I've Damaged a Utility Line. Now What?

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Created: Friday, 21 September 2018 09:41

Written by Lareina Taing

MN State Statue 216D defines “damage” as any impact to an underground facility. MN law requires that if damage occurs to an underground facility or its protective coating, the excavator shall promptly notify the affected facility operator. Only the facility operator is qualified to determine if damage requiring repair has in fact occurred.

Excavators are encouraged to follow these steps after contacting a utility line¹:

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A New Vehicle for Damage Prevention

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Created: Friday, 21 September 2018 09:20

Written by Lareina Taing

One Call Concepts, Inc. (OCC), notification service provider for Gopher State One Call (GSOC), and One Call Concepts Locating Services (OCCLS) are pleased to announce the release of a new icon for damage prevention: the 811 Trike. Built by Paul Jr. Designs (PJD) as the third OCC-commissioned 811 vehicle after the 811 Car and 811 Bike, the 811 Trike was unveiled on April 25th, 2018 at the OCC Corporate/ OCCLS office in Hanover, MD. In agreement with the Discovery Channel, the hit show “American Chopper” aired an episode on June 25th, 2018 showcasing the design, construction, and unveil of the new 811 vehicle.

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Visit GSOC at the 2018 MN State Fair!

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Created: Friday, 17 August 2018 15:38

Written by Lareina Taing

Planning to visit the “Great Minnesota Get-Together” this year? While you are getting your fix of fried food and amusement rides at the MN State Fair, make sure to stop by and visit the Gopher State One Call (GSOC) booth! We will be sharing the damage prevention message with fair-goers and distributing our wildly-popular GSOC yardsticks, along with other GSOC promotional items. Spin our wheel and land on an APWA color-coded utility to determine the color of the yardstick you’ll receive! However, you can skip the line by liking the GSOC Facebook page while at the fair. By liking our page, you’ll also be automatically entered to win an 811 goodie bag! You can find us in the Blue Flame Gas Association building on the west side of Nelson Street, between Dan Patch and Carnes Avenues (across from the Giant Slide) from August 23-September 3, 2018.

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811 Partnerships with Lowe's and Home Depot

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Created: Friday, 17 August 2018 15:26

Written by Lareina Taing

When 811 became the universal three-digit dial code for America’s notification centers in 2007, it set the stage for uniform branding of safe excavating efforts that could be easily recognized by professional excavators and homeowners across the country. The Common Ground Alliance (CGA), an organization dedicated to protecting underground utility lines and the safety of people who excavate near them, found in its 2018 study that 36% of American homeowners who planned to dig this year will put themselves and communities at risk by failing to call 811 to learn the approximate location of underground utilities. These risks exist even for elementary projects such as landscaping, installing a fence or mailbox, and building a deck or patio.

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GSOC Spotlight: Jo and Lisa

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Created: Friday, 17 August 2018 14:52

Written by Lareina Taing

Jolena (Jo) Ware and Lisa Freeman, One Call Concepts (OCC) ITIC Coordinators for Gopher State One Call (GSOC), work together to aid ITIC users throughout Minnesota. Jo is the ITIC Coordinator who travels throughout the state to provide excavators and facility operators with ITIC online ticket process training. She also attends different industry conferences and events to educate users on ITIC. Jo schedules onsite training for excavators, facility operators, and/or locators. When in the office, she assists in training the ITIC priority team, processing tickets, answering questions, and helping with the ITIC Help Desk chats. Jo also works with the OCC Systems Division to implement and test new software functions and features that are in the development stage.

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