Support Children's Minnesota at the 2023 Day of the Dozers

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Created: Tuesday, 19 September 2023 09:12

Written by Courtney Ommen

Gopher State One Call (GSOC) will be participating in the 2023 Day of the Dozers, supporting the important efforts of Children’s Minnesota. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, September 23, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the ERX Motor Park in Elk River, Minnesota.

The Day of the Dozers is a family friendly event hosted by the Minnesota Utility Contractors Association (MUCA) that allows families to get up-close and personal with heavy equipment while learning about the construction industry, damage prevention, and safety. During the event, kids ages three to 10 can ride in construction vehicles and heavy equipment (alongside operators), and the entire family can play in the giant sand pit, explore various activities, and enjoy food from local food trucks.

GSOC remains an annual sponsor of the event’s 811 Kids Activity Zone. The activity zone provides a fun and engaging way to introduce underground utility safety and damage prevention to young Minnesotans. It’s also a great opportunity for adults to connect with 811 professionals and ask questions about contacting GSOC before digging, buried utility safety, or any other utility questions.

The 2023 Day of the Dozers is gearing up to be the best one yet! We invite you to join us and help surpass last year’s record-breaking $100,000 raised for Children’s Minnesota. This year’s funds will go towards the brand new Pediatric Hybrid Intraoperative MRI suite. Click here to learn more about this ground-breaking technology used to perform brain and spine scans during procedures for conditions such as brain tumors, epilepsy, and traumatic injuries at Children’s Minnesota.

Click here to register now or visit MUCA’s FAQ page for more information the event.

2023 811 5K Run/Walk Promotes Safe Digging in the Twin Cities

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Created: Monday, 28 August 2023 13:10

Written by Courtney Ommen

The 2023 811 5K Run/Walk turned out to be a great success bringing Minnesotans together to raise awareness for safe digging. Held August 12, 2023, at Bde Maka Ska’s Thomas Beach in Minneapolis, this year’s event featured participants from the Twin Cities and the surrounding suburbs, a damage prevention-focused vendor fair, and the annual Kid’s Race.

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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!