Blue Stakes of Utah 811 Notification Center provides a wide range of educational opportunities. There are online and in-person Damage Prevention education options available. There is a self-paced online training course for entering locate requests using Blue Stakes’ Quick Ticket Entry application, which provides additional tools when submitting locate requests. Each of these educational options is free for professional excavators. Education and preparation are the key to success! Don’t miss these excellent opportunities to increase your Damage Prevention knowledge and online ticket entry options!
Education Resources
Excavation Safety Training &
Online Quick Ticket Entry Training
Dig Safely Education
Excavation Safety 101
Blue Stakes of Utah 811 in partnership with Center Street Productions has developed “Excavation Safety 101”, a web-based safety training course by where you have the ability upon successful completion to receive two DOPL CEU credits.
In good times and bad times, Blue Stakes is here for you. We will continue to provide safety training and do everything we can to keep our communities safe. We hope our 600+ members will encourage their field personnel and subcontractors to take this safety training course, even if no DOPL credit is needed. Everyone will receive a completion certificate, regardless if you need credit or not. It is simply a great reminder to heighten everyone’s awareness on being safe while working in the field.
For access to the Excavation Safety 101 training course click the following link:
Blue Stakes will pay for your DOPL CEU credits related to this course. But your license number(s) need to be attached to your training profile to receive the credit and must be done before completing the course. You can attach your license number(s) when you initially create your account or by adding it to your profile. Your license number(s) will print out on your completion certificate, which will be forwarded automatically to DOPL via our sponsor the AGC.
Any time prior to completing the course, you can go to your profile and verify and/or add license number(s). You will NOT be able to request/receive credit if your correct license number(s) are NOT printed on your certificate!
Those who are eligible to receive credit are as follows:
- Contractors (2 core credit hours)
License numbers ending with 5501 & 5551
- Plumbers (2 professional credit hours)
License numbers ending with 5508, 5509, 5510, 5518 & 5519
- Electricians (2 professional credit hours)
License numbers ending with 5502, 5503, 5504, 5505 & 5506
- Engineers/Land Surveyors (2 professional credit hours)
License numbers ending with 2201, 2202 & 2203
We feel this is very timely and useful safety information to our members, their subcontractors and all professional contractors who work in our great state of Utah. You are doing an awesome job helping those of us who are charged with providing critical underground services to our communities.
We truly appreciate our partnership with our Members, AGC, DOPL, and all the excellent Professionals who contact Blue Stakes of Utah 811 to help keep our underground infrastructure from being damaged.
On Location Company Safety Training
Blue Stakes offers underground facility damage prevention education classes throughout the state of Utah, free of charge. If you would like Blue Stakes to provide a damage prevention educational class for your organization, contact education@bluestakes.org to schedule a safety class or training tailored to fit your needs.


Damage Prevention Awareness
Damage Prevention Seminars are held in January and February each year throughout the state of Utah. These informative FREE breakfast seminars are designed for everyone involved in preventing damages to buried utility lines. The purpose of the seminars will be to provide education on protecting underground facilities and promoting public safety during excavation. (CEU credit eligible) – visit bluestakes.org/events
Damage Prevention Awareness Q&A

