1. Ohio Utilities Protection Service
2015 Safety Presentation

2. Objectives O.U.P.S. Excavator Responsibilities
Utility Owner Responsibilities
The Marks
Types of Excavation Activities
Things to Remember

3. The History of Damage Prevention in Ohio
Ohio Utilities Protection Service opens
1972 thru The years of the honorary system
Public Improvement Law – ORC
Call-Before-You-Dig Law – ORC
House Bill 458 Updates Ohio’s excavation laws
2014 – House Bill 378 provides Enforcement for Ohio’s Excavation laws

4. Ohio Utilities Protection Service is the call before you dig notification center for the state of Ohio.
O.U.P.S. is the communication link between those who own and operate underground utility facilities and those with a desire to excavate.

5. If we had X-Ray Vision I

6. I-DIG/GRID: www.ohioonecall.org
Urban Utilities
OUPS:

7. 100 Years Later

8. Not Respecting the Marks

9. Middletown, OH 2006 – Home Explosion

10. Lima 2008 - Tuttle Construction Explosion

11. Girard, OH – House Explosion 2008

12. Cleveland OH – House Explosion 2011

13. Fairborn, OH 2011 – Home Explosion

14. Incidental Contact

16. I-DIG/GRID: www.ohioonecall.org
Lancaster, Ohio August 1992
OUPS:

17. I-DIG/GRID: www.ohioonecall.org
Pipe Section Thrown From Explosion Site in Background
OUPS:

18. I-DIG/GRID: www.ohioonecall.org
Remains of Spotter
OUPS:

19. I-DIG/GRID: www.ohioonecall.org
Remains of Operator
OUPS:

20. Safety is 24x7 at Work and at Home

22. O.U.P.S. 40+ years old Not-For-Profit Free Service
24/ days a year
Protection Service – O.U.P.S. does not mark lines
OGPUPS – Ohio Oil & Gas Producers Underground Protection Service

23. Excavator Responsibilities
Definition of an Excavation
“…penetrate or bore or drill into the earth…”
ORC (I) – Excavator Manual Page 4
Each Excavator Must Have Their Own Ticket
“…the person or persons responsible for making the actual excavation” ORC (K)
Plan Your Work
Locate Work Order – Excavator Manual Page 9
Premark in White - Excavator Manual Page 13
Click, Call or Tap the App – Excavator Manual Page 8
“…before commencing excavation the excavator shall notify a protection service...” ORC (A)

24. Excavator Responsibilities Cont.
Verify – Listen Closely to our CSR
Ticket Number
Your Compliance verification. Keep it! You’ll need it!
We Notify Our Members but Not All Utilities Are Members With O.U.P.S.
Wait 48 Hours Before You Begin Excavation
“… but not more than 10 working days before commencing excavation...” ORC (A)
Check Positive Response – Excavator Manual Page 11
Excavator has an obligation to check positive response
Perform Site Assessment
Dig With Care

27. O.U.P.S. Contact Information
Call 811
Call
O.U.P.S. Mobile App
Remote Ticket Entry
i-dig
e-dig

28. Facility Owner Responsibilities
Member of a Protection Service
“Each utility that owns or operates underground utility facilities shall participate in and register the location of its underground utility facilities with a Protection Service” ORC Sec
Mark the Approximate Location of their buried facilities
Within 48 Hours of receiving a Notice of Excavation
Within 10 Days of receiving a Notice for Design information OR provide drawings drawn accurately to scale
Provide Positive Response

29. The Marks Marking Standards
– “All underground facilities shall be marked in accordance with the Ohio universal marking standards…” ORC (2)(C) – Excavator Manual Page 12
Color Code - Excavator Manual Page 12
Tolerance Zone
“…the site of the underground utility facility including the width of the underground utility facility plus eighteen inches on each side of the facility.” ORC (E) – Excavator Manual Page 26
Faded Or Marks That Are No Longer Visible

30. Tolerance Zone
Ohio law requires that the excavator observe the tolerance zone during excavation… - Excavator Manual Page 26

31. Color Codes
Red
Electric power lines, power conduits, lighting cables, and other energized wires, such as traffic signals
Orange
Telecommunication lines, fiber optic cables, alarm or signal lines, cable TV or conduits
Yellow
Natural gas, oil, steam, liquid petroleum, or other gaseous or flammable material
Green
Sewers and drain lines
Blue
Drinking / potable water
Purple
Reclaimed water, irrigation, and slurry lines
Pink
Temporary survey markings
White
Proposed excavation

32. Ohio’s Universal Marking Standards

38. Other Types of Excavation Activities
Emergencies- Excavator Manual Page 6
Design
Facility Owners Have 10 Working Days To Respond
Use of Trenchless Technologies – Excavator Manual Page 5
When Utilizing Trenchless Excavation Methods, The Excavator Must Comply With The Following Requirements:
Expose all underground utility facilities at each crossing point to the installation depth of the new facility.
Expose all parallel facilities at the beginning and end. If in the tolerance zone, facility shall be exposed every 100 ft.
Maintain the proper clearances of existing facilities.

