MNOPS & GSOC, (along with special guest presentations in some venues) great meals, door prizes, attendance gifts; and a chance to meet face-to-face with your utility damage prevention partners. It’s all there for the taking.

Contribute to your safe and successful 2012 excavation season! To register for one of the rapidly filling venues near you, go to the Events & Seminars tab at www.gopherstateonecall.org  Or, to check immediate availability and register, click on this link or paste it into your internet browser:

http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/index.php/events-a-seminars.html

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

1. “Text-entry” only method. Users submit all required contact, geographical location, specific dig-site, precise marking instructions and driving directions if needed for each locate request ticket. Using this method, it is highly recommended that the submitter provide township, range, section and quarter information, or provide land-based map information, such as a Hudson or King Map page and grid. The user may then opt to have GSOC customer service reps complete the request by mapping the dig site for them.

2. Basic “Dig Box” mapping. E-ticket users enter all required information as listed in # 1, then enter: “I will map my dig location”. Then, toggle the “Zoom” feature to search E-Ticket’s database for the dig site. Then a basic 4-sided polygon can be drawn in the approximate geographical area of the dig site or address.

3. Point-to-Point mapping. E-Ticket users follow all instructions as in number 1 and 2,  then may opt to draw a “free-form” or point-to-point polygon to most accurately map the dig site, with or without an address.

Utilizing mapping options two and three will vastly decrease processing and “turn-around” time. All locate requests, with a list of potentially affected underground utilities and contact phone numbers are sent to the E-Ticket user once processing is completed by GSOC. In all circumstances, established GSOC safety protocol and ticket-taking procedures must be carefully followed. To aid the E-Ticket user to that end, a basic training video and complete training manuals are available by following this link: http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/index.php/submit-exc-ticket/e-ticket-training.html

Interested E-Ticket users may also view GSOC’s Events & Seminars tab for upcoming training classes:
http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/index.php/events-a-seminars.html

“Live” In-depth E-Ticket training classes are available for no charge. Contact Jon Eisele, Director of Public Relations & Education: joneisele@gopherstateonecall.org 651-681-7303, or Kevin Grutzmacher, Public Relations & Education Coordinator: kevin@gopherstateonecall.org 651-681-7305. Good luck E-Ticket users!

Various local facility operators and utility coordinating committees statewide sponsor and coordinate the free seminars with your excavation safety education and the integrity of their underground facilities as Job # 1!

Excavation safety videos, awesome safety presentations by MNOPS & GSOC, (along with special guest presentations in some venues) great meals, door prizes, attendance gifts; and a chance to meet face-to-face with your utility damage prevention partners. It’s all there for the taking.

Contribute to your safe and successful 2012 excavation season! To check on currently scheduled seminars, go to the Events & Seminars tab at www.gopherstateonecall.org and pick a Seminar near you! Or, to check immediate availability and register, click on this link or paste it into your internet browser:

http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/index.php/events-a-seminars.html

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Aisle after aisle of patio landscaping, back yard paving, potted and planted flowers and plants, fire pits, solar lighting, recipe’s, table settings, barbeque pits, fencing---in short, a nearly endless selection of booths and displays for the home “Do-it-Yourselfer”.

And right there in the heart of it, GSOC will be sharing its educational message of excavation safety for the attending families. With literally tens of thousands of visitors during the 5-day event, the Home & Garden Show truly earns its moniker as “The Big One”.

In serving the great State of Minnesota, GSOC regularly receives one of the very highest, if not the highest, percentage of notifications before excavation by Homeowners and “casual” excavators in the United States.  One of the reasons for this success story is the help GSOC gets from its participating Facility Operators (Public Utilities) who graciously provide highly trained staff members who provide short, insightful lessons to the passers-by.

Warmer weather and Spring is right around the corner. Come join us at the 2012 Home & Garden Show! For more information go to: www.homeandgardenshow.com

More than 45 years ago, natural gas pipelines gave landowners an opportunity to hook up to and receive natural gas directly from the pipeline in exchange for the right to install pipeline across their property.  This connection to the gas pipeline is generally known as a “farm tap”.  A farm tap is a private gas line. This means that all the equipment from the outlet of the meter (usually, but not always located close to the pipeline) to the house (or other significant building) - including the odorizer and gas fuel line – belongs to the landowner.  As such, the owner is responsible for the general operation and maintenance, as well as any repairs and locating, of the equipment and gas line.

Farm taps are very common and are still supporting farms today.  As farms have expanded and more houses and/or buildings have been added to the property, the number of lines has expanded.  These gas lines may be simply serving the homestead on the property or they may have become a private network of lines serving multiple buildings on the farm.  This could include corn dryers, milk houses, barns, garages as well as the homestead on the property.  Not only may a farm tap serve a farm, but as time has passed since their installation, a number of additional buildings (including houses may be “downstream” of the farm tap) may have been added to the farm tap service.  Extra lines may have been added at different times to not only serving the main farm, but also now serving multiple homes that have been built on the original acreage of the family farm.  The difficult dilemma the public faces with farm taps are most of the original gas lines coming off the farm tap which have been installed with little documentation or mapping of any kind, including the expansion to other residents on the property.

 
Be a detective and look and ask about Farm Taps!
As an excavator, it is important that you are aware of the existence of farm taps at your job sites, and understand that the gas lines feeding the homestead or other significant buildings on that property will not be located by contacting Gopher State One Call.    If you are excavating in any area where a farm tap may be present, you will need to become a detective at your job site.  Speak with the land owner and see if they have any documentation of the farm tap, or any maps of the location of the farm tap itself and direction of the gas line.  For your safety, and the safety of your crew, you’re going to want to ask as many questions as you can about the farm tap you are working around:

• Is there more than one gas line on the property branching off the farm tap?
• What type of product is the farm tap providing?
• Do you have any maps or sketches of the gas line?
• Does the gas line cross under any driveways?
• Has the farmer ever had the farm tap located before?
• What pipeline operator owns the pipeline that the farm tap comes off of?

Some tips when processing tickets through GSOC where Farm Taps may be present.
Gopher State One Call has some suggestions that may help you be more clear in processing tickets through GSOC’s E-Ticket system or when calling tickets into GSOC.

Design Locates:  If your work is greater than 90 days out, you can process a design ticket which will allow you to request any maps of the utilities present at your job site.  Keep in mind a design ticket is a non-excavation ticket, so you will have to process a second ticket closer to the time you plan on starting your excavation.  A design ticket does provide a mechanism to request maps from each of the utilities near your site, hopefully giving you a better idea where that farm tap may exist on the property.

Pre-Con Meet:  The pre-con meet will allow you to meet with all utilities at your job site to discuss any issues or concerns you have about the job site.  This ticket has a 15 day time period on it, so it again is one you would process in advance of any excavation taking place.  It is also a non-excavation ticket, so a second ticket would need to be processed prior to breaking ground.  This does, however, provide you with another avenue to attempt to obtain knowledge in front of your excavation of the farm tap and its location, due to your meeting at the job site with the utility representatives.

Appointment or Meet Ticket:  A meet ticket is a request by the excavator for an on-site meeting with locators of the utility companies in the general area where the excavation site is located. The benefit to a meet ticket is it allows an excavator to request a face to face interaction with the utility representative at the job site.  If there are any concerns or issues at the time, it can be addressed and the job site can be walked by all parties. The issue of not all locators showing up at the time of the meet is one of concern for us here at GSOC as well. 

Adding Special Notations to Tickets Where Farm Taps are Suspected:  The “comments” section of the GSOC ticket can be a powerful tool for the excavator (professional or homeowner) in communicating with the utilities. The comments section is a way for the excavator to communicate directly with the utility. This field is transmitted in full to the utility by GSOC. In the case of Farm Taps, it would be very appropriate for an excavator to put a comment such as the following in every ticket where a farm tap may be present:

“Excavator wants to know of the presence of any farm taps at the job site.  Please call the above number with any information of existence and direction they run. Excavator also requests any maps or as-built drawings be supplied."

This is one way to help communicate your concerns directly to the utilities that supply gas to the farmer.

Evaluating Your Ticket Size:  Since a farm tap may come from an unexpected direction, or may originate from an address different than the excavation address, use caution in defining the size of your excavation area. Ordinarily the goal is to limit the size of the excavation site to the smallest area that covers where you are actually digging. However, you need to ensure that the excavation site includes where the farm tap is located in order to ensure that the pipeline company involved is notified. Since the farm tap may originate in the middle of a field, or come in from another direction, ensure your excavation area (or address) includes the farm tap. This is a situation where the Township-Range-Quarter Section descriptions may be helpful to define the excavation site.

Hiring a Private Locator:  In many situations, it may be helpful if an excavator or landowner hire a private locator to mark out the location of farm tap lines. Since in some or most instances there will be no maps maintained by the pipeline company as to where the farm taps may be, this may be the only way to determine the routing of the private gas lines within the property itself. A listing of private locators who may be of assistance to you is located at the GSOC website at http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/index.php/industry-directory-ut/141-private-facilities-locators-directory-contacts.html. You may also be able to find a private locator in the telephone yellow pages or online.

Learn more about Private Facilities on any property where you are excavating in Minnesota.
Gopher State One Call has created a series of Private Facilities education materials on its website. Private facilities include farm taps but aloes a series of other risks from underground facilities that may be present at any excavation site and not located by utility companies when you contact GSOC. To access these materials please visit our website: http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/index.php/underground-facilities-intro-excavator.html

Learn more about Gopher State One Call. 
To learn more about Gopher State One Call or the services we offer please feel free to visit our website: www.gopherstateonecall.org

Gopher State One Call will be performing scheduled routine maintenance to our system Tuesday, January 10th from 6:00PM – 8:00PM. This maintenance period will only affect individuals calling GSOC afterhours for emergency locate requests.  During this two hour period, there may be intermittent service interruptions while trying to contact Gopher State One Call via one of our phone numbers.

There are four different numbers to contact Gopher State One Call by phone:

• 651-454-0002
• 800-252-1166
• 866-640-3637 (emergencies only)
• 811

If during this maintenance period you attempt to call Gopher State One Call and the call cannot be completed successfully, please retry contacting GSOC with one of the other phone numbers listed above. During this maintenance period, we will only be affecting one number at a time so there will always be 3 other phone numbers available.

If you have any questions about this scheduled routine maintenance that will be performed at Gopher State One Call, please contact helpdesk@gopherstateonecall.org or (651) 681-7326.

Everyone who has been there has a favorite ride or building or booth or food-on-a--stick at the Minnesota State Fair. In 2011, from Thursday August 25th through Monday, (Labor Day) September 5th, nearly 2 million paid attendees will pass through the gates into the kaleidoscopic world of sights, sounds, and smells that makes the “Great Minnesota Get-Together” a truly unique experience.

While an exact number is difficult to record, it is safe to say that many tens of thousands of those fair-goers visit the Gopher State One Call booth in the Blue Flame Gas Association building each year.  Minnesota enjoys the highest percentage of participation by Homeowners and “casual” excavators in the one-call-before-you-dig nation. This is in no small part due to the behind the scene efforts occurring prior to opening day at the Fair. 

Children of all ages who visit the GSOC booth are treated to a brief excavation safety lesson or “test”; (“Do you know what those colored flags and paint marks in your yard mean?) before receiving their choice of brightly colored yardstick or other educational hand-out. GSOC sponsors this ‘free for the asking’ venue with its ongoing educational message in mind: Excavation safety for all who dig in Minnesota and how simple it has become to contact Gopher State One Call before excavation begins.

The GSOC Board of Directors and its Public Relations team, cognizant of the ever-expanding technical abilities that smart-phones can provide, redesigned the new Homeowner Guides to include a Quick Response (QR) code which, when scanned, takes the user directly to the GSOC homeowner portal at its website. From there, it’s a simple matter to enter your locate request by filling in the information that GSOC requires to safely notify public underground facility owners in your projects’ area, whether that is in a city or township; throughout each of the states’ 87 counties, 24 hours a day, any day of the year.

During the 12 days of the State Fair, GSOC is joined by over 40 volunteer public facility operator staff members, who graciously provide visitors their considerable excavation safety knowledge to the GSOC experience.  Remember: Contact GSOC-First Time and Every Time. We’ll see you at the MN State Fair!

For more information go to: www.mnstatefair.org 

August 11, 2011 is 811 day in America.  Gopher State One Call recognizes the important role 811 has played throughout the country in providing a “go-to” excavation-contact phone number and has always maintained a simple proactive approach to excavation safety in Minnesota:

IF YOU’RE IN DOUBT, PLEASE CHECK US OUT!

Think of the incredible tools at your fingertips that now exist to help you contact GSOC:

Land-line and Cellular Telephones:  651-454-0002 Metro Area or 800-252-1166 Greater Minnesota

Online Internet: using your laptop, personal computer or Smart Phone:  http://mnticketentry.korterraweb.com (quickest method) or http://www.gopherstateonecall.org

Smart Phone QR (Quick Response) Codes: (NEW, and available on our Homeowner User Guides)

Remember to watch race coverage at 1 p.m. EDT/10 a.m. PDT on ESPN Sunday.

Tractor pulls for big kids & little kids. Watermelon eating contests. Open tent question-and-answer-and-banter forums with the Governor. Rapid-fire auctioneering contests. Craft, home & garden, land management and livestock pavilions. A virtual slice of rural Americana, ala’ Minnesota, complete with ice cream. And so much more!

Gopher State One Call attends the states’ largest purely agricultural event each year distributing its message of excavation safety to the 35,000 + attendees who file through the gates for the 3 day event. A casual setting, conducive to timely and vastly rewarding educational conversation, Farmfest is the perfect “Contact GSOC Before You Dig” venue.   Farmers, rural landowners, tiling companies, and casual excavators stop by the booth and learn that it just keeps getting easier and easier to contact GSOC. In fact, there is no excuse not to contact GSOC before excavation!

And let’s not forget those colorful hand-outs; Digger & Trigger coloring books for the little ones. Magnets, keytags, and newly redesigned homeowner guides; all focused on Minnesota’s excavation safety. Your safety.

Summer time is the right time and fair time is a great time! Isn’t it high time you joined Gopher State One Call at Farmfest? For more information go to www.farmfest.com.

Recent comments by various members of the State Legislature, as well as the press, have created some confusion about Gopher State One Call and what happens to GSOC if the State of Minnesota does “close” on July 1, 2011.

1. GSOC is Not a State Agency or Affiliated with the State of Minnesota.

GSOC is an independent non-profit corporation, and not in any way affiliated with the State of Minnesota.  GSOC was separately incorporated in 1987 by the Minnesota damage prevention industry and is managed by a volunteer board of directors.  GSOC is not part of the State of Minnesota, never has been and will not be in the future.  The legislation that created a single state wide notification center allowed the industry to come together and form GSOC as a free standing non-profit organization, not affiliated with state government.

In this uncertain current situation involving the finances of the State of Minnesota, GSOC is not part of the “politics” of the State and therefore is available to continue to protect Minnesota.

2. GSOC is Not Part of the Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety. 

The Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety has many responsibilities including enforcing Minnesota Statutes 216D, the Minnesota “One Call” law.  The State Fire Marshall, by statute, is a member of the 20 person GSOC Board of Directors.  Both GSOC and MnOps appear together at many damage prevention meetings and work together as part of the overall damage prevention effort in Minnesota.  However, we are separate organizations, are separately managed and funded and are not legally interconnected.  If MnOps is unavailable to attend damage prevention meetings, GSOC will continue to do so.  GSOC will be handing out yardsticks at the State Fair, have no fear!

3. GSOC is Not Funded by the Minnesota Legislature.

GSOC receives no funds from the Minnesota legislature and never has!  GSOC is funded by the 1400 underground facility operators in Minnesota who use GSOC to protect their underground facilities.  GSOC also receives no Federal funds.  In several states, the Federal “one Call Grant” goes to the one call center.  In Minnesota, MnOps has always kept that money for their use and therefore GSOC has developed a funding strategy that does not rely on any grants or legislative funding at any level. 

