Safe Digging Month Message to Florida’s Excavators
On behalf of our staff and board of directors, Sunshine 811 thanks you for your partnership in the work we do together to ensure safe digging practices.
As you know, our work goes beyond that … we’re in the business of protecting human life, preventing damage to Florida’s underground infrastructure, and avoiding disasters that we know too well have devastated businesses, families and communities. Safe digging is a team effort.
As excavators, you kick-start the 811 process that engages others to take the next steps and do their part. We understand the pressures you face – a delay in getting your job site marked or related issues that can put your project behind schedule, working with newer crew members or staff who might not be as familiar with the 811 process, or working in remote areas where the perception might be to just start digging. But cutting corners or not contacting 811 aren’t worth the risks of taking on serious impacts to your company, creating a dangerous situation or losing a life. Safety comes first.
Check out our new video, where some of Florida’s leading and safest excavators share their perspectives on the importance of safe digging:
Let’s work together even more...
Here are some reminders and ways you can help us help you
Remember 811 before you dig is the law in Florida.
Request locate tickets at least 2 full business days before you dig (does not include the day you request the ticket, weekends or holidays). Constant and unnecessary ticket renewals only bog down the system and delay your locates. Some tips:
Tickets should cover only areas that can be excavated within 30 days.
Inform office staff when a job is complete, so tickets for that job are not continuously renewed.
For large projects, consider scheduling meetings with locators to establish a manageable marking schedule and open communications for any later updates.
Review your active tickets on Exactix to ensure that your existing requests are for active jobs that will actually be excavated during the 30-day life of the ticket.
If you have to renew or update a ticket, reduce the area requested. Using the Locate Description section on your ticket, specifically define the areas where marks are needed instead of requesting that the entire project be marked again.
Do not renew tickets for projects that are on hold. Instead, renew two full business days before you resume digging.
Become a member of the Damage Prevention Council of Florida – a collective group of industry stakeholders from around the state who are working together on solutions to issues. We’re currently in the process of establishing those regional councils and ask that you check out the link below to express your interest.
Sign up to get 811 Essentials (important information on the 811 system) delivered right to your inbox.
Schedule time with your Sunshine 811 liaison for information, answers to questions and clarifications, and schedule a training session.
Keep up with important resources for you and your team. Regularly visit our: Excavator webpage, Learning Center and YouTube channel.
We value you and your partnership. And we look forward to working together to make important improvements in the process to ensure Florida is the safest place to dig.
The Team at Your Sunshine 811