Category: Best Practices
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I’ve Damaged a Utility Line. Now What?
MN State Statue 216D defines “damage” as any impact to an underground facility. MN law requires that if damage occurs to an underground facility or its protective coating, the excavator shall promptly notify the affected facility operator. Only the facility operator is qualified to determine if damage requiring repair has in fact occurred. Excavators are…
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GSOC Meet Tickets
What is a meet ticket and when should you file one with Gopher State One Call (GSOC)? Excavators can file meet tickets with GSOC to request an on-site meeting with facility operators at the proposed excavation site to clarify the precise location of excavation, schedule locating, propose future contacts, and/or share other information concerning the…
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Excavation Entities: Defining the Work Area
What is an excavation entity and why should you care? If you’re an ITIC user, creating the excavation entity that identifies your work area is one of the single most important things you do when submitting a ticket. Let’s find out why. An excavation entity is the parcel, circle, route, feature, shapefile, or free-hand/GPS-generated polygon…
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Utility Markings in Snow
Photo Credit: Dig Safe Canada After filing a locate request with Gopher State One Call (GSOC), we notify the facility operators who have asked to receive requests for locates in the proposed excavation area. These facility operators dispatch locators to the site who mark the location of utilities with different colored paint or flags that…
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Winter Safety Tips
Gopher State One Call (GSOC) consistently strives to promote the message of safety to all Minnesotans. Winter often brings severe storms and frigid temperatures. Stay safe and healthy by planning ahead. No matter how many Minnesota winters you’ve endured, keeping these important tips in mind will help you get safely through this winter:
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Snow Plow Marking Flags
At some point in time, you’ve probably noticed small colored flags placed in your yard or around town by locators to identify underground utility lines. Recently, some snow plowing and property management companies have begun using these types of flags instead of traditional wood or fiberglass stakes to mark curbs, driveways, and other features to…
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What is Vacuum Excavation
Vacuum excavation or “soft dig” is a non-mechanical and less invasive method of excavation. A blast of air or water is first directed into the dig site to loosen soil and break up any large materials. It is categorized as air or hydro vacuum excavation depending on how the soil is broken down. An air…
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Why Are There Flags And Paint In My Yard?
Updated: Wednesday, March 26, 2025 At some point in time, either in your yard or around town, you’ve probably noticed small colored flags and spray paint marking the ground. The flags and paint mark are used to mark where underground utilities are located and are most often used when someone is planning to dig. Getting…
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Spring and Summer Safety Tips
Gopher State One Call (GSOC) consistently strives to promote the message of safety to all Minnesotans. Now that the temperatures are rising, it is important to be aware of spring and summer safety concerns. This time of the year often brings warmth and sunshine, but can also bring sunburn, heat exhaustion, and other safety hazards.…
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Spring Safe Digging Reminders
Gopher State One Call (GSOC) consistently strives to promote the message of safety to all Minnesotans. Now that the temperatures are rising, it is important to be aware of spring and summer safety concerns. This time of the year often brings warmth and sunshine, but can also bring sunburn, heat exhaustion, and other safety hazards.…