 The GSOC Board of Directors have been stewards of GSOC’s efforts to remain financially viable in this trying economic time.  Even though activity volume and gross revenue to GSOC is down over 30% from the pre-recession level, GSOC has not raised prices!  GSOC as a private group has managed its financial situation prudently to ensure Minnesota service is not interrupted in these trying times.

4. GSOC has Planned for the Government Shutdown and is Prepared.

GSOC has been working diligently to prepare for the possibility that the State of Minnesota may shut down on July 1st.  GSOC has coordinated with state agencies about the transmission of locate tickets to impacted facility operators who are funded by the legislature, such as MnDOT.  Through this working relationship, MnDOT was able to secure several workers who will be deemed “essential” to receive and locate MnDOT facilities.  This will allow the excavation community to continue to work around the shutdown of the State of Minnesota.  GSOC has several tools available on its website to assist users in determining if state agencies may be involved in excavation in their area.

• KorWeb:  if you locate requests from GSOC
• Ticket Search:  http://mnprs.korterraweb.com/Search/Search.aspx
• The copy of the ticket that you receive via email after submitting your request.

Thank you for your commitment to damage prevention and keeping Minnesota safe.  Gopher State One Call appreciates the 1,400 plus facility operators and 50,000 excavators that participate in utilizing our services every year.

For more information at any time, please visit our website at www.gopherstateonecall.org.

Have a safe digging season, and please remember to always call or click before you dig!

Attention Minnesota Excavators, Homeowners, and Utilities:

Gopher State One Call will be performing scheduled routine maintenance to our system this Wednesday evening (May 18th) from 6:00PM – 8:00PM. During this two hour period, there may be intermittent service interruptions while trying to contact Gopher State One Call via phone.

If during this maintenance period you attempt to call Gopher State One Call and the call cannot be completed successfully, please wait a few minutes and retry the call. If the call is still unsuccessful, please use Gopher State One Call’s temporary maintenance phone number: 952-368-1911. Emergency locate requests will be accepted at this phone number while the maintenance takes place. This is NOT a permanent phone number to submit tickets to Gopher State One call, so please use it only during the specified maintenance period.

If you have any questions about this scheduled routine maintenance that will be performed at Gopher State One Call, please contact helpdesk@gopherstateonecall.org or (651) 681-7326.

1.  Submitting locate requests online through Gopher State One Call’s E-Ticket website at http://mnticketentry.korterraweb.com/  is the fastest way to submit tickets.

2.  Phone calls to Gopher State One Call are best for emergencies or last minute digging projects.  Metro users can call 651-454-0002 and greater Minnesota can call 800-252-1166.

3.  Fax locates are the slowest form of submitting a ticket, and should be the last option used if a phone call to Gopher State One Call or online ticket submission are not possible.  Please use the official Fax-A-Locate form provided here when submitting faxes, and remember to print legibly.

4.  When submitting tickets online through E-Ticket (http://mnticketentry.korterraweb.com/), there are four areas to make sure you fill out completely:

a.  Provide the Township/Range/Section/Quarter Section of where you are digging.

b.  State where you are working on the property.  For example, “I am working in the front of the yard, the back of the yard, and on both sides.”

c.  If you are outside of city limits, state the township in which you are digging.

d.  When entering information in the “Ticket Entered By” and “Field Contact Person” fields, make sure to type your first and last name.

5.  The law requires you to call 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) before you dig.  Gopher State One Call recommends calling 3 work days or more before your dig project to ensure timelines are met.  When a locate ticket is created, it is good for 14 consecutive days.  By submitting a ticket more than 48 hours ahead of time, you ensure there is plenty of time between utility locating and actual excavation.

6.  Mondays and Tuesday are the busiest digging days of the week and are likely to have a slightly slower response than other weekdays. 

7.  If you are entering a high quantity of locate requests, in addition to entering them online, you can call 651-454-8388 to inform Gopher State One Call of the large number of requests submitted.  This way Gopher State One Call can group the requests together.

8.  Additional Safety Tip:  Once you have submitted a ticket and received your copy, it is best practice to review the bottom portion of the ticket where the Utility Companies in your dig area are listed.  If you believe there may be a company missing from that list that potentially has underground utilities where you are digging, please contact that utility company directly. They may need to update their service area on file with Gopher State One Call.

Gopher State One Call will be performing scheduled routine maintenance to our system between Thursday night (April 28th) at 11:59 PM and early Friday morning (April 29th) at 1:00AM. During this one hour period, there may be intermittent service interruptions while trying to contact Gopher State One Call via phone. We are being told by our datacenter provider that the interruptions will consist of 3 separate one minute episodes.

If during this maintenance period you attempt to call Gopher State One Call and the call cannot be completed successfully, please wait a few minutes and retry the call. If the call is still unsuccessful, please use this temporary phone number: 952-368-1911. Emergency locate requests will be accepted at this phone number while the maintenance takes place. This is NOT a permanent phone number to submit tickets to Gopher State One call, so please use it only during the specified maintenance period.

If you have any questions about this scheduled routine maintenance that will be performed at Gopher State One Call, please contact helpdesk@gopherstateonecall.org or (651) 681-7326.

Staking U’s Locator Certification Seminars Aid Locators In Developing: 
     •  Superior trouble shooting techniques
     •  Skills to consistently provide accurate and complete utility location information
     •  A mastery of locating equipment knowledge required to pass Staking U’s certification test

Location and Registration 
     •  The seminar will take place at the NEW Gopher State One Call building located at 18946
         Lake Drive East, Chanhassen, MN 55317.  Check-in starts at 8:00AM.  Class is from
         8:00AM - 4:30PM.
     •  There are 4 ways to register for this class:
            1.  Online:  www.LocatingUnlimited.com
            2.  Phone:  815-468-7814
            3.  Fax:  print this fax form and send to 815-468-7644
            4.  Mail:  print this mail form and send to:
                                 Planet Underground Interactive
                                 411 South Evergreen
                                 Manteno, IL 60950

More information regarding Staking U’s Locator Certification Seminar can be found at www.LocatingUnlimited.com or by calling 815-468-7814.

GSOC Hot List

What We're Hearing, What We're Doing:

Feedback:  What is the status of mapping functionality for E-Ticket?
Action Plan:  Mapping for E-Ticket has been available since May, 2011. At first, you only had the option of digitally drawing a simple box on the map to indicate your dig location. As of January, 2012 you now have the option of drawing a multi-point polygon to indicate your dig location. This functionality is available to anyone using E-Ticket! GSOC recommends you take advantage of the E-Ticket submission website and the mapping tools provided. Using these tools decreases processing times and increases ticket accuracy and safety. As always, you retain the option of having a GSOC Customer Service Representative map your E-Ticket for you.

Feedback:  How long will it take for me to get my ticket number after I submit an E-Ticket?
Action Plan:  GSOC is now emailing you a confirmation of your E-Ticket submission. The email is sent to you within minutes of you submitting an E-Ticket. It will contain an estimated processing time based on the average time for the same day the previous week. FYI – based on historical performance, processing times for an E-Ticket submitted with a map is about half the time as for an E-Ticket submitted without a map.

Feedback:  Can I use my smartphone to submit tickets?
Action Plan:  You can now use your smartphone to submit, search for, and respond to Gopher State One Call tickets!

• To submit a ticket using Mobile E-Ticket, go to www.gopherstateonecall.org/submit
• To search for a ticket using Mobile Ticket Search, go to www.gopherstateonecall.org/search
• To electronically positive respond to a ticket using Mobile Positive Response, go to www.gopherstateonecall.org/respond

Feedback:   What is the easiest way to submit a ticket update request?
Action Plan: The ticket update submission website has been modified for ease of use. Previously, the update submission site did not require a specific reason for each ticket update. That led to longer turnaround times for updates and confusion regarding the reason for each update. The new update submission website will require a reason for each update (update to extend life of ticket, update to remark ticket, update to modify information, or update to cancel ticket). This clarification will lead to a faster turnaround time and will effectively alleviate any confusion regarding ticket update requests.

Feedback:   How can I update a MEET ticket?
Action Plan: If you wish to update a pre-existing meet, you may schedule a new date and time to meet with the locators. It is the excavator’s responsibility to inform facility operators and locators of the timetable of their work at the originally scheduled meet. Excavators must anticipate changes in a job site, weather patterns, or any other condition that may change the direction or nature of their work. Any such changes must be communicated directly to the facility operators and locators so they can adjust their protection efforts. Please note that a routine ticket, including specific marking instructions, may be submitted in place of an “Update to Remark” for a meet type ticket.

Feedback:  What’s the best way for me to positively respond to a non-excavation ticket? It seems like none of the existing options apply.
Action Plan:  Today’s accepted responses are as follows:

1. Clear/No Conflict
2. Marked
3. Delayed
4. Not Complete

On November 15th, 2011 we added the new response:
 5. Non-Excavation

The purpose of this new option is for responding to GSOC ticket types that do not involve excavation (Owner Inquiry Ticket, Non-Excavation Ticket, Engineering/Pre-Con Meet Ticket, Boundary Survey Ticket). Previously, none of the existing response options applied to these types of tickets. By adding the “Non-Excavation” response, we will provide a more concise method for the facility operator (or their locator) to positively respond via the MNPRS website to tickets that do not involve excavation.

Feedback:  As a Gopher State One Call member, how do I verify if the underground facility maps I have on file with GSOC are up to date?
Action Plan:  In December, Gopher State One Call released an updated version of its online mapping tool, MSAM.  This new version of MSAM offers additional functionality to help streamline the change request process, as well as a new look and feel:

• Improved performance
• Visual upgrades to the land base and tool bar features
• Addition of Township and Points of Interest reference layers
• Consolidated editing tools
• History feature showing past changes to a member’s notification area
• Help tab containing the MSAM2 training manual

For more information or questions regarding MSAM2, contact Gopher State One Call’s GIS Coordinator (Ryan Babler) at gis@gopherstateonecall.org or (952) 697-4283.

IMPORTANT! Gopher State One Call requires all members to review their electronic facility maps on file with GSOC on an annual basis. Facility Maps should be reviewed by your organization's GIS (mapping) personnel using GSOC's mapping tool (MSAM) at the following address:  www.gopherstateonecall.org/msam. Please pass this information on to the GIS department within your organization, or contact our GIS Coordinator (Ryan Babler) at gis@gopherstateonecall.org with any questions on how to proceed. Member review must be completed by February 29th, 2012.

GSOC Hot List

What We're Hearing, What We're Doing:

Feedback:  What is the status of mapping functionality for E-Ticket?
Action Plan:  Mapping for E-Ticket has been available since May, 2011. At first, you only had the option of digitally drawing a simple box on the map to indicate your dig location. As of January, 2012 you now have the option of drawing a multi-point polygon to indicate your dig location. This functionality is available to anyone using E-Ticket! GSOC recommends you take advantage of the E-Ticket submission website and the mapping tools provided. Using these tools decreases processing times and increases ticket accuracy and safety. As always, you retain the option of having a GSOC Customer Service Representative map your E-Ticket for you.

Feedback:  How long will it take for me to get my ticket number after I submit an E-Ticket?
Action Plan:  GSOC is now emailing you a confirmation of your E-Ticket submission. The email is sent to you within minutes of you submitting an E-Ticket. It will contain an estimated processing time based on the average time for the same day the previous week. FYI – based on historical performance, processing times for an E-Ticket submitted with a map is about half the time as for an E-Ticket submitted without a map.

Feedback:  Can I use my smartphone to submit tickets?
Action Plan:  You can now use your smartphone to submit, search for, and respond to Gopher State One Call tickets!

• To submit a ticket using Mobile E-Ticket, go to www.gopherstateonecall.org/submit
• To search for a ticket using Mobile Ticket Search, go to www.gopherstateonecall.org/search
• To electronically positive respond to a ticket using Mobile Positive Response, go to www.gopherstateonecall.org/respond

Feedback:   What is the easiest way to submit a ticket update request?
Action Plan: The ticket update submission website has been modified for ease of use. Previously, the update submission site did not require a specific reason for each ticket update. That led to longer turnaround times for updates and confusion regarding the reason for each update. The new update submission website will require a reason for each update (update to extend life of ticket, update to remark ticket, update to modify information, or update to cancel ticket). This clarification will lead to a faster turnaround time and will effectively alleviate any confusion regarding ticket update requests.

Feedback:   How can I update a MEET ticket?
Action Plan: If you wish to update a pre-existing meet, you may schedule a new date and time to meet with the locators. It is the excavator’s responsibility to inform facility operators and locators of the timetable of their work at the originally scheduled meet. Excavators must anticipate changes in a job site, weather patterns, or any other condition that may change the direction or nature of their work. Any such changes must be communicated directly to the facility operators and locators so they can adjust their protection efforts. Please note that a routine ticket, including specific marking instructions, may be submitted in place of an “Update to Remark” for a meet type ticket.

Feedback:  What’s the best way for me to positively respond to a non-excavation ticket? It seems like none of the existing options apply.
Action Plan:  Today’s accepted responses are as follows:

1. Clear/No Conflict
2. Marked
3. Delayed
4. Not Complete

On November 15th, 2011 we added the new response:
 5. Non-Excavation

The purpose of this new option is for responding to GSOC ticket types that do not involve excavation (Owner Inquiry Ticket, Non-Excavation Ticket, Engineering/Pre-Con Meet Ticket, Boundary Survey Ticket). Previously, none of the existing response options applied to these types of tickets. By adding the “Non-Excavation” response, we will provide a more concise method for the facility operator (or their locator) to positively respond via the MNPRS website to tickets that do not involve excavation.

Feedback:  As a Gopher State One Call member, how do I verify if the underground facility maps I have on file with GSOC are up to date?
Action Plan:  In December, Gopher State One Call released an updated version of its online mapping tool, MSAM.  This new version of MSAM offers additional functionality to help streamline the change request process, as well as a new look and feel:

• Improved performance
• Visual upgrades to the land base and tool bar features
• Addition of Township and Points of Interest reference layers
• Consolidated editing tools
• History feature showing past changes to a member’s notification area
• Help tab containing the MSAM2 training manual

For more information or questions regarding MSAM2, contact Gopher State One Call’s GIS Coordinator (Ryan Babler) at gis@gopherstateonecall.org or (952) 697-4283.

IMPORTANT! Gopher State One Call requires all members to review their electronic facility maps on file with GSOC on an annual basis. Facility Maps should be reviewed by your organization's GIS (mapping) personnel using GSOC's mapping tool (MSAM) at the following address:  www.gopherstateonecall.org/msam. Please pass this information on to the GIS department within your organization, or contact our GIS Coordinator (Ryan Babler) at gis@gopherstateonecall.org with any questions on how to proceed. Member review must be completed by February 29th, 2012.

GSOC Hot List

What We're Hearing, What We're Doing:

Feedback:  What is the status of mapping functionality for E-Ticket?
Action Plan:  Mapping for E-Ticket has been available since May, 2011. At first, you only had the option of digitally drawing a simple box on the map to indicate your dig location. As of January, 2012 you now have the option of drawing a multi-point polygon to indicate your dig location. This functionality is available to anyone using E-Ticket! GSOC recommends you take advantage of the E-Ticket submission website and the mapping tools provided. Using these tools decreases processing times and increases ticket accuracy and safety. As always, you retain the option of having a GSOC Customer Service Representative map your E-Ticket for you.

Feedback:  How long will it take for me to get my ticket number after I submit an E-Ticket?
Action Plan:  GSOC is now emailing you a confirmation of your E-Ticket submission. The email is sent to you within minutes of you submitting an E-Ticket. It will contain an estimated processing time based on the average time for the same day the previous week. FYI – based on historical performance, processing times for an E-Ticket submitted with a map is about half the time as for an E-Ticket submitted without a map.