Locate Requests are NOT created after hours by Blue Stakes. If an emergency excavation needs to be completed after hours, you will need to contact each facility operator directly to request the area be marked or have them clear the area. To obtain a list of the impacted facilities use our Utility Contact Lookup link: https://ucl.bluestakes.org/. This is also accessible by clicking on the Utility Contact Lookup icon from within our Mobile App.
Enter the location information, use the tools provided to indicate the location on the map, and select “Emergency After Hours.” A popup will then provide a contact list of the numbers for the specific facility operators that would need to be contacted directly after hours.
The facility operator/locator will send the excavator an email, phone call, or both. The facility operator/locator may additionally post information on our Electronic Positive Response (EPR) system. Currently, participation in EPR is voluntary. To check the responses for your requests, go to: https://www.bluestakes.org/epr/. This is also accessible by clicking on the Positive Response icon or EPR Lookup icon from within our Mobile App.
It is critical to have the best contact listed on each Locate Request. This contact should be someone familiar with the job site and able to answer questions from Blue Stakes, as well as the facility operators/locators.
Member facility operators and locators can access their locate requests and submit their electronic positive response (EPR) information into Blue Stakes system on our website and through our Mobile App, as well as by using Ticket Management Software. Blue Stakes offers free access to our WebTMS software for any of our members that would like to automate this process. For more information, go to: https://www.bluestakes.org/epr/ , click on the “Request Information on EPR” button, then complete and submit the form.
To request training to enter Locate Requests online, go to our website www.bluestakes.org. Click the Locate Requests tab and then click on WEB ACCESS SIGN UP or go directly to the signup page here: http://newtin.bluestakes.org/newtinweb/signup.nas. This is also accessible by clicking on the Web Access Signup icon from within our Mobile App.
After completing and submitting this form, you will receive an automatic email reply acknowledging the sign-up receipt. Shortly thereafter you will receive an email providing you with some brief instructions and a link to begin your online training. The online training can be completed at your own pace and convenience.
New Locate Requests may also be entered online without the need for training through our Internet Ticket Entry (ITE) page by clicking on the “Submit a Ticket” button or by going to: https://ite.bluestakes.org/. This is also accessible by clicking on the New Locate Request icon from within our Mobile App.
Online Ticket Revisions to previously submitted Locate Requests may also be entered online without the need for training by going to: https://otr.bluestakes.org/. This is also accessible by clicking on the Update Locate Request icon from within our Mobile App. Revisions available include Updates, Re-Marks, and Cancels.
Yes indeed! The Utah Damage to Underground Utility Facilities Act requires anyone engaging in any activity which displaces earth, rock, or other material on or below the ground to notify Blue Stakes at least two (2) business days but not more than 14 calendar days prior to excavation.
You can submit a Locate Request Ticket online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at: https://ite.bluestakes.org/. There is also access to this application through our Mobile App.
The Utah state law explains it this way:
54-8a-7. Notice of damage — Repairs. (https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title54/Chapter8A/54-8a-S7.html)
(1) If an excavator contacts or damages an underground facility, the excavator shall:
(a) immediately notify the appropriate operator and then proceed in a manner that is reasonably calculated to avoid further damage to the underground facility; and
(b) immediately call 911 if the excavation may result in an immediate risk to human life.
(2) Upon receipt of notice, the operator shall immediately examine the underground facility, and, if necessary, make repairs.
Locate requests expire 14 calendar days from the time/date they are processed and submitted. In order to extend the request beyond the expiration date, the excavator will need to “Update” the request at least 2 calendar days but not more than 6 calendar days prior to the expiration time/date listed on the request. To Update your request online go to: https://otr.bluestakes.org/. It is also accessible by clicking on the Update Locate Request icon from within our Mobile App.
There is currently not an option for automatic Updates.
Note: Do not Update a request if excavation work is not going to take place within 14 calendar days. Wait until you are ready to excavate again and submit a New request 2 calendar days prior to excavating. Your original Locate Request Ticket information can be used for the New request and this can be completed through the same link.
Utah law requires utility owners to mark only the lines that they own and maintain. This usually means up to the meter. Underground lines that extend beyond the meter or that are not connected to a meter are typically not installed or owned by a utility company and therefore may not be marked. These include water and sewer laterals, power to a detached garage or lamppost, sprinkler/irrigation systems, lines connected to a propane tank or septic system, etc.
Almost every job site will include some type of privately-owned underground pipe or cable. The excavator should inspect the property carefully and ask the property owner about private underground lines before digging. The excavator should consider hiring a private locator to mark private lines that could be in conflict with the excavation project. Areas where private lines are especially common include apartment complexes, mobile home parks, gated subdivisions, cabin communities, schools and universities, hospital complexes, industrial areas, government facilities and military installations. Find additional info under FAQ #6: https://www.bluestakes.org/faqs/
A request expires 14 calendar days from the time it is submitted. If the markings are destroyed by weather or excavation, the excavator will need to call 811, option 1 to speak to a Customer Service Representative or go online to submit a Re-Mark request and allow 2 business days for the area to be re-marked.
To submit a Re-mark request online go to: https://otr.bluestakes.org/. This is also accessible by clicking on the Update Locate Request icon from within our Mobile App.
Yes. Instead of choosing Entire, Front or Rear, choose “Other.” Then enter your instructions in the “Specify Work Area” field. You will need to provide specific marking instructions for your “Pre-marked” area that you describe, including how you choose to pre-mark.
- Example 1: Dig site is pre-marked with a white flag (or X) in the northeast corner of the lot. Please stake a 10 ft radius around the white flag (or X).
- Example 2: Dig line is pre-marked in white paint on the east side of the building. From east side of building please stake 50 ft east along the pre-marked line, while staking 5 ft on both sides of the pre-marked line for the given stretch.
- Example 3: Dig area is a 10 ft x 20 ft pre-marked rectangle in the Rear of the given lot. This is pre-marked in white paint. Please stake the pre-marked area, as described.
It is important to reach out to the excavator making the requests directly and express your concerns about these excessive requests for markings, where work appears to be complete.
The Utah Damage to Underground Utility Facilities Act requires anyone engaging in any activity which displaces earth, rock, or other material on or below the ground to notify Blue Stakes at least two (2) business days but not more than 14 calendar days prior to excavation.
You can submit a Locate Request Ticket online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at: https://ite.bluestakes.org/. This is also accessible by clicking on the New Locate Request icon from within our Mobile App.
A map cannot be linked or submitted along with a Locate Request Ticket that will be sent to the facility operator/locator for locating and marking. If a map would help the Customer Service Representative (CSR) create the request, the CSR will provide an email address to send it to.
However, the excavator will still need to provide all normal, required location and marking instructions.
Most locate requests can be described over the phone or online. In situations where excavation projects are large, complicated or within a restricted area, a meet may be necessary. If a meet is
requested, the excavator will need to provide address information for a suitable location to meet, as well as the general boundaries of the dig site. The specific excavation area(s) within these boundaries can then be shown and discussed with the field locators at the meet. A map of the excavation area may be required to be provided to each field locator at the meet.
Blue Stakes currently has over 600 participating facility owners/operators. There are large and small companies including gas, power, communications, water, sewer, municipalities, and more. Each participating member should ensure the lines that they own and maintain are located and marked within the described areas on Locate Request Tickets. Some of these members hire third party locating companies to do their required locating and marking on their behalf.
A list of participating facility operators can be found here: https://www.bluestakes.org/members/
Pre-marking a location will save valuable resources and time. It will also help to reduce unnecessary overmarking for the type of work being completed.
While white lining or pre-marking the proposed excavation area has been recommended for years, it is not required by law in Utah. However, according to section 54-8a-4 (3) of the Damage to Underground Utility Facilities Act:
54-8a-4. Notice of excavation. (https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title54/Chapter8A/54-8a-S4.html)
(3) | If the proposed excavation’s anticipated location and dimensions cannot be described as required under Subsection (2)(c) or as requested in accordance with Subsection 54-8a- 5(2)(b), an excavator shall outline the proposed excavation site using as a guideline the then- existing Uniform Color Code and Marking Guidelines, Appendix B, published by the
Common Ground Alliance, as amended in the current version of the excavators’ guide published by the statewide association established in Section 54-8a-9. |
Click here to review all of our FAQs
Damage Prevention Education Resources

