Summer Yard Projects? Stay Safe!

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Created: Thursday, 29 June 2023 09:18

Written by Courtney Ommen

Click or call before you dig in your yard; it’s easy and it’s the law.

(St. Paul, Minn., June 26, 2023) Hidden dangers may lurk below the surface of your very own yard. Striking an underground electrical wire or gas line when digging for your summer home improvement project could be both dangerous and expensive, but there’s a sure-fire way to stay safe.

Clicking on the Gopher State One Call website or calling 8-1-1 results in a fast, free service to mark underground utilities, allowing you to pursue your home projects with confidence.

“It’s free, it’s easy, and it’s the law,” says Barb Cederberg, Chief Operations Officer of Gopher State One Call, the Minnesota non-profit organization that notifies utility companies of your intent to dig so that they can provide utility markings for commercial and residential digging or excavation projects.

According to Cederberg, homeowners who don’t Click or Call may strike underground water, electrical or gas lines. She said accidents often occur for common digging projects, including planting trees, fencing, patio construction or other home improvement projects. Gas lines or other utilities can be surprisingly close to the surface. She suggests a quick and easy method to avoid problems:

1. Plan ahead. Click onto www.gopherstateonecall.org or call 8-1-1 at least three business days before digging. Enter your information, and utility company locators will arrive at your home to mark the utility lines. Please note, for privately owned lines such as a gas line to a grill or an electric line to an out-building, a private locator must be called for marking of these lines.
2. Wait for the marks. Wait for the locators and their markings before digging.
3. Dig with care. Carefully dig around the designated areas, ensuring you avoid any marked lines.

Cederberg emphasized that beyond the safety aspects of calling ahead for utility markings, it is Minnesota State law to do so.

“It’s incredibly easy, plus it’s free. Just a little planning will assure your safety while giving you confidence before wielding your shovel or post hole digger for your summer project.” Cederberg said.

About Gopher State One Call
Gopher State One Call was established by state law in 1987, following a horrendous pipeline accident explosion in Mounds View, MN. It is governed by a volunteer board of about 20 directors representing utilities, excavators and other safety-minded individuals. More information on scheduling marking before your dig is available at www.gopherstateonecall.org.

Engineering/Pre-Con Meet Tickets: Five Common Questions Answered

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Created: Wednesday, 12 April 2023 10:47

Written by Courtney Ommen

In planning large-scale projects, it can often be helpful to meet in person with facility operators to discuss project design before construction begins. These meetings help align the planning team, contractors, and facility operators on underground utility coordination. Filing an Engineering/Pre-Con Meet Ticket through Gopher State One Call (GSOC) allows you to do just that.

Engineering/Pre-Con Meet Tickets are a type of Non-Excavation Ticket used to set up a pre-con meeting with facility operators during all design and pre-construction phases of a project when there is no imminent intent to dig. These meetings are used to discuss factors such as scheduling, project design, and utility relocation.

Think an Engineering/Pre-Con Meet Ticket might be right for your upcoming project? We’re answering five common questions about this type of Non-Excavation Ticket below.

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Registration is Open for the 2023 Damage Prevention Meetings

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Created: Thursday, 02 February 2023 11:42

Written by Taylor Jones

Each spring, Minnesota holds damage prevention meetings by and for the excavation community all around the state. These meetings are focused on safe digging and best practice education. Registration is now open — see the instructions below to on how to sign up.

How to register:

1. Visit the MNCGA website events calendar to find a meeting location and date that works for you. Make sure to check both the March and April 2023 calendars.

2. Click on the event you’d like to attend. In the event description, you’ll find the time, venue, address, and contact information for the meeting. You’ll also find the Eventbrite link to register.

3. Click the Eventbrite link under “Website” to be taken to the Eventbrite page for that meeting. Then, complete your registration via Eventbrite. You will receive email confirmation of your registration.

Damage prevention meetings typically include presentations from Gopher State One Call and the Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety, as well as guest speakers from other Minnesota damage prevention stakeholders.

We look forward to seeing you all this spring!

Join Us at the 2023 Minnesota CGA Locate Rodeo

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Created: Wednesday, 14 December 2022 14:57

Written by Taylor Jones

The 2023 Minnesota Common Ground Alliance (MNCGA) Locate Rodeo is coming up! Join us at CenterPoint Energy’s River Building January 17 and 18 to kick off the new year.

The Locate Rodeo is an indoor competition using state-of-the-art virtual technology — provided by UTTO — where participants compete with qualified individuals from all around the state.

“The locate rodeo is a fun experience for locators to come together – not only to show off and celebrate their craft – but to receive recognition for their hard work. Grab a locator you know and come on down!” shared Olivia Phillips, Senior Marketing Public Awareness Specialist for Gopher State One Call (GSOC).

Exciting prizes will be awarded to the top finishers. The first-place prize includes an opportunity to compete at the National Locate Rodeo competition this upcoming February in Tampa, Florida!

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Learn From the Unexpected with A.J. Clark of Badger Infrastructure Solutions

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Created: Thursday, 01 December 2022 07:00

Written by Courtney Ommen

The latest Learn from the Unexpected video features A.J. Clark, Locating Solutions Manager at Badger Infrastructure Solutions. A.J. talks about the value of using Meet Notifications (commonly known in the construction industry as “Meet Tickets”) for large-scale projects that will be completed over time or require sections of a jobsite to be marked at different times.

Check out LearnFromTheUnexpected.com/GSOC to watch the video, or click here to read more about Meet Tickets on our blog.

About Learn from the Unexpected
The damage prevention industry isn’t always predictable, but Gopher State One Call believes in learning from the unexpected moments that do happen and proactively working to avoid damages. Through these efforts, we can all work towards a safer future.

We’ve introduced our Learn from the Unexpected video series. These videos feature Minnesota-based damage prevention professionals like you and allow community members to share their stories so that we can all work smarter and safer as our industry continues to grow. Visit LearnFromTheUnexpected.com/GSOC to learn more and watch the videos.

Submit Your Story
Have you faced the unexpected at a jobsite or found something especially useful in avoiding unexpected damages or delays? We want to hear about it! Submit yourself or a colleague to be entered for the chance to be featured in an official Learn from the Unexpected video. Those selected will also earn the honorary title of Damage Prevention Influencer and receive a $200 Visa gift card that you can use for anything from a new pair of work boots to a much-deserved dinner out. To submit, scroll to the bottom of LearnFromTheUnexpected.com/GSOC and click “Submit Your Story.”