Feedback:  Can I use my smartphone to submit tickets?
Action Plan:  You can now use your smartphone to submit, search for, and respond to Gopher State One Call tickets!

• To submit a ticket using Mobile E-Ticket, go to www.gopherstateonecall.org/submit
• To search for a ticket using Mobile Ticket Search, go to www.gopherstateonecall.org/search
• To electronically positive respond to a ticket using Mobile Positive Response, go to www.gopherstateonecall.org/respond

Feedback:   What is the easiest way to submit a ticket update request?
Action Plan: The ticket update submission website has been modified for ease of use. Previously, the update submission site did not require a specific reason for each ticket update. That led to longer turnaround times for updates and confusion regarding the reason for each update. The new update submission website will require a reason for each update (update to extend life of ticket, update to remark ticket, update to modify information, or update to cancel ticket). This clarification will lead to a faster turnaround time and will effectively alleviate any confusion regarding ticket update requests.

Feedback:   How can I update a MEET ticket?
Action Plan: If you wish to update a pre-existing meet, you may schedule a new date and time to meet with the locators. It is the excavator’s responsibility to inform facility operators and locators of the timetable of their work at the originally scheduled meet. Excavators must anticipate changes in a job site, weather patterns, or any other condition that may change the direction or nature of their work. Any such changes must be communicated directly to the facility operators and locators so they can adjust their protection efforts. Please note that a routine ticket, including specific marking instructions, may be submitted in place of an “Update to Remark” for a meet type ticket.

Feedback:  What’s the best way for me to positively respond to a non-excavation ticket? It seems like none of the existing options apply.
Action Plan:  Today’s accepted responses are as follows:

1. Clear/No Conflict
2. Marked
3. Delayed
4. Not Complete

On November 15th, 2011 we added the new response:
 5. Non-Excavation

The purpose of this new option is for responding to GSOC ticket types that do not involve excavation (Owner Inquiry Ticket, Non-Excavation Ticket, Engineering/Pre-Con Meet Ticket, Boundary Survey Ticket). Previously, none of the existing response options applied to these types of tickets. By adding the “Non-Excavation” response, we will provide a more concise method for the facility operator (or their locator) to positively respond via the MNPRS website to tickets that do not involve excavation.

Feedback:  As a Gopher State One Call member, how do I verify if the underground facility maps I have on file with GSOC are up to date?
Action Plan:  In December, Gopher State One Call released an updated version of its online mapping tool, MSAM.  This new version of MSAM offers additional functionality to help streamline the change request process, as well as a new look and feel:

• Improved performance
• Visual upgrades to the land base and tool bar features
• Addition of Township and Points of Interest reference layers
• Consolidated editing tools
• History feature showing past changes to a member’s notification area
• Help tab containing the MSAM2 training manual

For more information or questions regarding MSAM2, contact Gopher State One Call’s GIS Coordinator (Ryan Babler) at gis@gopherstateonecall.org or (952) 697-4283.

IMPORTANT! Gopher State One Call requires all members to review their electronic facility maps on file with GSOC on an annual basis. Facility Maps should be reviewed by your organization's GIS (mapping) personnel using GSOC's mapping tool (MSAM) at the following address:  www.gopherstateonecall.org/msam. Please pass this information on to the GIS department within your organization, or contact our GIS Coordinator (Ryan Babler) at gis@gopherstateonecall.org with any questions on how to proceed. Member review must be completed by February 29th, 2012.

View Here:

You can also order hard copies of the handbook at no charge!  Click here to place your order. 

View Here:

You can also order hard copies of the handbook at no charge!  Click here to place your order. 

View Here:

You can also order hard copies of the handbook at no charge!  Click here to place your order. 

The routine database maintenance that occurred on Friday, April 8th has been successfully completed.  Please use the standard phone numbers available to contact Gopher State One Call when submitting a locate request (ticket):

Metro:  651-454-0002
Greater Minnesota: 800-252-1166

Thank you for your patience and cooperation in helping Gopher State One Call continue to serve Minnesota with the greatest level of technologies and services available!

Gopher State One Call

Attention Minnesota Excavators, Homeowners, and Utilities:

Gopher State One Call will be performing scheduled routine maintenance to our system on Friday, April 8th, starting at 9:00PM. The maintenance is expected to take less than 30 minutes. During this time period, there may be intermittent service interruptions while trying to contact Gopher State One Call. If you need to submit an emergency locate request during this scheduled maintenance period, and you are unsuccessful in contacting us at the regular phone numbers, please call (952) 368-1911 to submit your emergency.  Emergency calls will be accepted from this temporary phone number while the maintenance takes place. This is not a permanent phone number to submit tickets to GSOC, it will only be available during the maintenance period.

After the maintenance is complete, a summary will be posted on Gopher State One Call’s website.

If you have any questions about this scheduled routine maintenance that will be performed at Gopher State One Call, please contact helpdesk@gopherstateonecall.org or (651) 681-7326.

Thank you!

Register Here!

In this email, there are two actions listed for facility operators to perform:
1. Edit your notification areas in MSAM 
2. Verify your ticket receiving method(s) in MSAM

Edit Notification Areas

Previously, all Minnesota facility operators were instructed to login to MSAM to view and verify their notification areas (view previous email here).  Now, users can make edits to their notification areas by requesting their MSAM editing tools to be activated. 

1. Watch the 2nd MSAM training video about editing tools at http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/msam-training
2. Email gis@korpartners.com to request to activate your MSAM editing tools.  Our GIS coordinator will help you with this process.

Verify Ticket Receiving Method

In order to ensure facilities are 100% safe during the technology upgrade, GSOC has set all emergency ticket receiving methods to 24/7.  To make sure you receive your tickets in the method you prefer and keep ticket billing in line with your expectations, each facility operator needs to confirm the receiving method(s) we have listed are accurate by logging into MSAM.  You can also update your emergency ticket receiving hours in MSAM if you would like to change them from 24/7.

1. Watch the 3rd MSAM training video about verifying your ticket receiving method at http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/msam-training
2. Login to MSAM at http://msam-mn.korterraweb.com, click the Ticket Delivery tab, and check if the ticket receiving method is accurate

If you have any questions on how to edit your notification areas, please contact gis@korpartners.com. 

For questions about verifying your ticket receiving method, please contact the GSOC Transition Hotline at 952-697-4299 or gsoctransition@korterra.com.

Thank you!
GSOC Transition Team

Invoice Payment Information

• EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) Payment (highly preferred)
          o Account # 3213001
          o Routing # 091915654
• Check Payment
          o Remit to:  Gopher State One Call
          18946 Lake Drive East
          Chanhassen, MN 55317

Invoice Remit Dates

• Invoices received in January, 2011 and thereafter, should be remitted to the new invoice payment information listed above.

W9 Information

• Gopher State One Call’s Federal ID number (41-1602530) will stay the same. 
• The address on Gopher State One Call’s W9 form will change.
• To download a copy of the updated W9 form, click here.

If you have any questions on the new or current billing information, please contact the GSOC Transition Hotline at 952-368-1911 or gsoctransition@korterra.com.

E-Ticket allows facility operators, excavators and homeowners a quick and easy way to submit tickets online to Gopher State One Call.  There is no training process required to use E-Ticket.  Simply click on the Login button below, create your account (if you are a new E-Ticket user) and begin submitting tickets!

E-Ticket Support:

Support is available during standard Gopher State One Call business hours.  Please contact helpdesk@gopherstateonecall.org or call 651-681-7326 or 800-245-5852.

Ticket Rates:

Click here to view a message from Gopher State One Call about Ticket Rates through 2011.

• Manage your notification areas through mapping tools (add, delete and edit notification areas)
• Manage your ticket delivery method

All facility operators are allowed free access to this site in order to update and maintain their notification areas with GSOC.  Simple editing tools empower users to update their maps quickly and easily, whenever a change needs to be made.  By maintaining notification areas electronically, no paper maps are needed and no extra charges are incurred.  You can also edit your ticket delivery methods through the Ticket Delivery tab.  Login to MSAM with your Member ID and password below to view your notification areas and ticket delivery options, and make any necessary updates.   

To login to MSAM, you will need to know your organization's Member ID number.  If you do not know your Member ID, click here to look it up.

Greetings Minnesota Excavators and Facility Operators!

On January 1, 2011, Gopher State One Call is implementing two new websites for excavators and facility operators.  These new websites will be available for you to submit tickets electronically to the call center and to search for ticket status and Positive Response. 

No registration is required to search for tickets.  Registration is required to submit tickets online, with early registration now open!  Training videos are available for both sites through the links provided below.

New E-Ticket Site

Please visit www.gopherstateonecall.org/eticket-training to:

• View the training video
• Complete your early registration
• Practice submitting tickets

New Ticket Search Site

Please visit www.gopherstateonecall.org/search-prs-training to:

• View the training video
• Practice searching for tickets

If you have any questions about the new electronic ticket submission or search site, please contact the GSOC Transition Hotline at 952-697-4299 or gsoctransition@korterra.com.

Thank you all for your shared effort in Minnesota damage prevention!

This communication applies only to facility operators who submit Positive Response through Gopher State One Call’s website, or those who would like to begin utilizing this tool.

A new Positive Response website is being implemented by Gopher State One Call, and will go live on January 1, 2011.

New Site Benefits

• Facility operators can respond to multiple facility types, at one time, for free!  One member code can respond to as many facility types as necessary, providing better information to excavators, homeowners and others within your organization.
• An open comments field will be available, allowing facility operators the ability to leave remarks for those who will be excavating.

Steps to Define Facility Types in the New Positive Response Site:

1. Retrieve your Member ID (which will be used to login to the site) by clicking here.  This is the same Member ID your organization uses to login to MSAM, but will require a new password to be created to access the Positive Response site.
2. Watch the training videos at:  http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/submit-prs-training
3. Click the green button on the training page to access the new Positive Response site.
4. Login with your MEMBER ID number (ex: MN000000) as your Member ID, and type in PASSWORD for your password. 
5. Click the Facility Maintenance button to define/select your organization’s facility types.

If you have any questions on how to define your facility types within the new Positive Response site, please contact the GSOC Transition Hotline at 952-697-4299 or gsoctransition@korterra.com.

Thank you all for your continued patience and participation during our technology upgrade!

This communication contains 2 critical actions that must be performed by every facility operator in the state to verify the accuracy of your notification area maps maintained at GSOC.  Failure to verify your notification areas may result in facility damages and missed tickets. 

Action 1:  Obtain Member ID
Each facility operator is receiving a new Member ID from Gopher State One Call.  This Member ID will be used as your login to the new MSAM notification area mapping site. 

Retrieve/Search for Your New Member ID Here

Action 2:  Check Notification Areas
Once you have obtained your new Member ID, use the Member ID to login to MSAM (the new notification area mapping site) and make sure your notification areas are accurate.  Even if you do not plan on making mapping changes through this tool in the future, each facility operator needs to verify that their notification areas are correctly displayed.    

The notification areas in MSAM will be used to generate tickets on January 1, 2011 and beyond.  In the event an error occurred in the data conversion from our old mapping site to the new MSAM site, we need to be notified immediately so we can correct the error.  If the notification areas are not 100% accurate, your facilities are at risk and damages can occur.  It is critical that every facility operator in the state logs in to MSAM and checks to make sure their notification areas are accurate in the new mapping system.

Things to check for include:
• Are the overall boundaries accurate?
• Do they line up with the correct streets, landmarks, etc.?
• Are any notification areas or Member Codes missing?

Please view the training video that demonstrates how to review notification areas, at the following link:
http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/msam-training

After watching the training video, click the link (located on the training video site) to access MSAM.  Once you have reached the MSAM site, login with your Member ID number as your Member ID, and type in password for your password.  You will then review your notification areas, and contact the GSOC Transition Hotline if any changes are necessary.

If any part of your notification area does not look accurate, please contact the GSOC Transition Hotline immediately at 952-697-4299 or gsoctransition@korterra.com.

If you have any questions on how to verify your notification area in MSAM, please contact the GSOC Transition Hotline at 952-697-4299 or gsoctransition@korterra.com.

Thank you, Minnesota facility operators, for all of your hard work in keeping Minnesota safe!

Below is a table for you to search for your Member ID.  Your Gopher State One Call Member ID is used as your login ID for the MSAM (Member Service Area Mapping) and Positive Response websites, as well as to identify you when contacting the One Call Center.

Each facility operator organization is assigned one Member ID.  In the event that your organization has multiple Member Codes, please search by Member Code to retrieve the correct Member ID.

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2

3

4

There is no formal training process required to use E-Ticket; however, a training video and E-Ticket training manual are provided below to demonstrate how to submit a ticket through E-Ticket.   

• Manage your notification areas through mapping tools (add, delete and edit notification areas)
• Manage your ticket delivery method

To view the MSAM Training Manual, please click here.

MSAM Training Videos

Please view the training videos below to learn more about how to edit your service areas with Gopher State One Call through MSAM.
If you have any questions about how to use MSAM, please contact our GIS Coordinator at gis@korpartners.com.

 A short training video on how to search for Positive Response (the status of a ticket) using Gopher State One Call's Positive Response site is available below.  

Submitting Positive Response to Gopher State One Call allows homeowners, excavators and other facility operators, to check the status or Positive Response for a ticket.  By providing the Positive Response for others to view before digging, you contribute to their knowledge of facilities present, and in turn, aid in safe digging practices.  Facilities are less likely to be damaged, injuries are avoided, and service interruptions are prevented.  Thank you for for doing your part in damage prevention!

Two training videos are available below.  The first video, "Positive Response Setup Training Video", explains how users should setup their facility types in the Positive Response site.  The second video, "How to Submit Positive Response", shows a general overview of how to use the Positive Response site, including how to submit Positive Response.

Positive Response Setup Training Video		How to Submit Positive Response Training Video

Gopher State One Call has sent out two communications to Minnesota’s facility operators, each including an action item within the email and an explanation of the service change.  Here is a recap of those action items:

1.  Notification Area Lockdown and Notification Area Changes, Due October 15, Read Original Message Here
2.  Ticket Format Change and Testing, Due December 31, Read Original Message Here

The third service change that will require action to be taken by some facility operators is a new Positive Response System.  Gopher State One Call is implementing a new Positive Response System that will require testing with all those who currently send Positive Response messages through their intelligent ticket management system.

Action Required by User Type

If you submit Positive Response electronically from Gopher State One Call’s website:
No action is required.

If you submit Positive Response automatically through KorWeb or KorTerra Enterprise ticket management systems:
No action is required.

If you submit Positive Response automatically through another intelligent/electronic ticket management system:
• Contact the Transition Hotline at gsoctransition@korterra.com or 952-697-4299 to receive the testing information necessary to update your ticket management system.  A transition specialist will work directly with you to test sending Positive Response from your system and ensure Positive Response is received at GSOC.
• On January 1, 2011, GSOC will begin receiving Positive Response messages through the new system.  It is imperative that testing and verification of successful sending to the new system be completed by December 31st.

New Positive Response System Features
Gopher State One Call’s new Positive Response system is the very first in the country to allow facility operators to respond to multiple facility types at no cost!  One member code can respond to as many facility types as necessary, allowing you to provide better facility information to excavators, homeowners and others within your organization.  An open comments text field will also be added for facility operators to leave remarks for those who will be excavating.

A preview and training for the new site will be available on November 15.  An email will be sent to all facility operators to announce the training site is live and provide the training site address.  The New Positive Response system will go live on January 1, 2011.

Questions on how to perform this update?  Contact the Gopher State One Call Transition Hotline!
Call: 952-697-4299
Email: gsoctransition@korterra.com
Thank you to all Minnesota facility operators!  If you know of someone else in your organization who should be receiving these notifications, please respond back with their email address and they will be added to our distribution list.