2022 DPA Presentation
Access a YouTube playlist for the last DPA Seminars that were held.

2021 DPA Webinar Presentation
Click to download a PDF copy of the presentation.
ONLINE LOCATE REQUEST EDUCATION
Blue Stakes of Utah 811 Notification Center offers a self-paced online training course for professional excavators who submit frequent locate requests. The course trains the excavator for the use of the Quick Ticket Entry application. This requires an account and successful completion of the training course. Quick Ticket entry offers many benefits for locate request ticket entry, including options to submit 2nd notices and emergency requests online. Quick Ticket Entry users also have access to ticket information and ticket lists access for their company 24 hours a day and 7 days a week for locate requests processed within the previous 350 days.
New requests are processed during operation hours (8:00 am to 4:00 pm), Monday through Friday excluding holidays.
For more information and to sign up for a Quick Ticket Entry user account and the required online training, click here.
If you already have a Quick Ticket Entry user account name, password and have completed the training, click on “Tools” and then on the User Account Login link to log in and start using the application.
Additional Online Locate Request Options:
To submit locate requests online without the need for training or an account, click on the Get started button below for the best option to meet the needs for your current project.

New Request
Get started by creating your Locate Request. It is as easy as filling out your information and dig site location!

Revise Request
Do you have an active Locate Request that you need to view, update, request a re-mark or cancel? Click below to get started.

