Operator markings of facilities include; the appropriate color for their facility type; their company identifier (name, initials, or abbreviation) when other companies are using the same color, the number and width of their facilities and a description of the facility (HP, FO, STL etc). Use paint, flags, stakes, whiskers or a combination to identify the operator's facility(s) at or near an excavation site.

1) Marks in the appropriate color are to be approximately 12" to 18" in length and 1" inch in width and separated by approximately 4' to 50' in distance as an example. When marking facilities the operator is to consider the type of facility being located, the terrain of the land, the type of excavation being done and the method to adequately mark its facilities for the excavator.



2) The following marking illustrations are examples of how an operator may choose to mark their subsurface installations.

a. Single Facility Marking: Used to mark a single facility, marks are placed over the approximate center of the facility. This example indicates an operator's 12" facility. When a facility can be located or toned separately from other facilities of the same type it is marked as a single facility.



b. Multiple Facility Marking: Used to mark multiple facilities of the same type (e.g. electric), where the separation does not allow for a separate tone for each facility but the number and width of the facilities is known. Marks are placed over the approximate center of the facilities and indicate the number and width of the facilities. This example indicates 4 plastic facilities that are 4" in diameter (4/4" PLA).





c. Conduit Marking: Used for any locatable facility being carried inside conduits or ducts. The marks indicating the outer extremities denote the actual located edges of the facilities being represented. An example would be 4 plastic conduits that are 4" in diameter (4/4" PLA), and the marks are 16" apart indicating the actual left and right edges of the facilities.





d. Corridor Marking: Used to mark multiple facilities of the same type (e.g. electric), in the same trench where the total number of facilities is not readily known (operator has no record on file for the number facilities) and that are bundled or intertwined. Marks are placed over the approximate center of the facilities and indicate the width of the corridor. The width of the corridor is the distance between the actual located outside edges of the combined facilities. This example indicates a 12" corridor (12" CDR).



3) Changes in direction and lateral connections are to be clearly indicated at the point where the change in direction or connection occurs with an arrow indicating the path of the facility. A radius is indicated with marks describing the arc. When providing offset markings, (paint or stakes), show the direction of the facility and distance to the facility from the markings.






4) An operator's identifier (name, abbreviation or initials) is to be placed at the beginning and at the end of the proposed work. In addition to the previous, subsequent operators using the same color will mark their company identifier at all points where their facility crosses another operator's facility using the same color. The maximum separation of identifiers is to be reduced to a length that can be reasonably seen by the excavator when the terrain at the excavation site warrants it.

GOTHAM

ELECO

TELECO

5) Information as to the size and composition of the facility is to be marked at an appropriate frequency. Examples are: the number of ducts in a multi-duct structure, width of a pipeline, and whether it is steel, plastic, cable, etc.

GASCO	TELECO	WATERCO
4" PLA	9" PLA	12" STL

6) Facilities installed in a casing should be identified as such. Two examples are: 6" plastic in 12" steel = 6"PLA/12"STL and fiber optic in 4" steel = FO(4"STL).

GASCO	TELECO
6"PLA/12"STL	FO(4"STL)

7) Structures, such as vaults, inlets, lift stations that are physically larger than obvious surface indications, are to be marked so as to define the parameters of the structure.



8) Termination points or dead ends are to be indicated as such.



9) When there is "No Conflict" with the excavation complete one or more of the following:

Operators of a single type of facility (e.g. TELECO) would mark the area "NO" followed by the appropriate company identifier in the matching APWA color code for that facility (e.g. "NO TELECO")



Operators of multiple facilities would mark the area "NO" followed by the appropriate company identifier in the matching APWA color code for that facility with a slash and the abbreviation for the type of facility that there is "No Conflict" (e.g. "NO ELECO/G/D"). The example illustrates that ELECO has no gas distribution facilities at this excavation site. The abbreviation for; gas transmission facilities is "/G/T", electric distribution is "/E/D" and electric transmission is "/E/T" these should be used when appropriate.



Place a clear plastic (translucent) flag that states "No Conflict" in lettering matching the APWA color code of the facility that is not in conflict. Include on the flag the operator's identifier, phone number, a place to write the locate ticket number and date. Operators of multiple facilities would indicate on the flag, which facilities were in "No Conflict" with the excavation as in the previous example.



If it can be determined through maps or records that the proposed excavation is obviously not in conflict with their facility (s) the locator or operator of the facility may notify the excavator of "No Conflict" by phone, fax, or email, or through the One Call Center, where electronic positive response is used. Operators of multiple facilities would indicate a "No Conflict" for each facility as in the previous examples.



Place "No Conflict" markings or flags in a location that can be observed by the excavator and/or advise the excavator by phone, fax, or email that there is "No Conflict" with your facilities. When the excavation is delineated by the use of white markings, place "No Conflict" markings or flags in or as near as practicable to the delineated area.

"No Conflict" indicates; that the operator providing the "No Conflict" has no facilities within the scope of the delineation, or when there is no delineation, there are no facilities within the work area as described on the DigAlert.



Caution: Allow adequate space for all facility mark-outs.

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Color Code Identifiers