Engineer

Yes indeed! The Utah Damage to Underground Utility Facilities Act requires anyone engaging in any operation in which earth, rock, or other material on or below the ground is moved or displaced by tools, equipment, explosives, or demolition to notify Blue Stakes at least three (3) business days but not more than 14 calendar days prior to excavation. 

Potholing locations must be pre-marked on site. You must provide which facility or facilities you are potholing for, information on the Locate Request of how the site is pre-marked, a reasonable area description for marking around the pre-marked site, and where the pre-marked location is on the property.

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.

Locate requests expire 21 calendar days from the date/time they are submitted (queued to be delivered) to the member facility operators. To extend the request beyond the expiration (Good Thru) date/time, the excavator will need to “Update” the request at least three (3) business days but no sooner than seven (7) calendar days prior to the expiration (Good Thru) date/time listed on the original request. To Update your request online go to: https://otr.bluestakes.org/. This is also accessible within the Update Locate Request option on 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 the 21 calendar day life of the Locate Request or if the scope of excavation work has changed. Wait until you are ready to excavate and submit a New request at least three (3) business days prior to excavating again. Your original Locate Request Ticket information can be used for a New Locate Request if all information remains the same and can be completed through the same Online Ticket Revision link. 

Utah law requires facility operators 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 facility operator 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 General FAQ #6: https://www.bluestakes.org/faqs/ 

The Utah Damage to Underground Utility Facilities Act requires anyone engaged in “an operation in which earth, rock, or other material on or below the ground is moved or displaced by tools, equipment, explosives, or demolition” to notify Blue Stakes at least three (3) 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 our Mobile App. 

Currently, a map cannot be linked or submitted along with a Locate Request ticket that will be sent to the member facility operator/locator for locating and marking. If a map would help the Locate Specialist (LS) create the request, the LS 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 with the facility operators/locators 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 member facility operators at the Meet. A map of the excavation area may be required to be provided to each member facility operator at the Meet.