Duplicate Request
Do you have a Locate Request that you need to duplicate for your own company? Create your duplicate request here!
Resources

Uniform Color Code & Marking Guidelines
Access the Appendix B for the CGA Best Practices.

Utility Contact Lookup
Get contact information for Member Facility Owners for After-Hours Emergencies or Engineering & Design requests.

FAQs
Obtain answers to frequently asked questions regarding locate request (ticket) information and the need to “Know what’s below, Call 811 before you dig”.

Electronic Positive Response
Check on your locate request status or learn about the response codes used by participating Member Facility Owners reported to Blue Stakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Locate Requests are NOT created after hours by Blue Stakes. If an emergency excavation needs to be completed after hours, you will need to contact each facility operator directly to request the area be marked or have them clear the area. To obtain a list of the impacted facilities use our Utility Contact Lookup link: https://ucl.bluestakes.org/. This is also accessible by clicking on the Utility Contact Lookup icon from within our Mobile App.
Enter the location information, use the tools provided to indicate the location on the map, and select “Emergency After Hours.” A popup will then provide a contact list of the numbers for the specific facility operators that would need to be contacted directly after hours.
The facility operator/locator will send the excavator an email, phone call, or both. The facility operator/locator may additionally post information on our Electronic Positive Response (EPR) system. Currently, participation in EPR is voluntary. To check the responses for your requests, go to: https://www.bluestakes.org/epr/. This is also accessible by clicking on the Positive Response icon or EPR Lookup icon from within our Mobile App.
It is critical to have the best contact listed on each Locate Request. This contact should be someone familiar with the job site and able to answer questions from Blue Stakes, as well as the facility operators/locators.
Yes indeed! The Utah Damage to Underground Utility Facilities Act requires anyone engaging in any activity which displaces earth, rock, or other material on or below the ground to notify Blue Stakes at least two (2) business days but not more than 14 calendar days prior to excavation.
You can submit a Locate Request Ticket online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at: https://ite.bluestakes.org/. There is also access to this application through our Mobile App.
The Utah state law explains it this way:
54-8a-7. Notice of damage — Repairs. (https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title54/Chapter8A/54-8a-S7.html)
(1) If an excavator contacts or damages an underground facility, the excavator shall:
(a) immediately notify the appropriate operator and then proceed in a manner that is reasonably calculated to avoid further damage to the underground facility; and
(b) immediately call 911 if the excavation may result in an immediate risk to human life.
(2) Upon receipt of notice, the operator shall immediately examine the underground facility, and, if necessary, make repairs.
Utah law requires utility owners to mark only the lines that they own and maintain. This usually means up to the meter. Underground lines that extend beyond the meter or that are not connected to a meter are typically not installed or owned by a utility company and therefore may not be marked. These include water and sewer laterals, power to a detached garage or lamppost, sprinkler/irrigation systems, lines connected to a propane tank or septic system, etc.
Almost every job site will include some type of privately-owned underground pipe or cable. The excavator should inspect the property carefully and ask the property owner about private underground lines before digging. The excavator should consider hiring a private locator to mark private lines that could be in conflict with the excavation project. Areas where private lines are especially common include apartment complexes, mobile home parks, gated subdivisions, cabin communities, schools and universities, hospital complexes, industrial areas, government facilities and military installations. Find additional info under FAQ #6: https://www.bluestakes.org/faqs/
A request expires 14 calendar days from the time it is submitted. If the markings are destroyed by weather or excavation, the excavator will need to call 811, option 1 to speak to a Customer Service Representative or go online to submit a Re-Mark request and allow 2 business days for the area to be re-marked.
To submit a Re-mark request online go to: https://otr.bluestakes.org/. This is also accessible by clicking on the Update Locate Request icon from within our Mobile App.
The Utah Damage to Underground Utility Facilities Act requires anyone engaging in any activity which displaces earth, rock, or other material on or below the ground to notify Blue Stakes at least two (2) business days but not more than 14 calendar days prior to excavation.
You can submit a Locate Request Ticket online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at: https://ite.bluestakes.org/. This is also accessible by clicking on the New Locate Request icon from within our Mobile App.
Click here to review all of our FAQs
More Questions?
Learn more about the 5 Steps to Safer Digging and more by visiting the “How It Works” page. Additionally, you can call or contact us with any questions you may have.