Gopher State One Call
2020 Centre Pointe Blvd.
Mendota Heights, MN 55120
Email: gsoctransition@korterra.com
Transition Hotline: 952-697-4299

• Ticket Format

What is changing with the current ticket format?
A new ticket format is being adopted by GSOC.  An example of this new ticket format is included below. We will be sending out an actual test ticket within the next two weeks to all OCC receiving stations.

• If you receive tickets via email or fax, no action is required.
• If you receive tickets via KorWeb (Gopher State One Call’s free ticket management system) or KorTerra Enterprise, no action is required.  If you would like to register for KorWeb now, click here.

• If you receive tickets via another electronic ticket management system, you will need to program that system to correctly receive the new ticket format.  The action required to accomplish this is:
1.  Contact the Transition Hotline now by sending an email to gsoctransition@korterra.com that includes the destination information (XML, FTP or system email) you would like the test tickets sent to.  A transition specialist will contact you prior to, and after the test tickets have been sent to the requested destination.
 2.  After December 31, 2010, all GSOC tickets will be delivered using this new format.  It is imperative that testing and verification of successful reception of the new format be completed by December 31st.

Questions on how to perform this update?  Contact the Gopher State One Call Transition Hotline!
Call: 952-697-4299
Email: gsoctransition@korterra.com

Thank you for your patience and participation while we continue to perform service updates for those involved in Minnesota damage prevention!  If you know of someone else in your organization who should be receiving these notifications, please respond back with their email address and they will be added to our distribution list.

Gopher State One Call
2020 Centre Pointe Blvd.
Mendota Heights, MN 55120
Email: gsoctransition@korterra.com
Transition Hotline: 952-697-4299

On January 1, 2011, Gopher State One Call will be moving to a new technology platform to improve the services currently provided to the facility operators across the state.  We will be updating several of the services that many of you use daily, and will need your help during this transition.  Over the next 3 months leading up to implementing the new services, we will be sending out several additional communications to you, sometimes requiring a response or action on your part.

What do Minnesota facility operators need to do now?
Between October 15, 2010 and January 31, 2011 a mapping database lockdown will occur. Your notification areas will not be available for updating by your company during this lockdown.  The first action required of you is to submit any facility additions and/or changes planned by your company through January 31, 2011.  If you do not anticipate any changes during this lockdown period, no action is necessary.

Please click here to update your notification areas with the current mapping tool on Gopher State One Call’s website. If your company does not use the online mapping tool to maintain your maps, changes should be submitted to GSOC by contacting Jon Eardley at 651-681-7312. Either way, changes must be submitted to GSOC by October 15th, 2010.

Upcoming Changes
Within the next few weeks, additional emails will be sent out to you requiring additional action, and will include step-by-step instructions on how to complete each update.  Changes to expect include:
• New Ticket Format - this may change the way you receive tickets.
• New Positive Response System - this may change how you submit your responses
• Once the database conversion is completed, you will need to verify your notification area data is accurate.

What Won’t be Changing?
• No price increase
• Same phone numbers

Contact Us
A new transition hotline has been established to answer any questions involving our service update.  Please call 952-697-4299, or send an email to: gsoctransition@korterra.com, to speak with a representative who can answer your questions or help you complete any of the update requirements that will be sent out over the coming months.

Thank you for your participation and support during this effort to make Minnesota excavation even safer!  If you are not the correct contact for receiving these communications, please reply back to this email with the correct contact name and email of the person who should be involved from your organization.

Gopher State One Call
2020 Centre Pointe Blvd.
Mendota Heights, MN 55120
Email: gsoctransition@korterra.com
Transition Hotline: 952-697-4299

One analogy may help to clarify: It isn’t normally too difficult to safely describe an area of excavation when replacing a pair of signs or a 50 foot section of a roadway, and accurately convey that information on a “routine” excavation GSOC ticket. It may be quite another thing to describe a project that may stretch through valleys, over lakes or rivers, and over, through and around hills or city streets for 4 miles.  Minnesota’s excavation Law allows for that contingency.

• “The new pre-design and pre-construction tickets brought on line have enabled us to give more time for project preparation, especially when large projects and large companies are involved.”
• “In many cases, the extra time provides us with an opportunity to give suggestions to the designers and engineers that ultimately enable the project to go around the utilities that exist, rather than relocating the utilities themselves.”
• “We in the city are receiving better information and communication from professional excavators on excavation and ‘meet’ tickets.”

Utility coordinating committees can provide a vital “behind the scenes” function when its members assume a pro-active stance in developing solid, non-confrontational damage prevention efforts with contractors. Most of the UCC’s help sponsor damage prevention seminars each spring throughout Minnesota. The seminars provide the perfect venue to exchange information with GSOC, MNOPS, and the public utilities themselves. Industry Links to the PUCC group and many other industry contacts are available here at the GSOC website.

The “meet documentation” question was originally asked for a reason. Any excavator requesting an on-site meet in Minnesota is required by law to document the meeting. Historically, meet or appointment requests comprise approximately 5% of all incoming locate request ticket types at GSOC, or approximately 31,000 meets statewide throughout 2009 based on total incoming ticket volume for that year. Significantly, Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety (MNOPS) statistics show a direct correlation between increased excavation damage and ongoing projects: Statewide, approximately 30% of all reported damages occur during the course of projects requiring longer than 14 calendar days.

These facts provide GSOC, Minnesota’s facility operators and professional excavators with an identifiable safety concern. And once identified as such, any concern may be addressed and effectively rectified.

1. Contractors may download pre-designed meet document forms. The form may be printed and can be modified at will with information specific to your companies’ needs, such as names, logos, numbers, etc. Also available at the Excavator Services tab on the GSOC website, they may also be found at the MNOPS Department of Safety website home page. The link is provided in the Industry Link section of the GSOC website.
2. Contractors should keep in mind that once the meeting has taken place, MN Law provides facility locators up to an additional 24 hours after the meet time and date listed on the GSOC ticket to complete the mark-out, unless a written agreement to begin earlier is documented by all affected facility operators. The meet document may be used to record this agreement.
3. All Facility Operators are encouraged to work with contractors in the exchange of vital information to help protect the underground infrastructure. An effective way to do this is by sending a representative to join one of the various utility coordinating committees statewide.
4. Become a UCC sponsor today! GSOC can provide contacts for the nearest UCC group in your area.

Contact Jon Eisele, Director of PR and Education: joneisele@gopherstateonecall.org ; or call 651-681-7303. You may also contact Kevin Grutzmacher, PR and Education Coordinator: kevin@gopherstateonecall.org ; or call 651-681-7305.

Both homeowners and professional excavators reap instantly increased excavation safety benefits when obeying this portion of Minnesota’s “One Call” law. Keep in mind that historically, the underground utility locators in Minnesota are busiest between early April and the end of October. In many cases they will drive hundreds of miles each day on the job.

• Feature: If projects are planned and carefully pre-marked with white marks by prudent excavators, public utility locators will save vast amounts of both time and materials when marking.
  Benefit: Utility locators are on and off each job that much faster and accurately, with far less aggravation, and free to move on to their next ticket.

• Feature: If a utility has “no conflict” or is “clear” in the marked area of proposed excavation, that information is quickly relayed to the excavator by either transparent “clear” flags or paint at the site or at the GSOC website in the “positive response” section.
  Benefit: Critical communication between underground operators and excavators is clear and seamless.

• Feature: More flags and paint markings for your project are used because you’ve narrowed down the scope of the project.
  Benefit: Better definition of utility line location and better defined “hand dig” only zones.

Whether you contact GSOC via telephone or electronically through the internet, using white marks vastly simplifies your description of the actual area of excavation on the locate request ticket. And consider: without accurately placed marks, how can an excavator be expected to proceed “…in a careful and prudent manner.”? Without white pre-marks can locators be expected to safely support your efforts to do so?

Excavation is accurately coined by the phrase “shared responsibility”. A safe and profitable project is the reward for adherence to the “white marks” law, for facility operators, locators, and all excavators; professional or “casual” alike.

Last year, 2009, entrance turnstiles revolved to the tune of 1,790,497 paid attendees, an all-time attendance record. The huge numbers of visitors to the Fair each year provide a perfect venue for GSOC. Sharing its services with Minnesota’s excavators, particularly homeowners and “casual” excavators, the Fair is a perfect mesh with its mission to serve all 87 counties comprising the state. As a critical and State-law mandated communication link between excavators and public underground utilities since 1988, GSOC distributes tens of thousands of “educations-on-a-stick” in the form of its brightly colored yardsticks and children’s excavation safety coloring books, along with homeowner guides and other important handouts.

Over 40 volunteers from industry-related organizations such as the Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety and public utilities help staff the booth, providing a broad spectrum of experience and a wealth of knowledge and education to the eager families who stop at the booth for their yardstick. The concept of “shared excavation responsibility” takes on its finest form during the Fair, embodied by the companies who send their “ambassadors of education” to work side-by-side with GSOC.

With that thought foremost, we wish to thank all of them, and the selfless dedication and  hard work of the MN Blue Flame Gas Association for providing GSOC with a beautiful facility to work from.
After you’ve finished filling up on pronto pups, cheese curds, deep-fried ice cream and alligator-on-a-stick, stop by the air-conditioned GSOC booth for a short lesson on excavation safety and a no-calorie, no fat, all-healthy yardstick of your favorite color!

SEE YOU AT THE FAIR!

Please click the image below to view these safety tips:

Nationally, the vast majority of excavation safety messages are geared toward the adult mind. "Dig Safely Out There", the excavation safety children’s video produced by Minnesota’s notification center for excavation (Gopher State One Call) was designed with a specific goal in mind: inform and educate young, impressionable minds about the danger inherent with the seemingly innocent removal of flags that mark underground utility lines. Your answers and professional input are important! As public relations and education professionals in the excavation industry, your evaluations will be carefully analyzed and of invaluable assistance in planning future action items and strategy for all stakeholders. Unless you desire otherwise, all respondent information will be held in the highest confidence.  Thank you!

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The primary focus of Gopher State One Call (GSOC) is public safety.  This cannot be compromised or in any way diminished.  Society is demanding more sophisticated technology be used to solve the problem of protecting the underground infrastructure.  Further, world events have increased the costs and responsibilities on organizations such as GSOC.

The 2004 uniform billing rate for GSOC tickets is competitive to other surrounding states.  When compared to states such as Wisconsin, it is substantially lower, particularly when one take into account that GSOC does not currently assess additional charges for services that are often charged in addition to the ticket cost ( data base updates, search and status, annual membership fees, per mile charges, and advertising surcharges are a few examples.)

GSOC also has a responsibility to be fiscally prudent and provide a strong and broad base of financial support.  This requires that all facility owners recognize that they must contribute towards one state wide notification center, independent of the individual benefit they may receive on each and every ticket

GSOC cannot “create” better information than it receives from the excavator.  Many excavators are well prepared, have taken extra steps to provide the most accurate information available and assist GSOC in delivering a ticket that is appropriate in size and accurately reflecting the excavation area.  Facility owners must also recognize that sometimes, the nature of the work, the remoteness of the location or other factors may prevent even a prudent excavator from narrowing the request.  Lastly, GSOC also asks that facility owners recognize that GSOC must accept tickets from parties that haven’t adequately prepared, are unclear in their request or overbroad in what they want us to do because it is prudent from a public safety standpoint to do the best we can, rather that refuse the excavator’s request and risk that they dig without a ticket.

OUT OF AREA CREDIT

1. All decisions of GSOC are final.
2. No out of area credit will be issued for the first 10 tickets meeting the out of area credit in any calendar month.
3. No credit will be issued for a ticket, if the ticket relates to the quarter section identified by the excavator ( in the case of a fax request or any other type of excavation request where the quarter section is used by the excavator as description of the area of work) if the facility owner has identified  any portion of the quarter section as part of their data base on file with GSOC
4. No credit will be issued for any cancellation or corrections.
5. No credit will be issued for a ticket mapped by GSOC if the facility owner has any facilities identified on its data base on file with GSOC within 1000 feet of the information provided by the excavator to GSOC in the call taking process.  The facility owner recognizes that the judgment of GSOC in the actual mapping of the ticket is based on their professional judgment taking into account a series of factors inherent in the call taking process. 
6. Not more than 5% of the tickets received by a facility owner in any calendar month, as indicated by the daily audit reports, can be submitted, with attached documentation and analysis for the reason for the credit, for research for potential issuance of as an out of area credit.  GSOC will research the submissions.  If it is determined that any or all of the submissions meet this criteria, credit will be issued on the subsequent month’s invoice with no assessment of a researching fee.  However, if tickets are submitted to GSOC which: (i) on their face do not meet the above criteria; (ii) when researched are not subject to credit because they do not meet the criteria; or (iii) are not asserted in good faith, then GSOC may assess a research fee of $25 per hour, plus any out-of-pocket costs incurred in conducting the research.
7. All requests for Credit must be received by GSOC within 5 business days of the end of the calendar month in which the ticket was issued.  

Nationally, the vast majority of excavation safety messages are geared toward the adult mind. ‘Dig Safely Out There’, the excavation safety children’s video produced by Minnesota’s notification center for excavation (Gopher State One Call) was designed with a specific goal in mind: inform and educate young impressionable minds about the danger inherent with the seemingly innocent removal of flags that mark underground utility lines.

Thank you for taking the time to visit our website and provide your input on the Dig Safely Out There video! Your answers and professional input are important. As fellow educational professionals, your evaluations will be carefully analyzed and of invaluable assistance in Gopher State One Calls’ future educational opportunities and strategy for years to come. Please be assured your responses are strictly protected and secure, and, unless you desire otherwise, all respondent information will be held in the highest confidence.  Thank you!

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The state of Minnesota also recognizes April as National Safe Digging Month.  Click on the image below to view the official state proclamation signed by Governor Tim Pawlenty and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie.

 “Smart” technology, in recent years, has made huge steps in helping people accomplish daily tasks.  The iPhone, Android, Palm, Window Mobile and other smartphones make finding and communicating information easier than ever.  With their new Mobile E-Ticket application, Gopher State One Call is the first One Call Center to allow homeowners, excavators and utilities the ability to submit locate requests via their smartphone.  People are no longer tied to their desk at work, while at the same time are busier moving around, challenged to fit even more tasks into their hectic day.  Gopher State One Call wanted to create a new application that reflected this change in mobility in society.  Users can now easily communicate information to the One Call Center in a style that matches current technology and society trends. 

Gopher State One Call’s mobile ticket submission application is one of their first steps in developing new technologies and applications for the damage prevention industry.   Gopher State One Call believes this technology is currently in its “infancy” stage, with much more new development expected to occur throughout the industry.   As smartphones get smarter and user feedback is collected, applications will be improved and new applications created.  Gopher State One Call will continue to adapt its processes and invest in its users to fit a more mobile society.     

“Smartphones are very prevalent now, and will only continue to grow in popularity and everyday use in society.  We wanted to provide our users with a new mobile One Call technology that supports the rapid movement in that direction,” stated Mark Palma, Gopher State One Call board secretary. 

To view the new Mobile E-Ticket site with your smartphone, please visit:  http://mnticketentry.korterraweb.com .  It features the same information submission layout that users are accustomed to seeing on Gopher State One Call’s website submission page.  Anyone wishing to use Mobile E-Ticket must first contact Gopher State One Call at 651-681-7341 to register for this application.  While this new application provides 24 hour a day, 7 day a week submission, all users are reminded that they must submit locate requests 2 full business days before excavation is scheduled to occur. 

