The Southern Cross Solution:
The main utility locating problems that companies are facing today include uneducated third-party contractors , improper operating procedures due to contractors not following best locate/safety practices , and projects taking longer to complete than anticipated.
Full Locate/Safety Training
Full-time Experienced Locate Technicians
Full Liability With Southern Cross
All Vehicles & Equipment Necessary To Perform Locate Request
Ticketing System That Will Correspond With The Local 811 Ticket Distribution Center
How does Southern Cross’ Damage Prevention Program solve these problems?
Southern Cross focuses on utilizing our
Damage Prevention Vehicle
to educate and identify high-risk excavation activity:
> Engage third-party excavators to positively
influence their practices and prevent damages to the utility.
> Identify any excavator who exhibits at-risk behavior or any
excavation taking place with no visible locate marks.
> Review and assess locate requests with excavators making sure the start
date is confirmed and the request accurately covers the area.
Contact Us:
WHAT IS 811?
811 is the national number designated by the Federal Communications Commission to help protect do-it-yourselfers, landscapers and contractors from unintentionally hitting underground utility lines while working on digging projects – large and small.
When do I call 811?
You should call 811 or use your state 811 center’s website a few business days before you begin any digging, including common projects like planting trees and shrubs or installing fences and mailboxes. The specific amount of advance notice that you are required to provide varies by state.
How Does It Work?
When you dial 811, you will automatically be connected to a representative from your state’s 811 center who will ask you simple questions about the location and details of your digging project. If you make your request online, you will enter the same information into a form. Either way, you will receive a ticket number and instructions for how much time utilities have to respond to your request, as well as how to confirm that all utilities have responded before you can safely dig.
Fewer than half of Americans believe they need to call 811 before simple projects like:
Installing a deck or patio
Planting trees, bushes and shrubs
Installing a mailbox
An estimated 31 MILLION homeowners are planning to complete home improvement projects that involve digging this year.
Nearly 40 PERCENT of homeowners planning to dig will put utility service at risk by not calling 811 before starting a project.
This means that over 11 MILLION homeowners will risk unintentionally damaging buried utilities, potentially disrupting utility service to themselves and their communities by not calling 811.
The most popular planned DIY home projects that involve digging in 2020 include:
Planting a tree or shrub (61 percent)
Building a patio or deck (30 percent)
Building a fence (28 percent)
Installing a mailbox (13 percent)
