When do I have to call 811?

811 (“Call Before You Dig”) is the one phone number everyone needs to know prior to any work involving digging using mechanized equipment. Even work as simple as cutting shoulders with a grader requires a call to their local one-call center.

The excavator must call at least 2 full working days (and not more than ten working days) in advance of the work. For instance, if you called on Thursday then work would begin on Tuesday as the two working days between the day of calling and the day of digging are Friday and Monday. In an emergency, call 811 and any local utilities as soon as possible.

The excavator is the agency, company, or person doing the work, not the owner of the facility.

Even after calling 811, the excavator should still be careful to avoid any buried lines and work by hand when required.

For as the folks from Dig Safely New York say:

• Wait the Required Time
• Confirm Utility Response
• Respect the Marks
• Dig with Care

Resources

Excavator Manual
Resources
Dig Safely New York

May 2015