Once a ticket is submitted, Missouri 811 is responsible for notifying all the public utility companies in the vicinity of the excavation site so they can mark their underground utilities. Missouri 811 also provides the ticket owner with continuous email updates that contain a list of all the public utilities that have been notified as well as the status for each utility. Here are a few helpful tips for excavators in the field:
Email Notification: Keep in mind that additional recipients can be added to the locate request emails provided by Missouri 811 to keep everyone involved with the project informed of the locate status.
Review Ticket Status: If you are the excavator doing the digging, you are responsible, by law, to make sure all public utilities have been marked. Review the ticket status before starting excavation.
No Response: If your locate ticket lists a status of “Not Yet Responded” for any utility, do not start digging. Promptly contact Missouri 811 to request a “No Response” ticket. If the notification is made before 2pm, the marking has to be completed within that working day. If the notification is made after 2pm, the marking is to be completed no later than 10am the next working day.
Incorrect Locate: In addition to confirming the ticket status for each utility, it is important to always conduct a site walkthrough to make sure everything is marked properly. If a utility is marked incorrectly, promptly contact Missouri 811 and request an “Incorrect Locate” ticket. We will arrange for the site to be re-evaluated and accurately marked, preventing potential hazards. Utilities are allowed 2 hours to respond to an Incorrect Locate request.