39. Other Types of Excavation Activities Continued
Large Project
A large project is one that may progress over an extended period of time and/or be complex in size/scope and work type
Process:
Excavator calls O.U.P.S. to request a large project/joint meet ticket
Excavator and facility owner/representatives meet
A mutually agreed upon marking schedule is created
Excavator calls O.U.P.S. with project excavation tickets in accordance with mutually agreed upon marking schedule
Locator marks underground facilities as project excavation tickets are received
Excavation begins

41. Things To Remember Contact O.U.P.S. 48 hours before you dig
Check Positive Response
Preserve And Protect The Marks
Don’t Work Off Someone Else’s Ticket
Not All Utilities Are Registered With O.U.P.S.
Utilities May Not Run In A Straight Line
Do Not Assume Depth
Report All Damages

43. Enforcement of Ohio’s Excavation Laws Senate Bill 378

44. Background of Senate Bill 378
Senate Bill 378 and House Bill 359 introduced in October 2014
Senate Bill 378 passed by House and Senate in December 2014
Senate Bill 378 signed by Governor Kasich on December 19,

45. What is Senate Bill 378?
Senate Bill 378 provides for the enforcement of Ohio’s underground damage prevention laws Enforcement will begin January 1, 2016

46. What will be enforced?
Most sections of Ohio’s damage prevention law will be enforced… ; divisions (A) and (B) of ; sections and to ; Chapter 4913 SB 378 will only determine whether or not a compliance failure of one of these sections has occurred – any liability related to a damage must be determined within a court of law

47. How will the enforcement process work?
Complaint driven process
“Aggrieved party” may file request for inquiry with the PUCO within 90 days
PUCO will notify the alleged responsible party and gather information
PUCO will forward all information to the Underground Technical Committee (UTC)

48. What is the UTC?
A group of 17 industry experts tasked with reviewing all reported compliance violations
Representatives will be appointed by the state legislature and Governor
The purpose of the UTC is to provide industry knowledge and insight during the review of reported violations

49. What is primary function of the UTC?
The UTC is tasked with reviewing all reports submitted to them by the PUCO and determining whether or not a compliance failure occurred The PUCO must enforce all recommendations of the UTC

50. What are the fines/penalties for non-compliance?
1st time violations – training/education requirement, fine of up to $2500 or combination of both
2nd time violations – training/education requirement, fine of up to $5000 or combination of both
“Persistent Noncomplier” – PUCO may impose fine of up to $10000

51. What if I disagree with the finding of the UTC?
The aggrieved party or the alleged responsible party may file for reconsideration with the PUCO within 30 days
If a reconsideration is filed, the PUCO will review the finding of the UTC and may hold a hearing
PUCO will affirm, reject or modify finding

52. How will the enforcement process be funded?
All utilities, commercial excavators, developers and designers who participate in the one-call system will pay an annual registration fee not to exceed $50 to the PUCO

53. What happens to the monies collected as a result of the fines?
All fines collected will be deposited into the underground facilities protection fund and used solely to fund grants for underground utility damage prevention education awareness programs

54. What Can I Do to Protect Myself?
Whether you are the designer, excavator, or facility owner it is always make sure the task is complete, perform a site assessment and document.

55. Utilities Council of Northern Ohio
Northern Ohio Utility Damage Prevention Council
Easter Ohio Utilities Council
Central Ohio Utilities Damage Prevention Council
Miami Valley Utility Damage Prevention Council
Southwest Ohio UTILITY Safety Council

57. Additional Resources…
Visit for valuable resources Senate Bill 378 FAQs Enforcement Process Flow Chart

58. Questions Walt Pegram Public Awareness / Services Coordinator
, ext. 4902
Cell

59. Certifications
EPA Certified for (1) CEU hour for water and wastewater employees – OEPA-B X
Personal Development Hours (PDH) for surveyors and engineers
Excavator Training (ORC )
Walt Pegram
Public Awareness / Services Coordinator
Cell: