When you need to excavate, ensuring the safety and integrity of underground utilities is paramount.
Before bucket meets earth, it's essential to identify and mark existing underground infrastructure to prevent utility strikes which can lead to service disruptions, costly repairs, and severe safety hazards.
Traditionally, contractors have relied on the 811 "Call Before You Dig" service to notify partner utility companies of planned excavations. And while you still must follow the law and call 811 before you dig, advancements in technology, several tools and software solutions such as SiteMap® (patent pending), powered by GPRS, have emerged to streamline the 811 ticket management process, enhancing efficiency and safety for contractors.
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The Evolution of 811 Ticket Management
The 811 service serves as a critical communication link between excavators and utility operators.
Upon receiving a notification from their regional 811 service, registered utility companies dispatch locators to mark the underground utilities at the excavation site. While this system has been effective, managing multiple tickets, especially for large-scale projects, can become cumbersome. Recognizing this challenge, several software solutions have been developed to automate and simplify the 811 ticket management process.
Innovative Tools Enhancing 811 Locates
811Assist
Developed by Josh Heller, 811Assist is designed to assist contractors by managing all state-required 811 calls and locate tickets. The platform allows users to view the status of all locate tickets related to a project in real-time. Contractors can choose to manage their ticket refreshes and non-responses themselves or have 811Assist handle the entire process, acting as a liaison between the client and the local 811 service. This centralized approach ensures that all records are maintained in one location, enhancing efficiency and accountability.
811spotter
811spotter offers automated 811 ticket management tailored for contractors. The software empowers teams to track, document, and communicate 811 ticket information seamlessly. Key features include:
- Efficiency: Eliminates manual data entry through end-to-end automation, managing all ticket activities, including renewals, utility responses, and notifications.
- Visibility: Provides real-time summaries of ticket statuses, centralizing all ticket details in one platform accessible via desktop and mobile applications.
This comprehensive approach ensures that both office and field teams are synchronized, reducing the risk of miscommunication and potential utility strikes.
BOSS811
BOSS811 is a cloud-based One Call Ticket Management solution designed for damage prevention. It's utilized by municipalities, utilities, and contractors to streamline utility requests, increase productivity, and reduce risks. Notable features include:
- Auto-Clear Tickets: Automatically clears tickets based on specific parameters, returning the appropriate response code to the One Call Center without manual intervention.
- GIS Integration: Integrates with GIS Mapping Software and ESRI products, supporting Keyhole Markup Languages (KML/KMZ) for enhanced mapping capabilities.
- Driving Directions: Offers driving directions to create the most efficient route for locate tickets, optimizing field operations.
By leveraging these features, BOSS811 enhances the efficiency and accuracy of the 811 ticket management process.
Utilocate
Utilocate is a comprehensive damage prevention platform offering a full solution for locate ticket management. It provides:
- Automated Responses: Facilitates automated responses to 811 call centers, contractors, and utilities, ensuring timely communication.
- ESRI Mapping: Built-in decision-making tools and viewers enhance the accuracy of utility mapping.
- Data Collection: Enables the collection of photos and sketches, allowing for detailed documentation of excavation sites.
Utilocate's centralized platform ensures that all data and documents are accessible in one place, streamlining the locate ticket management process.
How GPRS Complements 811 Services
While you should always contact your local 811 One Call Center prior to digging, you should also hire a professional private utility locating company to locate and map all buried utilities in your intended dig area before you put a shovel or bucket in the ground.
GPRS is the nation’s largest professional private utility locating company. We’ve achieved and maintain a 99.8%+ accuracy rate when locating buried utilities, allowing us to compliment 811 services and the tools that support them.
Utilizing ground penetrating radar (GPR) scanners and electromagnetic (EM) locators, our SIM-certified Project Managers collect the accurate, complete data you need to stay on time, on budget, and safe. And this information is always at you and your team’s fingertips thanks to SiteMap®, our facility & project management application that provides existing conditions documentation to protect your assets and people.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What type of informational output is provided when GPRS conducts a utility locate?
GPRS Project Managers flag and paint their findings directly on the surface. This method of communication is the most accurate form of marking when excavation is expected to commence within a few days of service.
We also use a global positioning system (GPS) to collect data points of findings. We use this data to generate a plan, KMZ file, satellite overlay, or CAD file to permanently preserve results for future use. GPRS does not provide land surveying services. If you need land surveying services, please contact a professional land surveyor. Please contact us to discuss the pricing and marking options your project may require.
Can GPRS locate PVC piping and other non-conductive utilities?
GPR scanning is exceptionally effective at locating all types of subsurface materials. There are times when PVC pipes do not provide an adequate signal to ground penetrating radar equipment and can’t be properly located by traditional methods. However, GPRS Project Managers are expertly trained at multiple methods of utility locating.
Can GPR be used to verify known measurements?
We are able to use GPR to cross-check the measured depth and location of a located utility with existing as-built plans in order to verify the accuracy of plans.