Hance Utility Services
304 12th Avenue S.
Buffalo, MN 55313
Contact: Christopher Koch
Phone: (763) 682-0206
Email: info@hanceutility.com
Website: www.hanceutility.com

United Locating Services
12817 Industrial Park Blvd
Plymouth, MN 55441
Contact: Rob Keller
Phone: (406) 541-9571
Email: rkeller@unitedlocating.com
Website: www.unitedlocating.com

Vannguard Utility Partners, Inc.
101 Main St. South
Suite 104
Hutchinson, MN 55350
Contact: Randy Bern
Phone: (608) 223-2014
Email: randybern@vannguard.net
Website: www.vannguard.net
Coverage Area:  State of Minnesota

Minnesota Rules Chapter 7560

7560.0350 EXCAVATION NOTICE REQUESTING MEET.

Subpart 1. Excavator duties.
When requesting a meet through the notification center, an excavator must provide at least one contact name and telephone number to assist in facilitating the meet.  An excavator shall contact the notification center to cancel or reschedule the meet and the notification center shall relay this information to the affected operators.  When a meet is requested, an excavator's notice must include the entire geographic area of the proposed excavation and the specific location of the meet.  This part does not relieve an excavator from the duty to provide a precise geographic location of the proposed area of excavation, or to use white markings except where it can be shown that to do so is not practical.

Subpart 2. Operator duties.
When a meet is requested, an affected operator shall make a reasonable effort to attend the meet at the proposed date and time, or contact the excavator before the meet and reschedule for a mutually agreed date and time.

Subpart 3. Excavation start date and time.
When a meet is requested, the meet date and time must be at least 48 hours after notice is provided, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, and the excavation start date and time must be at least 24 hours after the proposed meet date and time specified on the notice, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.  This subpart does not apply if these matters are provided for in a written agreement with all affected operators.

Subpart 4. Meet request documentation.
An excavator shall maintain written documentation of each meet with an underground facility operator or representative. This documentation must be kept for the duration of the excavation conducted under the notice. The documentation must include:

• A. the date and time of each meet;
• B. the names, company affiliations, and contact information of the attendees of each meet;
• C. a diagram, sketch, or description of the precise excavation locations, dates, and times; and
• D. the agreed schedule of any future meets or communications.

7560.0100 DEFINITIONS.

Subpart 7.  Meet.

When used as a noun in this chapter, "meet" refers to a meeting at the site of proposed excavation requested at the time of notice by the excavator with all affected underground facility operators to further clarify the precise geographic location of excavation, schedule locating, propose future contacts, and share other information concerning the excavation and facilities.

• Online:  Login to E-Ticket
• From Your Smart Phone:  http://mnticketentry.korterraweb.com
• Telephone:  (800) 252-1166 or (651) 454-0002

Before

And here is what is looks like now:

After, Front Page

After, Utility Portal  (not shown: excavator portal and homeowner portal)

Gopher State One Call’s website receives a considerable amount of traffic from many different user types.  GSOC wants to make sure its website is easy to navigate for all visitors, while responding to the varying needs of its users.  What was the new site’s number one goal?  Make it simpler.  This was accomplished through an easy to navigate layout, designed to enhance two-way communication between Gopher State One Call and site visitors. 

The site is now divided into three portals for the three different user types to enter: excavators, homeowners and utilities.  Each group has their own entrance to the new website, with content specific to their group.  Common actions that were pre-defined for each user group are now featured in large buttons on the front page.  Information has been sorted into intuitive categories, enabling users to find the material they are searching for more easily and quickly.  To enter the site, simply click on the green button that you identify yourself as (an excavator, homeowner or utility).

Some prominent features of the new site include:

• Video Content
• Slide Show with Links
• Robust News and Media Center
• Services List
• Industry Directory with User Submission Form
• One Call Process and Underground Utilities Information Overviews

Aimee Wendland, marketing coordinator for KorTerra also acted as project manager for the new Gopher State One Call site.  She shares her experience in the site creation: “The Gopher State One Call website was an incredible project for KorTerra.  As a software development company focused in the damage prevention industry, it was great to be able to create a website for One Call users where we already understood the challenges and needs.  We felt a tremendous amount of personal responsibility to aid these users in enhancing damage prevention communications throughout Minnesota.  We reviewed hundreds of websites to find the right layout that would strike the appropriate balance between visual interest and content.   The end result was a simple, fresh site that meets the needs of many different users simultaneously, allows for high-traffic and contains a lot of content while being easy to navigate.” 

Gopher State One Call is extremely pleased with the new site, which was created and designed by KorTerra, a software development company and valued damage prevention partner of GSOC.  If you are thinking about upgrading your web presence, contact KorTerra at 952-368-1911 or visit www.korterra.com to find out how easy it is to update your current website or create an entirely new site.

There are two ways to report excavation activity in Minnesota.  You can visit www.gopherstateonecall.org and enter your dig information online, or you can dial 811 and speak to a phone representative.  Online information can be entered 24 hours a day.  Click here to view Gopher State One Call’s call center hours.

Once you have submitted your dig information to Gopher State One Call, any organization with underground facilities near the dig site will review where any underground lines may be.  If it is determined there are underground facilities in or near the dig site, a locator will visit the site to mark their location.  Colored paint or flags are used to mark the location of underground facilities.  The color of the marking signifies the type of facility that is underground.  The American Public Works Association provides a color code chart that is used to mark all underground facilities.

Utility organizations that are asked to review their underground facilities to determine if any are near the dig site are required by law to respond to Gopher State One Call with their findings.   Gopher State One Call provides an online search engine for homeowners and excavators to check on the status of their request, and see if any utility companies reported marking or clearing underground facilities at the dig site.  To check the status of your dig request click here.

The meeting is being held on 4/22/2010 at 5:30 PM at the Eagles Club in Thief River Falls.  If you would like to register to attend this meeting, please click here to submit your information.  

Welcome to Gopher State One Call’s News and Media Center!

Gopher State One Call is excited to make communicating with our members and stakeholders even easier through our new media center.  We will be posting video, article, photo and many other updates through the various pages to the right.  We hope you can use these as your source to be informed of what is going on at Gopher State One Call and to let us know if we can do anything to improve our damage prevention efforts.

Gopher State One Call writes and distributes Press Releases when any major events or announcements are on the horizon.

The Photo Gallery contains photos from the events and meetings Gopher State One Call attends, and also has an area for users to post their own photos!  We encourage you to submit and share any photos related to damage prevention from your hometown area.

What's New at GSOC is a quick update and alert page to let our community members know the latest happenings at Gopher State One Call.  This can include anything from upcoming events to new technology, employees or services!  Check this page to see what is going to at Gopher State One Call today.

Gopher State One Call distributes Newsletters via email and mail on a quarterly basis.  All newsletters from the past five years are available in this section.  Visit this section to view our newsletters and sign up to have them sent to you.

A great new update to our site is the ability to stream Videos!  Gopher State One Call has created, produced and directed the current video on the video page, and we are looking forward to adding even more.

Follow us or "become a fan" of Gopher State One Call on Facebook.  This is another form of media where we are reaching out to connect with our users.

Gopher State One Call provides an RSS Feed to anyone who would like to register.  By subscribing to receive our RSS Feed, you can see every time an important update is made to the Gopher State One Call website.  Visit this page to sign up for our RSS Feed and to view all past RSS Feed alerts.

Download Gopher State One Call's logo from our Official Logo page.

Want to know who is talking about us in the damage prevention community?  So do we!  Gopher State One Call collects all of the news clippings that reference our organization and have them posted to the In the News portion of the news and media center.  Browse through the clips by title and date to learn what Gopher State One Call is doing to make the news.

Welcome to Gopher State One Call’s News and Media Center!

Gopher State One Call is excited to make communicating with our members and stakeholders even easier through our new media center.  We will be posting video, article, photo and many other updates through the various pages to the right.  We hope you can use these as your source to be informed of what is going on at Gopher State One Call and to let us know if we can do anything to improve our damage prevention efforts.

Gopher State One Call writes and distributes Press Releases when any major events or announcements are on the horizon.

The Photo Gallery contains photos from the events and meetings Gopher State One Call attends, and also has an area for users to post their own photos!  We encourage you to submit and share any photos related to damage prevention from your hometown area.

What's New at GSOC is a quick update and alert page to let our community members know the latest happenings at Gopher State One Call.  This can include anything from upcoming events to new technology, employees or services!  Check this page to see what is going to at Gopher State One Call today.

Gopher State One Call distributes Newsletters via email and mail on a quarterly basis.  All newsletters from the past five years are available in this section.  Visit this section to view our newsletters and sign up to have them sent to you.

A great new update to our site is the ability to stream Videos!  Gopher State One Call has created, produced and directed the current video on the video page, and we are looking forward to adding even more.

Follow us or "become a fan" of Gopher State One Call on Facebook.  This is another form of media where we are reaching out to connect with our users.

Gopher State One Call provides an RSS Feed to anyone who would like to register.  By subscribing to receive our RSS Feed, you can see every time an important update is made to the Gopher State One Call website.  Visit this page to sign up for our RSS Feed and to view all past RSS Feed alerts.

Download Gopher State One Call's logo from our Official Logo page.

Want to know who is talking about us in the damage prevention community?  So do we!  Gopher State One Call collects all of the news clippings that reference our organization and have them posted to the In the News portion of the news and media center.  Browse through the clips by title and date to learn what Gopher State One Call is doing to make the news.

Welcome to Gopher State One Call’s News and Media Center!

Gopher State One Call is excited to make communicating with our members and stakeholders even easier through our new media center.  We will be posting video, article, photo and many other updates through the various pages to the right.  We hope you can use these as your source to be informed of what is going on at Gopher State One Call and to let us know if we can do anything to improve our damage prevention efforts.

Gopher State One Call writes and distributes Press Releases when any major events or announcements are on the horizon.

The Photo Gallery contains photos from the events and meetings Gopher State One Call attends, and also has an area for users to post their own photos!  We encourage you to submit and share any photos related to damage prevention from your hometown area.

What's New at GSOC is a quick update and alert page to let our community members know the latest happenings at Gopher State One Call.  This can include anything from upcoming events to new technology, employees or services!  Check this page to see what is going to at Gopher State One Call today.

Gopher State One Call distributes Newsletters via email and mail on a quarterly basis.  All newsletters from the past five years are available in this section.  Visit this section to view our newsletters and sign up to have them sent to you.

A great new update to our site is the ability to stream Videos!  Gopher State One Call has created, produced and directed the current video on the video page, and we are looking forward to adding even more.

Follow us or "become a fan" of Gopher State One Call on Facebook.  This is another form of media where we are reaching out to connect with our users.

Gopher State One Call provides an RSS Feed to anyone who would like to register.  By subscribing to receive our RSS Feed, you can see every time an important update is made to the Gopher State One Call website.  Visit this page to sign up for our RSS Feed and to view all past RSS Feed alerts.

Download Gopher State One Call's logo from our Official Logo page.

Want to know who is talking about us in the damage prevention community?  So do we!  Gopher State One Call collects all of the news clippings that reference our organization and have them posted to the In the News portion of the news and media center.  Browse through the clips by title and date to learn what Gopher State One Call is doing to make the news.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) Feed is an information sharing tool Gopher State One Call uses to inform users of site changes in a standardized format.  Our RSS Feeds will include summarized text of new articles or content posted on our site.  All full articles are found in the News & Media section of our website.

To subscribe to our RSS feed and receive automatic Gopher State One Call updates, please click the RSS Icon below and follow the steps illustrated.

Once you have clicked on the RSS Icon, follow these instructions:

1.  Click the link "Subscribe to this feed".

2.  Click "Subscribe".

3.  Once you have clicked Subscribe, the Gopher State One Call feed will automatically appear in the screen you have open.

4.  To re-access the RSS Feed, you can either visit Gopher State One Call's homepage and click the RSS logo:

or, if you have Microsoft Outlook, an RSS Feed folder will automatically be created for you.

Below you will find photo albums Gopher State One Call has posted of the various One Call events we have attended or hosted.  We also invite YOU to send us photos of your damage prevention efforts in Minnesota!  If you have anything from a photo of an exciting home improvement project you are working on where you had to call 811, a picture of someone performing a locate, or maybe just a scenic photo of your hometown area - we want to know what is going on in your world with damage prevention.

User Benefits

Gopher State One Call wants communicating with our One Call Center to meet your communication style.  If you are busy or on the go, Mobile E-Ticket may give you more flexibility to submit tickets from the field, dig site or wherever else you may be.  Mobile E-Ticket allows users to conveniently provide locate information at anytime (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) and now from any location. 

How to Use

There is no registration process to use Mobile E-Ticket.  Once you register to use E-Ticket on your desktop computer, you can access the Mobile version of the website at any time! 

Simply visit http://mnticketentry.korterraweb.com from your desktop computer, create an account (if you are a new user) and you can now access E-Ticket from your desktop or mobile phone.

Greene Construction, Inc.
10722 251st St.
Scandia, MN 55073
Contact: Damian Greene
Phone: (612) 886-4747
Email: damian@greeneconstructioninc.com
Website: www.greeneconstructioninc.com
Coverage Area: Greater Twin Cities Metro Area

Lakeland Building Services
2960 Judicial Road, Suite 110
Burnsville, MN 55337
Contact: Brian Borchardt
Phone: (800) 818-3491
Email: bborchardt@mnlakeland.com
Website: www.lakeland.com
Coverage Area: Twin Cities

McGowan & Dokken Remodeling and Design, LLC
4737 County Road 101, #128
Minnetonka, MN 55345
Contact: Traci Dokken
Phone: (952) 933-9532
Email: traci@mcgowananddokken.com  
Website: www.mcgowananddokken.com
Coverage Area: Western Twin Cities Suburbs

Miller and Sons Construction Inc.
5930 Viola Rd. NE
Rochester, MN 55906
Contact: Gary Miller Sr.
Phone: (507) 398-9087
Email: nightwelder64@yahoo.com
Coverage Area: Minnesota

ReferralBuzz.com
6950 France Ave S #120
Edina, MN 55418
Contact: Matt Reinan
Phone: (952) 500-9878
Email: mreinan@referralbuzz.com

R U Remodeling Inc.
4235 5th Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55409
Contact: Perry Ruedy
Phone: (952) 465-1165
Email: ruremodelinging@gmail.com
Website: www.rurmn.com

Hennepin County Sheriff Communications
9300 Naper St.
Golden Valley, MN 55427
Contact: Jim Backer
Email: Jim.Backer@co.hennepin.mn.us
Phone: (612) 596-1957

Minnesota Department of Transportation
395 John Ireland Boulevard
St. Paul, MN 55155-1899
Phone: (800) 657-3774
Email: info.dot@state.mn.us
Website: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/

Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety
444 Cedar St., Suite 147
St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: (651) 201-7230
Email: Dps.Mnops.Response@state.mn.us
Website: http://www.dps.state.mn.us/pipeline/index.html

Aevenia, Inc.
3030 24th Ave South
Moorhead, MN 56560
Contact: Jason Abbott
Phone: (218) 284-9500
Email: jabbott@aevenia.com
Website: www.aevenia.com
Coverage Area: Upper Midwest

Dave's Electric and North Shore Automation LLC
PO Box 2235
Tofte, MN 55615
Contact: David Rude
Phone: (218) 663-8042
Email: davesel@boreal.org
Coverage Area: All of Cook County and Northern Lake County

E.H. Renner & Sons, Inc.
15688 Jarvis Street NW
Elk River, MN 55330
Contact: Raymond Renner
Phone: (763) 427-6100
Email: raymond.t.renner@ehrenner.com
Website: www.ehrenner.com
Coverage Area:  Twin Cities Metro and Suburban Areas

G. Gardner Concrete & Waterproofing, Inc.
14868 Oakcrest Circle
Savage, MN 55378
Contact: Randy Gardner
Phone: 952-440-2224
Email: gardconcrete@integra.net
Website: www.garnderconcrete.net
Coverage Area: Twin Cities Metro Area

Johnson & Son Well Drilling
202 Frontage Road
Sebeka, MN 56477
Contact: Austin Johnson
Phone: (218) 837-5500
Email: johnsonwelldrilling@wcta.net
Coverage Area: 50 mile radius of Sebeka, MN

Kettner Concrete LLC
803 3rd St.
Nicollet, MN 56074
Contact: Kory Kettner
Phone: (507) 340-5388
Email: kett411@yahoo.com

Lakeland Building Services
2960 Judicial Road, STE 110
Burnsville, MN 55337
Contact: Brian Borchardt
Phone: (800) 818-3491
Email: bborchardt@mnlakeland.com
Website: www.lakeland.com
Coverage Area:  Twin Cities Metro Area

Maertens-Brenny Construction Company
8251 Main Street, NE
Minneapolis, MN 55432
Contact: John Hoffman
Phone: (763) 786-4779
Email: jhoffman@maertensbrenny.com
Website: www.maertensbrenny.com
Coverage Area: Upper Midwest

Miller and Sons Construction Inc.
5930 Viola Rd. NE
Rochester, MN 55906
Contact: Gary Miller Sr.
Phone: (507) 398-9087
Email: nightwelder64@yahoo.com
Coverage Area:  Minnseota

Moorhead Electric, Inc.
3030 24th Ave. South
Moorhead, MN 56560
Contact: Jim Baltes
Phone: (218) 236-9233
Email: jbaltes@moorheadelectric.com
Website: www.moorheadelectric.com
Coverage Area: Upper Midwest

Mr. Electric of Southern MN
32 East Main St.
Dodge Center, MN 55927
Contact: Art Hall
Phone: (507) 634-3532
Email: mrelectric@kmtel.com
Website: http://southernminnesota.mrelectric.com/
Coverage Area: SE Minnesota 

Sellin Brothers, Inc.
1204 Hobart Street
PO Box 159
Hawley, MN 56549
Contact: Mark Sellin
Phone: (218) 483-3522
Email: info@sellinbrothers.com
Website: www.sellinbrothers.com

South Suburban Asphalt
20455 Huntington Way
Prior Lake, MN 55372
Contact: Glen Johnson
Phone: (952) 447-8698
Email: davegorden@frontiernet.net
Website: www.southsuburbanasphalt.com
Coverage Area:  South and SW Hennepin County, Scott, Dakota and Northern Rice Counties

Swn Lake Builders
768 Kennedy Dr SW
Bemidji, MN 56601
Contact: Kent Minske
Email: swanlakebuilders@gmail.com
Coverage Area: Hundred mile radius of Bemidji, MN

Young Fence
PO Box 711
Bemidji, MN 56619
Contact: Kevin Young
Phone: (218) 766-6405
Email: goose1180@msn.com
Coverage Area: North and North Central MN

KorPartners, Inc.
18946 Lake Drive East
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Phone: (952) 697-4280
Email: info@korpartners.com
Website: www.korpatners.com

Minnesota Pipeline CAER Association
PO Box 9123
Wichita, KS 67209
Phone: (877) 966-2237
Email: mncaer@pdigm.com
Website: http://www.minnesotacaer.com/

DigTrack.com
350 Linden Oaks
Rochester, NY 14625
Phone: (800) 298-7664
Email: info@digrack.com
Website: http://www.digtrack.com

Wills for Heroes
Phone: (612) 672-3493
Email: andrea.bischoff@maslon.com
Website: http://www.mnbar.org/willsforheroes

National GPR Service, Inc.
1333 Larc Industrial Blvd.
Burnsville, MN 55337
Contact: Scott Vikeras
Phone: (877) 556-4777
Email: scott@ngprs.com
Website: http://www.ngprs.com

The Locator School
304 12th Avenue S.
Buffalo, MN 55313
Contact:  Christopher Koch
Phone: (612) 363-6192
Email: info@thelocatorschool.com
Website: www.thelocatorschool.com

Common Ground Alliance (CGA)
1421 Prince Street
Suite 410
Alexandria, VA 22314
Contact: Erika Andreasen Lee
Phone: 703-836-1709
Email: ErikaA@commongroundalliance.com
Website: www.commongroundalliance.com
811 Website: www.call811.com

Metropolitan Utility Coordinating Committee (MUCC)
Website: http://mnkorterra.com/mucc/

Prairieland Utility Coordinating Committee (PUCC)
Contact: Conrad Bombardier
Email:  Conrad.Bombardier@chartercom.com 
Website:  http://mn.korterra.com/pucc/ 

Albert Lea Tree Service Plus, Inc.
69733 240th St.
Albert Lea, MN 56007
Contact: Jeff Johnson
Phone: (507) 377-8733
Email: altsplus@live.com

Breiwick Companies, Inc.
11681 E. Laketowne Dr.
Albertville, MN 55301
Contact: Dustin Breiwick
Phone: (763) 398-0079
Email: dbreiwick@lightblas.net

Dean's Landscaping Services
1911 77th St. East
Lino Lakes, MN 55038
Contact: Dean Faymoville
Phone: (651) 755-0759
Email: ddcfaymoville@aol.com

Dynamite Landscape, Inc.
5650 85th Ave NE
Foley, MN 56329
Contact: Darren
Phone: (320) 980-0554
Email: darren@dynamitelandscapeinc.com

Impressions Outdoor Living, LLC
5509 Holiday Road
Minnetonka, MN 55345
Contact: Brian Rivers
Phone: (952) 220-2971
Email: brivers@impressionsoutdoorliving.com

Land Design Associates, Inc.
124 Carver Creek Circle
Carver, MN 55315
Contact: Conrad Nauman
Phone: (952) 448-9879
Email: cnauman@landdesignmn.com
Website: www.landdesignmn.com

Lawnworks Lawn Care & Landscaping
525 Forest Lane
Belton, SC 29627
Contact: Brad Snipes
Phone: (864) 353-1597
Email: bradsnipes@hotmail.com
Website: www.lawnworkssc.com

Natureview Landscaping
7011 Concord Blvd.
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076
Contact: Tim Krey
Phone: (651) 455-0141
Email: natureview7011@comcast.net
Website. www.natureviewlandscaping.com

Reel Green
1012 N. 17th St.
Superior, WI 54880
Contact: Jason Baumgarth
Phone: (218) 461-9863
Email: jason@reelgreenlawn.com
Website: www.reelgreenlawn.com

Sachs Earthworks
5255 Lake Elmo Ave. N
Lake Elmo, MN 55042
Contact:  Jim Sachs
Phone: (651) 430-2586
Email: jim@sachsearthworks.com
Website: www.sachsearthworks.com

The Lawn Ranger
6390 Carlson Drive
Eden Prairie, MN 55346
Contact: Bobby Jensen
Phone: (952) 937-6076
Email: bjensen@lawnrangermn.com
Website: www.lawnrangermn.com

Access-com.net
Contact: Roni Woods 
5005 Cheshire Parkway, Suite 1
Plymouth, MN, 55446
Phone: (763) 545-9998
Email: rwoods@access-com.net 
Coverage Area: Mpls/St. Paul metro area south to Mankato

Becker & Stemper Electric LLC
Contact: Dylan Becker
224 E. South St.
Caledonia, MN 55921
Phone: (507) 725-8844
Email: beckerstemperelectric@hotmail.com 
Coverage Area: Southern MN, Northeast IA, Western WI
 
Birds Eye Locating
804 6th Avenue SW
Little Falls, MN, 56345
Shawn Jendro   (320) 309-7130
Coverage area: Will be servicing a 75 mile radius of Little Falls, MN 56345
 
Brad Johnson
PO Box 642
Austin, MN, 55912
Brad Johnson   (507) 355-1504, (507) 219-8081
Coverage area: South Central and South Eastern Minnesota
 
Bullseye Private Utility Locating LLC
470 105th Ave NW
Coon Rapids, MN, 55448
Dan   (763) 754-8014
Coverage area: Metro and surrounding areas
 
Citi Lites, Inc.
PO Box 475
Elk River, MN, 55330
Denny Peterson   (218) 568-4744
Coverage area: Statewide
 
Consolidated Utility Services, Inc.
845 Plumwood Lane
Waukee, IA, 50263
Mike Broshous   (515) 987-8971
Coverage area: Entire Twin Cities, Central and Southern Minnesota

Cox Utility Services, Inc.
13850 Ballantyne Corp. Place
Suite 500
Charlotte, NC 28277
Contact: Adam Johnson
Phone: (704) 207-7536
Email: adam.johnson@coxusi.com
Coverage Area: Southern/Central Minnesota

Coyote Creek Electric
6822 SE 58th St.
Owatonna, MN 55060
Contact: Jesse Walderon
Phone: (507) 475-1250
Email: jessecce@gofast.am
Website: www.coyotecreek.com
Covereage Area: Minnesota
 
Dell-Comm, Inc.
2180 Highway 8
New Brighton, MN, 55112
Shawn Thompson   (763) 783-0035
Coverage area: Ten-county metro area, Elsewhere as feasible
 
Diggers Resource Services
843 2nd St. SE.
Forest Lake, MN, 55025
Eric Montean   (651) 303-4955
Coverage area: Eleven county metro area or where feasible
 
Donlie Underground
10210 235th St. West
Lakeville, MN, 55044
Jeremy Storlie   612-366-3506
Coverage area: South Metro, including Rice, Sibley, Le Sueur and Goodhue County.
 
Hance Locating & Services, Inc.
PO Box 202
Maple Lake, MN, 55358
Kole Hance   612-363-6233
Coverage area: Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa.
 
Hance Utilities Services
304 12 Ave. S.
Buffalo, MN, 55313
Larry Hance   (763) 682-0206
Coverage area: Minnesota and surrounding states
 
JD Locating
548 West Oak St.
Parkers Prairie, MN, 56361
Joe Dorn   (218) 338-5658
Coverage area: Wherever feasible
 
Jim's Electric
8296 Industrial Park Road
Baxter, MN, 56425
Tony Grant   (218)828-0250,(218)270-0230
Coverage area: 60 mile radius of Brainerd for any locating needs.
 
LLB Utility Construction
1010 Garfield Ave
Superior, WI, 54880
Mike McDonald   (715) 392-6224
Coverage area: 100 mile radius of Duluth / Superior area

Mid MN Damage Prevention
Contact: Denice Gadacz
16082 Central Avenue
Milaca, MN, 56353
Phone: 320-983-3110
Email: midmn.dapr@yahoo.com
Coverage Area: Central Minnesota

MP Nexlevel
500 E County Rd 37
Maple Lake, MN, 55358
Anyone   (320) 963-2400
Coverage area: Statewide
 
Nadeau Utility
20005 County Rd 81
Maple Grove, MN, 55311
Danny Nadeau   (763) 428-3910
Coverage area: Seven-county metro area, Western MN wherever feasible
 
National GPR Service Inc.
1333 Larc Industrial Blvd.
Burnsville, MN 55337
Phone: 952-445-9040
Website: www.ngprs.com
Coverage area: Statewide

Neon Locating
Rogers, MN, 55374
Norm Onnen   (763) 464-2246, (763) 425-4677
Coverage area: Metro area, generally a 60 mile radius of Maple Grove
 
Night Scapes
PO Box 36
Jordan, MN, 55352
Tony Schmidt   (952) 492-6725, (952) 292-5021
Coverage area: 7 County Metro
 
Precision Locating
4360 151st Lane NE
Ham Lake, MN, 55304
Dale Broom   (612) 209-9496
Coverage area: Statewide including bordering states.
 
Private Underground
14031 Point Douglas Dr.
Hastings, MN, 55033
Robert Beil   (651) 438-0152
Coverage area: Greater Metro Area and Southern Minnesota or Call
 
Private Underground - North
12294 270th Ave
Detroit Lakes, MN, 56501
Joe Scowcroft   (218) 849-8005, (866) 403-4558
Coverage area: Counties of: Becker, Clay, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Norman, Ottertail, Wadena and Wilkin or call
 
Rapid Response Plumbing
16155 State Hwy 29 North
Glenwood, MN 56334
Phone: (320) 760-0695
Email: mikerandr@qwestoffice.net
Website: www.rapidresponseplumbingandheating.com
Excavation Type:  Specialize in locating sewer lines, septic tanks, and sewer systems.
Covereage Area: West Central Minnesota

SM&P
8804 7th Ave N
Golden Valley, MN, 53222
Ryan Zelenka   (763) 398-0980
Coverage area: Metro West, St. Cloud and Rochester
 
Trosen Electric
3939 43rd Ave NW
Hackensack, MN, 56452
Chuck Trosen   218-675-5757
Coverage area: Cass and Hubbard County
 
United Locating Services
501 6th St. NW
Maple Lake, MN, 55358
Dispatch   (320) 963-8511
Coverage area: Statewide
 
Utility Mapping Service Inc.
3302 Southway Dr. Suite 101
St. Cloud, MN, 56301
Todd Athmann   (320) 258-5052
Coverage area: 100 mile radius of St. Cloud
  

Vannguard Utility Partners, Inc.
101 Main St. South
Suite 104
Hutchinson, MN 55350
Contact: Randy Bern
Phone: (608) 223-2014
Email: randybern@vannguard.net
Website: www.vannguard.net
Coverage Area:  State of Minnesota

J & F Reddy Rents, Inc.
3320 Republic Ave.
St. Louis Park, MN 55426
Contact: Rachel
Phone: (952) 927-5641
Email: reddy10@reddyrents.com  
Website: www.ReddyRents.com

Hiawatha Reddy Rents, Inc.
4411 Hiawatha Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55406
Contact: Andy
Phone: (612) 722-9516
Email: hiawatha@reddyrents.com
Website: www.ReddyRents.com

Grand Rental Station
728 Railroad Drive
Elk River, MN 55330
Contact: Bruce Volk
Phone: (763) 441-8608
Email: bruce@grsrent.com
Website: www.grsrent.com

Miller and Sons Construction Inc.
5930 Viola Rd. NE
Rochester, MN 55906
Contact: Gary Miller Sr.
Phone: (507) 398-9087
Email: nightwelder64@yahoo.com

Braun Intertec
Greg Bialon
1101 Hampshire Ave. S
Minneapolis, MN 55438
Phone: (952) 952-2000
Email: gbialon@braunintertec.com
Website: www.braunintertec.com
Type:  Soil borings for geotechnical and environmental evaluation

Clever Name Contracting, LLC
Bruce Hjerpe
PO Box 41333
Plymouth, MN 55441
Phone: (612) 618-1535
Email: Bruce@CleverNameContracting.com
Website: www.CleverNameContracting.com
Type: Hydroseeding

D & M Excavating, Inc.
Kevin Held
2041 140th Ave.
Mora, MN 55051
Phone: (320) 697-2023
Email: ilovedirt@q.com
Type: Residential/Commercial

Dave Hulstein Excavating Inc.
Dave Hulstein
147 175th Ave.
Edgerton, MN 56128
Phone: (507) 442-4000
Email: hulexinc@iw.net
Website: www.davehulsteinexcavatinginc.com
Type: Septic systems, basements, hot pigs, waterways

Dave Oldenburg Contracting Inc.
Dave Oldenburg
42132 53rd St.
Foley, MN 56329
Phone: (320) 983-4067
Email: timbuck2@frontiernet.net
Type: Underground facilities

Donlie Underground, INC.
Jeremy Storlie
10210 235th Street West
Lakeville, MN 55044
Phone: (612) 366-3506
Coverage Area: South Metro, including Rice, Sibley, Le Sueur and Goodhue County.
Type: 750 gallon Ring-O-Matic trailer, Mounted vac system with 450,000 BTU water heater, 500 gallon MUD Duck Vac system trailer mounted.

Enebak Construction Company
Vickie Amundson
PO Box 458
32825 Northfield Blvd.
Northfield, MN 55057
Phone: (507) 645-8962
Email: vickiea@enebak.com
Website: www.enebak.com
Type: Highway/Heavy, Commercial, Residential Site Grading, Water & Sewer Utilities

Fraser Construction Co.
Mike Soltis
3725 Enterprise Dr. SW
Rochester, MN 55902
Phone: (507) 288-6583
Email: mikes@fraserconstruction.com
Type: Grading, Utilities, Drilled Piers, Site Removal, Crushing

General Vacuum Excavation
P.O. Box 41042
Plymouth, MN 55441
Phone: (763) 559-5059
Fax: (763) 559-5090
Website: www.generalcorrosioncorp.com
Type: We utilize a Vacmasters System 4000 Air-Vacuum Excavator. The spoils remain dry for easy backfilling if desired. From pot-holing for utility verification to footing excavations, the System 4000 digs in all soil conditions - including ground frost. This excavator is also equipped with high pressure water, jackhammer, tamper and a sandblaster.

Glander Excavating & Plumbing, Inc.
2115 N. Lakeshore Drive
Lake City, MN 55041
Contact: Mike Glander
Phone: (651) 345-2723
Email: glanderexc@rconnect.com
Type: Residential and Commercial

Hanco Utilities
PO Box 55
Lake Nebagoman, WI 54849
Contact: Brandt Swedberg
Phone: (218) 590-6295
Email: bswedberg.hanco@yahoo.com
Website: www.hancoutilities.com
Type: Sewer, Water, Gas, Electric, Communication, Trenchless, Sewer Lining, Pipe Bursting

Haugstad Construction, Inc.
34108 310th St.
Lanesboro, MN 55949
Contact: Tom Haugstad
Email: tdhaugstad@yahoo.com
Phone: (507) 875-2579
Type: Sewer, basement, road, trail, ponds and much more

Hydro-Vac Inc.
19740 Kenrick Avenue
Lakeville, MN 55044
Phone: (952) 469-5434
Fax: (952) 469-2267
Email: hydrovac@frontiernet.net
Website: www.hydro-vac-inc.com
Type: Truck mounted 2200 gallon spoil tank Mud Dog.
Note: Serving Minnesota and area states. Hydro excavation, sewer jetting and televising.

Ilgen Excavating, Inc.
Darin Ilgen
90 Sinclair Lewis Ave.
Sauk Centre, MN 56378
Phone: (320) 250-3700
Email: bdilgen@mainstreetcom.com
Type:  Commerical and Residential

Interstate Companies
Erik Paulson
6671 Lake Blvd
PO Box 1028
Forest Lake, MN 55025
Phone: (651) 765-0765
Email: erik.paulson@interstatepm.com
Website: www.interstatepm.com
Type: Sewer and water utility

Jim's Electric
Tony Grant
8296 Industrial Park Road
Baxter, MN 56425
Phone: (218) 828-0250
Email: tonyg@jimselectric.com
Website: www.jimselectric.com
Type: Trenching with two different machines.  A Case 660 that has a backhoe, backfill blade and vibrating plow.  A Maxi Sneaker that has a chain differ and a plow on opposite ends, is great on manicured lanws and can go 3 feet deep.

Jivery Construction
Tim Jivery
2103 Hwy 37
Hibbing, MN 55746
Phone: (218) 262-2674
Email: jvrconst@aol.com
Type:  Underground Utilities: Gas, Phone, Electric, Cable TV, Water, Fiber Optics, trenching and plowing, horizontal boring

Laney's Inc. 
Joel Bergson 
55 S. 27th St.
Fargo, ND 58103
Phone: (704) 237-0543
Email: joel.bergson@laneysinc.com
Website: www.laneysinc.com
Type: Sewer and Water Repair

LCS, Inc.
Jay Larson
Office: 1010 4th Avenue
Worthington, MN 56187
Shop: 2119 E Clary
Worthington, MN 56187
Phone: (507) 376-3420
Website: www.larsonecraneservice.com
Note: 550 gallon Vac-Excavation system. Covering southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa.

Mike Pehler Excavating
Mike Pehler
23422 Garvin Heights Rd.
Winona, MN 55987
Phone: (507) 459-9024
Email: mbpehler@ridge-runner.com
Type: ponds, dikes, diversions, waterways, basements, driveways and demolition

South Central Vacuum Locating
Jason
56554 446th Street
New Ulm, MN 56073
Business phone: (507) 381-2041 and (507) 276-3728
Home phone: (507) 359-5791
Note: 800 gallon spoil tank diesel Vac-Tron unit. Will travel a 90 mile radius of New Ulm to include St. Cloud Cities and Rochester.

Starry Electric Inc.
Wayne Starry
11999 105th Ave NE
Foley, MN 56329
Phone: (320) 387-3023
Email: starryelectric@clearwire.net
Type: Trenching, plowing, vertical augering/drilling (18 - 36 inches), electrical installation

Steile Construction Inc.
Rick Steile
716 Highway 7
Silver Lake, MN 55381
Phone: (612) 501-6162
Email: rhsteile@mchsi.com
Type: Directional Boring

Tabor Enterprises Inc.
Kevin
19450 Gleason Road
Hamel, MN 55340
Phone: (763) 478-6804
Cellular: (612) 363-2442
Email: taborent@msn.com
Type:  Utility verifications, Mud Clean-up, Vault Cleaning, Spill containment and more.  Serving seven county metro areas daily (Greater Minnesota and out state call for specifics).
Note: 800 gallon Vermeer trailer mounted vacuum excavator with hot water boiler.

Tim Coleman Excavating
Tim Coleman
14313 State Hwy 27
Hoffman, MN 56339
Phone: (320) 986-2545
Email: tcoleman@runestone.net
Type: Sewers, Field Tiling, Landscaping, Basements

Trask Trucking & Excavation
Bob or Ruth Trask
14194 Grange Rd NW
Pinewood, MN 56676
Phone: (218) 243-2749
Email: trask@paulbunyan.net
Type: Septic Systems, Site Preparation, Driveway Building, Gravel and Black Dirt Hauling, Mobile Home Moving and Set Up

Twin Pines Earthworks
Brian Sandy
27385 114th St.
Zimmerman, MN 55398
Phone: (763) 856-4508
Email: tpearthworks@sherbtel.net
Type:  General excavation, foundation, sitework, storm utility, drainage

Underground Piercing, Inc.
Dan Dittes
14320 James Road
Rogers, MN 55374
Phone: (763) 428-7930
Email: info@undergroundpiercing.com
Website: www.undergroundpiercing.com
Type: Horizontal directional drilling

Vacuum Excavating Service
Keith Valento
23893 Pomroy Avenue North
Scandia, MN 55073
Phone: (651) 433-3934
Cellular: (651) 261-1562
Email: vesi@frontiernet.net
Type: Vacuum Excavation
Note: Trailer-mounted unit, 800 gallon spoils tank, diesel Vac-Tron unit, cold or hot pressurized water for excavating.  Serving Minnesota and the surrounding states, call with any questions or job specifics you have.

Zimmerman Boring & Excavating, Inc.
Marie Schwieterman
9420 Bellefontaine Rd.
New Carlisle, OH 45424
Phone: (937) 689-5744
Type: Underground Utilities, including gas, phone, electric, cable tv, water, fiber optics.  Perform trenching, plowing and horizontal boring.

Kasson Public Utilities
Todd Kispert
401 5th St. SE
Kasson, MN 55944
Contact: Todd Kispert
Phone: (507) 634-6330
Email: electricdept@cityofkasson.com

City of New Hope
5500 International Parkway
New Hope, MN 55428
Contact: Bernie Weber
Phone: (763) 592-6762
Email: bweber@ci.new-hope.mn.us 

City of Eveleth
413 Pierce St.
Eveleth, MN 55734
Contact: Mike Wiskow
Phone: (218) 744-7504
Email: wiskowm@evelethmn.com
Website: www.evelethmn.com

City of Goodview
4140 4th St.
Goodview, MN 55987
Contact: Aaron Lofgren
Phone: (507) 452-1630
Email: aaronl@goodviewmn.com
Website: http://goodview.govoffice.com/

City of Taylor Falls
Contact: Bill Neska, Utilities Manager
637 First St.
Taylor Falls, MN 55084
Phone: (651) 465-5133
Email: tfpublicworks@frontiernet.net

Grand Marais Campground and Marina
Contact: Amber Wright
114 South 8th Ave West
PO Box 820
Grand Marais, MN 55604
Phone: (218) 387-1712
Email: recpark@boreal.org
Website: www.grandmaraisrecreationarea.com

KorTerra and Gopher State One Call have partnered together to provide KorWeb at no cost to Minnesota's utilities, municipalities, pipelines and all other call center members.  As a free member program, One Call Center members do not pay for KorWeb or any support, software or upfront fees. 

KorTerra and Gopher State One Call share the joint belief that KorWeb software will greatly benefit both the One Call Center and their members in improving organizational efficiency and safety in damage prevention.  Members receive a powerful tool to help them manage their damage prevention efforts, while One Call Centers cut costs associated with responding to requests for ticket information that can now be provided through KorWeb.
All ticket transmission, processing and Positive Response functions take place online in KorWeb.  A web-based ticket management system allows for the efficient and safe processing and storing of locate tickets.  Successful locate ticket management is vital because of the severe consequences that ensue if a facility is not accurately reviewed and marked.  KorWeb is the industry's most reliable system to perform these critical tasks.

KorWeb Overview

KorWeb is used by One Call Center members to increase efficiency in locating and ticket processing, while cutting costs by eliminating unnecessary manual processes.  The web-based ticket management software aids members in successfully protecting underground facilities, preventing service interruptions and allowing excavators and homeowners to dig safely.  By providing KorWeb to their members, One Call Centers allow them to accomplish these tasks in the most efficient and cost-effective way, while promoting increased safety and awareness of damage prevention.

KorWeb Benefits

• Increase locating and ticket processing efficiency by moving tickets to a more user friendly, web-accessible platform
• Increase locate ticket reception reliability
• Eliminates the receipt, filing and risk of loss of paper tickets and fax transmissions
• Greatly decrease or eliminate fax transmission
• Save time with electronic locate ticket sorting and searching
• Increase on-time locate completion
• Real-time system information allows users to make quick decisions
• Eliminate time spent routing and dispatching tickets
• System identifies locate tickets which are coming due or are past due
• Eliminate unnecessary locating time through locate ticket screening
• Self generated locate tickets can be automatically screened out
• Automated and immediate notification of emergency locate tickets increases excavator safety and decreases response time
• Modular system grows with your company
• Robust reporting gives a clear picture of a company’s current state
• Training is available to enhance skill level and maximize system efficiencies
• Easy program rollout and end user adoption through the web-based format
• Extremely cost effective – no software or hardware to purchase or upgrade, no annual support fees, no upfront fees
• Superior product support
• Rapid system implementation – typically setup within hours
• We host the environment, little IT involvement required
• All system updates are automatically performed by KorTerra, saving time and hassle
• Housed in our data center which is highly secure, reliable and monitored 24x7
• Additional modules available to tailor the system to each individual organization

For more information on KorWeb visit www.korterra.com/korweb or contact KorTerra at 952-368-1911.

Notifying GSOC

Excavators, including homeowners alike, throughout Minnesota are responsible for notifying GSOC of their proposed excavations so that GSOC can notify participating facility operators with underground facilities in proximity to the proposed excavation site.  Excavators can communicate with Gopher State One Call in two different methods: by clicking here to visit the GSOC website and submit a ticket, or by calling 811 and speaking to a GSOC representative.

GSOC reminds you that anyone excavating in Minnesota must have their own one call ticket. If you are a sub-contractor and you are excavating protect yourself and your company by obtaining your own one-call ticket. The general contractor’s ticket does not necessarily apply to anyone except them.

If you are a contractor doing work for a homeowner, it is your responsibility (NOT the homeowners) to contact GSOC and obtain a one call ticket. Do not put this burden on the homeowner. Planning for your excavation GSOC wants you as the excavator to have a very safe and successful excavation process. We suggest that you break your excavation down into multiple tickets if that makes it easier either for you to describe the work, or for the locator to find your excavation site. For example, we would suggest you follow the following guidelines:

• Always use white markings to define the entire area where your excavation will occur. Include an area of safety margin within the area delineated by white markings. If after you start digging you determine that your excavation will need to move beyond the original white paint area, submit a new ticket for the expanded area.
• Limit your ticket to a contiguous dig area. We recognize it may be faster to try to include two different dig areas on one ticket, but it makes a more difficult job for the locator. We suggest even if the projects are related or part of the same job, break them down into separate tickets.
• Use common sense when defining your excavation area. Even if it is a contiguous single project, a ticket covering 10 miles, or 250 trees, or 200 signposts is not a good idea. You want to help the facility operator know where you will be digging. Make the job easier by using white markings and breaking down the work area into parts that will be more understandable. Also, think about the facility operator’s work schedule as well. If the work will happen in stages, stage your tickets so that your marks will be fresh when you enter an area.
• Remember you can contact GSOC up to 14 calendar days in advance.

Preparing for an Excavation

1. Prepare the information for your excavation site prior to beginning the process to submit a locate ticket. While completing the locate ticket, you will be required to give detailed directions to the excavation site - driving directions are best - and marking instructions for the specific area where locates are needed.
2. You are required to use white markings for indicating the area of proposed excavations unless it can be shown that is not practical.
3. Not less than two full business days before excavating, you must contact the GSOC to provide information necessary to complete a locate ticket. You may contact GSOC up to 14 calendar days prior to commencing excavation to provide facility operators additional time to mark the area of proposed excavation.
4. When your locate ticket is complete, you will be given a ticket number and a list of facility operators with underground facilities in proximity to your excavation site. It is recommended that you write down your ticket number and the facility operators/contract locators so you are able to track which facility owners have responded to your one-call request. GSOC recommends you use Search Ticket Status at http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/index.php/search-ticketstatus-exc.html to print your ticket.
5. If you fail to provide GSOC with the required information, GSOC may reject your request until you obtain complete information. To prevent this, please plan ahead.

Always Check the Status Before You Dig

Many people believe that by notifying GSOC of intended excavation they have completed all of their responsibilities in the one-call process. This is not the case, notifying GSOC is only the first step.
First, carefully review your E-Ticket to make sure it is correct. Pay particular attention to similar sounding street names. Contact GSOC immediately if there are any discrepancies. Next, review the list of facility operators notified by GSOC and compare it to a physical inspection of the area (including the surrounding area).

Search & Status

Excavators can check on the status of tickets to see if there is no conflict within their dig-site. To check the status of tickets, do the following:
1. Go to www.gopherstateonecall.org.
2. On the center green bar, you will find a Search, Search Ticket Status and Info button. Click on that Search button.
3. You may search by a specific ticket number or by other search criteria including caller, and dig site information among others. If evidence of any other underground facility is discernable, contact GSOC immediately.

Excavating within a Tolerance Zone

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 (24" + 6" + 24"). If the excavation is required within the hand dig zone, the excavation must be performed very carefully with vacuum excavation or hand tools and without damage to the facility or undermining of lateral support.
Excavators are reminded that a facility depth may vary due to installation practices, changes in grade, frost, erosion and other variables. Therefore, any depth readings given by a locator, if given at all, are only an estimation of the depth of the facilities, and the excavator is still responsible to safely expose the facility without damage.

Hand Dig with Care

Minnesota Law requires the use of hand tools (or vacuum excavation) when excavation will take place within 2 feet (24 inches) on either side of a marked underground facility. Gopher State One Call reminds you to use care when you are digging within this “hand-dig tolerance zone.” Respect the marks to protect yourself and the underground lines’ integrity. GSOC takes any and all locate requests from excavators who plan on using hand tools. Detailed information regarding hand excavation for professional and casual excavators alike is available at www.gopherstateonecall.org.

GSOC also advises you that although hand tools are exempt from the requirement to contact GSOC before you dig, in some circumstances it may be safer for you to have underground facilities marked when using hand tools. Hand tools may pose a threat to you, others and underground facilities. Therefore, contact GSOC and submit an excavation request any time you are unsure of the location of underground facilities or where the nature of your work may put them in danger.

Conducting an Excavation

While working at the excavation site, have your locate ticket and information with you.

During the course of digging it is the excavator’s responsibility to inspect and support all facilities that have been exposed. The excavator also must inspect facilities for any damage which could have accidentally occurred. This damage could include the pulling or kinking of the facility or damage to the protective coating or covering. If damage occurs, it is the excavator’s responsibility to immediately notify the facility owner directly. If during your excavation the excavation equipment comes in physical contact with an underground facility, even if there is no noticeable damage, you must stop excavation and contact the facility owner.

The excavator is responsible for reasonably protecting and preserving locate markings until no longer required for proper and safe excavation near the underground facility. If the excavator has reason to believe locate markings are obliterated, obscured, missing or incorrect, the excavator shall notify the facility operator or GSOC in order to have an operator verify, refresh or remark the locate. It is important that all facilities be marked prior to digging.

Emergency Excavations

An emergency is defined by Minnesota State Statute 216D.01, subdivision 3 as “a condition that poses clear and immediate danger to life health or significant loss of property.” Please note that work-scheduling problems or customer demands are not considered an emergency. GSOC reminds you to call 911 whenever there is a release of flammable, toxic or corrosive gas or liquid, or if a dangerous situation has been created.
Examples of emergencies:

• An unforeseen excavation necessary in order to prevent a condition that poses clear and immediate danger to life or health.
• An excavation required to repair a service outage.
• An excavation required in order to prevent significant and immediate property damage.
• The repair of an existing unstable condition which may result in an emergency. Emergency locates should be given top priority by utilities. Upon receiving an emergency notice the owner/operator of that facility shall contact the excavator within one hour by telephone and if required to visit the job site, locate and mark within three hours.

The Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety has requested that Gopher State One Call remind excavators that anyone inappropriately claiming an emergency may be considered in violation of Minnesota Statute Chapter 216D subject to the penalties of 216D.08.

Correcting Errors

Log on to www.gopherstateonecall.org to update GSOC tickets immediately to correct errors or to correct any information on a ticket. You can also call and GSOC 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 sub-contractor may not change information on a ticket filed by a general contractor.

Abandoned Facilities

Facility owners are required to maintain maps, drawings, diagrams or other records of any underground facility abandoned or out-of-service. It is the facility owner’s responsibility to give the excavator any known information about the abandoned facilities location.

If the facility owner notifies the excavator at the job site that abandon facilities exist. the above symbol should be used, either painted on the ground or on a locate flag.

The capital A inside a circle represents abandoned facilities.

The symbol should be painted or put on a flag in the same APWA color as is required for marking the underground facilities. For example, if this symbol were found on a yellow flag it would represent an abandoned gas, oil, or steam line.

Even though the facility may be abandoned it remains the property of the underground facility operator. As an excavator, you may not remove that abandoned facility from the ground without prior permission from the facility operator.

When notified of abandoned facilities existing in your proposed work site, gather as much knowledge and information as you can about the abandoned facility, (i.e. type, size, color, material, location, and possible depth).

Responding to a Locate Request

After receiving a locate ticket for an excavation, the facility operator must locate underground facilities prior to the legal excavation start date and time on the ticket, unless otherwise agreed or in the case of an on-site meet. GSOC will issue the start time requested by the excavator as long as the time requested allows the facility operator at least two full business days (excluding weekends and holidays) to do the following:

• Physically locate and mark the horizontal location of underground facilities within the excavation site according to the American Public Works Association (APWA) color codes; or
• If the underground facilities at the excavation site cannot be located prior to the legal start date, contact the excavator to arrange a new locate due date and time that is mutually agreeable and will not unreasonably delay the excavator’s work.

Emergency excavation tickets are given top priority.

Facility members will mark facilities within the emergency excavation area as soon as practical.

If excavation, demolition or weather conditions change the locate marks and they are believed to be obliterated, obscured, missing or incorrect, the excavator shall notify the facility operator. The GSOC notification center may be re-contacted to have the facility operator verify, refresh, or remark the locate. It is important that all facilities be marked prior to digging.

Positive Response

Underground facility operators must respond to every ticket they receive from GSOC, even if there are no underground facilities in the excavation area. One way in which an underground facility operator can respond to tickets that are not in conflict is through the Internet.

Visit  www.gopherstateonecall.org and click on the Positive Response tab to submit the status of your tickets to Clear/No Conflict. For more information see Minnesota Rules Chapter 7560 located in the back of this manual.

Guidelines for Marking Underground Facilities

Underground facility operators should use the recommended guidelines for uniform temporary markings of underground facilities as approved by the Common Ground Alliance (www.commongroundalliance.com) when marking the horizontal route of any underground facility. Additional info can be found at NUCLA website, www.nucla.org.  

The operator of an underground facility should be indicated by initials or by name along with the marks indicating the horizontal location of the underground facility.

When known, the total number of lines within the ground should be indicated. The number of lines indicated should be based on the actual number of physical lines. Multiple cables twisted together to form a single facility, as in the case of electric lines, would be considered one cable for a locate purpose.

If a facility is in a duct bank or a duct structure a corridor marker may be used. The corridor marker should indicate the approximate width of the facility. A marking resembling the capital letter “H” lying on its side, will indicate the corridor marker.

When there is a strong likelihood that the marks may be destroyed, the contractor may want to request offset markings. Offsets are indicated on a permanent surface or stakes and are placed parallel to the running line of the facility. The offset should indicate the distance from the offset to the facility and should identify the facility owner and if necessary the size of the facility.

Abandoned Facilities

Facility owners are required to maintain maps, drawings, diagrams or other records of any underground facility abandoned or out-of-service. It is the facility owner’s responsibility to give the excavator any known information about the abandoned facilities location. Please refer to page 23 under “Excavator Information” for Abandoned Facilities Requirements.

Locate Tickets

Once the excavator has notified GSOC of pending excavation the call center will prepare a locate ticket that contains information provided by the excavator about the proposed excavation activity. This locate ticket is then transmitted to underground facility operators who have indicated to GSOC that they may have underground facilities in the vicinity of the excavation.

The locate ticket is valid for 14 calendar days from the start time stated on the notice. If the activity will continue after the expiration time, the excavator shall serve an additional notice prior to the expiration time of the original notice, unless arrangements are made for remarks.
When refreshing the paint and flags you have two options:

• Contact the facility operator/locator directly and ask for your job site to be refreshed, or
• Contact GSOC and have your ticket updated.

Provide Accurate Notification Areas

The area that a utility registers with Gopher State One Call to receive notification of nearby digging is referred to as your "notification area".  The notification area you provide Gopher State One Call is used to generate the tickets that your organization receives.  It is vital that if your notification area changes, that you contact Gopher State One Call with the updated information.  If new underground facilities are added, your notification area might expand.  To protect the new facilities, you will need to contact Gopher State One Call to update your notification area.  These changes can be made through Gopher State One Call's Member Service Area Mapping tool (MSAM) or by providing polygon files to Gopher State One Call. 

Maintain Accurate Contact Information

It is the utility's responsibility to provide Gopher State One Call with accurate and up-to-date contact information.  This may include: billing contacts, third party locators, holiday schedules, emergency contacts and ticket receiving method.  By informing Gopher State One Call of any information changes, you are helping your organization receive information, as well as locate tickets, in a timely and accurate manner.

Review Daily Audit Report

Gopher State One Call sends a daily audit report to each facility operator registered as a Gopher State One Call member.  It is the facility operator's responsibility to review this audit report to ensure they have received all tickets that were sent by Gopher State One Call.  If there is a discrepancy in the report and the actual number of tickets received, please contact Gopher State One Call immediately to look into the matter further.

Notifying GSOC

Homeowners throughout Minnesota are responsible for notifying GSOC of their proposed excavations so that GSOC can notify participating facility operators with underground facilities in proximity to the proposed excavation site.  Homeowners can communicate with Gopher State One Call in two different methods: by clicking here to visit the GSOC website and submit dig information, or by calling 811 and speaking to a GSOC representative.

GSOC reminds you that anyone excavating in Minnesota must have their own one-call ticket. If you are a sub-contractor and you are excavating protect yourself and your company by obtaining your own one call ticket. The general contractor’s ticket does not necessarily apply to anyone except them.

If you are a contractor doing work for a homeowner, it is your responsibility (NOT the homeowners) to contact GSOC and obtain a one call ticket. Do not put this burden on the homeowner. Planning for your excavation GSOC wants you as the excavator to have a very safe and successful excavation process. We suggest that you break your excavation down into multiple tickets if that makes it easier either for you to describe the work, or for the locator to find your excavation site. For example, we would suggest you follow the following guidelines:

• Always use white markings to define the entire area where your excavation will occur. Include an area of safety margin within the area delineated by white markings. If after you start digging you determine that your excavation will need to move beyond the original white paint area, submit a new ticket for the expanded area.
• Limit your ticket to a contiguous dig area. We recognize it may be faster to try to include two different dig areas on one ticket, but it makes a more difficult job for the locator. We suggest even if the projects are related or part of the same job, break them down into separate tickets.
• Use common sense when defining your excavation area. Even if it is a contiguous single project, a ticket covering 10 miles, or 250 trees, or 200 signposts is not a good idea. You want to help the facility operator know where you will be digging. Make the job easier by using white markings and breaking down the work area into parts that will be more understandable. Also, think about the facility operator’s work schedule as well. If the work will happen in stages, stage your tickets so that your marks will be fresh when you enter an area.
• Remember you can contact GSOC up to 14 calendar days in advance.

Preparing for an Excavation

1. Prepare the information for your excavation site prior to beginning the process to submit a locate ticket. While completing the locate ticket, you will be required to give detailed directions to the excavation site - driving directions are best - and marking instructions for the specific area where locates are needed.
2. You are required to use white markings for indicating the area of proposed excavations unless it can be shown that is not practical.
3. Not less than two full business days before excavating, you must contact the GSOC to provide information necessary to complete a locate ticket. You may contact GSOC up to 14 calendar days prior to commencing excavation to provide facility operators additional time to mark the area of proposed excavation.
4. When your locate ticket is complete, you will be given a ticket number and a list of facility operators with underground facilities in proximity to your excavation site. It is recommended that you write down your ticket number and the facility operators/contract locators so you are able to track which facility owners have responded to your one-call request. GSOC recommends you use Search Ticket Status at http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/index.php/search-ticket-status-homeowner2.html to print your ticket.
5. If you fail to provide GSOC with the required information, GSOC may reject your request until you obtain complete information. To prevent this, please plan ahead.

Always Check the Status Before You Dig

Many people believe that by notifying GSOC of intended excavation they have completed all of their responsibilities in the one-call process. This is not the case, notifying GSOC is only the first step.
First, carefully review your E-Ticket to make sure it is correct. Pay particular attention to similar sounding street names. Contact GSOC immediately if there are any discrepancies. Next, review the list of facility operators notified by GSOC and compare it to a physical inspection of the area (including the surrounding area).

Search & Status

Excavators can check on the status of tickets to see if there is no conflict within their dig-site. To check the status of tickets, do the following:
1. Go to www.gopherstateonecall.org.
2. On the center green bar, you will find a Search, Search Ticket Status and Info button. Click on that Search button.
3. You may search by a specific ticket number or by other search criteria including caller, and dig site information among others. If evidence of any other underground facility is discernable, contact GSOC immediately.

Excavating within a Tolerance Zone

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 (24" + 6" + 24"). If the excavation is required within the hand dig zone, the excavation must be performed very carefully with vacuum excavation or hand tools and without damage to the facility or undermining of lateral support.
Excavators are reminded that a facility depth may vary due to installation practices, changes in grade, frost, erosion and other variables. Therefore, any depth readings given by a locator, if given at all, are only an estimation of the depth of the facilities, and the excavator is still responsible to safely expose the facility without damage.

Hand Dig with Care

Minnesota Law requires the use of hand tools (or vacuum excavation) when excavation will take place within 2 feet (24 inches) on either side of a marked underground facility. Gopher State One Call reminds you to use care when you are digging within this “hand-dig tolerance zone.” Respect the marks to protect yourself and the underground lines’ integrity. GSOC takes any and all locate requests from excavators who plan on using hand tools. Detailed information regarding hand excavation for professional and casual excavators alike is available at www.gopherstateonecall.org.

GSOC also advises you that although hand tools are exempt from the requirement to contact GSOC before you dig, in some circumstances it may be safer for you to have underground facilities marked when using hand tools. Hand tools may pose a threat to you, others and underground facilities. Therefore, contact GSOC and submit an excavation request any time you are unsure of the location of underground facilities or where the nature of your work may put them in danger.

Conducting an Excavation

While working at the excavation site, have your locate ticket and information with you.

During the course of digging it is the excavator’s responsibility to inspect and support all facilities that have been exposed. The excavator also must inspect facilities for any damage which could have accidentally occurred. This damage could include the pulling or kinking of the facility or damage to the protective coating or covering. If damage occurs, it is the excavator’s responsibility to immediately notify the facility owner directly. If during your excavation the excavation equipment comes in physical contact with an underground facility, even if there is no noticeable damage, you must stop excavation and contact the facility owner.

The excavator is responsible for reasonably protecting and preserving locate markings until no longer required for proper and safe excavation near the underground facility. If the excavator has reason to believe locate markings are obliterated, obscured, missing or incorrect, the excavator shall notify the facility operator or GSOC in order to have an operator verify, refresh or remark the locate. It is important that all facilities be marked prior to digging.

Emergency Excavations

An emergency is defined by Minnesota State Statute 216D.01, subdivision 3 as “a condition that poses clear and immediate danger to life health or significant loss of property.” Please note that work-scheduling problems or customer demands are not considered an emergency. GSOC reminds you to call 911 whenever there is a release of flammable, toxic or corrosive gas or liquid, or if a dangerous situation has been created.
Examples of emergencies:

• An unforeseen excavation necessary in order to prevent a condition that poses clear and immediate danger to life or health.
• An excavation required to repair a service outage.
• An excavation required in order to prevent significant and immediate property damage.
• The repair of an existing unstable condition which may result in an emergency. Emergency locates should be given top priority by utilities. Upon receiving an emergency notice the owner/operator of that facility shall contact the excavator within one hour by telephone and if required to visit the job site, locate and mark within three hours.

The Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety has requested that Gopher State One Call remind excavators that anyone inappropriately claiming an emergency may be considered in violation of Minnesota Statute Chapter 216D subject to the penalties of 216D.08.

Correcting Errors

Log on to www.gopherstateonecall.org to update GSOC tickets immediately to correct errors or to correct any information on a ticket. You can also call and GSOC 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 sub-contractor may not change information on a ticket filed by a general contractor.

Abandoned Facilities

Facility owners are required to maintain maps, drawings, diagrams or other records of any underground facility abandoned or out-of-service. It is the facility owner’s responsibility to give the excavator any known information about the abandoned facilities location.

If the facility owner notifies the excavator at the job site that abandon facilities exist. the above symbol should be used, either painted on the ground or on a locate flag.

The capital A inside a circle represents abandoned facilities.

The symbol should be painted or put on a flag in the same APWA color as is required for marking the underground facilities. For example, if this symbol were found on a yellow flag it would represent an abandoned gas, oil, or steam line.

Even though the facility may be abandoned it remains the property of the underground facility operator. As an excavator, you may not remove that abandoned facility from the ground without prior permission from the facility operator.

When notified of abandoned facilities existing in your proposed work site, gather as much knowledge and information as you can about the abandoned facility, (i.e. type, size, color, material, location, and possible depth).

If you send or receive tickets through Gopher State One Call, you are eligible to submit your organization's information to be displayed in this section of our website. 

Click here to register your organization to be listed in our Gopher State One Call's industry directory.  This is a free service offered to Gopher State One Call's partners.

Call 811

MN Pipeline CAER Association

Prairieland Utility Coordinating Committee (PUCC)

KorTerra

KorPartners

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