Conn. Agencies Regs. § 16-345-3 - Responsibilities of public utilities
(a) Each public
utility shall:
(1) Register the geographic
areas in which it owns or operates underground facilities within the State of
Connecticut, including new facilities, by reference to the central
clearinghouse's standard mapping system and maintain a current file containing
the information listed in subsection (e) of section
16-345-2 of
the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies with the central
clearinghouse;
(2) Reimburse the
central clearinghouse, in accordance with billing rates set by the Authority as
part of the central clearinghouse's budget;
(3) Report to the central clearinghouse, in
accordance with the requirements established by the Authority, any excavation
or demolition of which it is aware which has occurred at or near any of its
facilities in violation of sections
16-345-1
to
16-345-9,
inclusive, of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies or Chapter 293 of
the Connecticut General Statutes;
(4) Report to the central clearinghouse, in
accordance with the requirements established by the Authority, any damage to
the utility's underground facilities which resulted from, or which the public
utility suspects resulted from any excavation or demolition conducted by any
excavator;
(5) File with the
central clearinghouse such other information which the central clearinghouse or
the Authority shall deem necessary to carry out the objectives of Chapter 293
of the Connecticut General Statutes and the public safety;
(6) Report to the Authority, as soon as
possible, any excavator whose actions or frequency of damage incidents
indicates a situation that may require particular attention;
(7) Upon the exposure of previously
unrecorded or inaccurately recorded facilities in the course of excavation or
demolition activities and of which it has knowledge of such exposure, verify
and modify existing records as necessary, and promptly make all necessary
modifications, if needed, within the standard mapping system maintained by the
central clearinghouse. The record shall be sufficiently detailed in order to
allow the central clearinghouse to identify such previously unrecorded or
inaccurately recorded facilities within its standard mapping system;
(8) Maintain records of all existing
underground utility facility locations, including without limitation,
facilities abandoned in place and interconnections to all utility
users;
(9) Receive tickets from the
central clearinghouse;
(10)
Provide, and promptly update, all information required in subsections (e) and
(f) of section
16-345-2 of
the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies to the central clearinghouse;
and
(11) Provide, and promptly
update a current listing of emergency contact telephone numbers with the
central clearinghouse, for the purposes of the central clearinghouse making
available the emergency contact phone number to those requesting tickets for
emergency excavation or emergency blasting.
(b) Each public utility shall:
(1) By the end of the second full day,
(excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) after the day of notification to
the central clearinghouse of a proposed excavation or demolition, or by the
date on which excavation or demolition is scheduled to commence as reported in
the notification to the central clearinghouse, whichever is later:
(A) Except for an area of continual
excavation, in the event that the public utility determines that it has
underground facilities in the designated area, mark the approximate location of
such facilities using commercially available advanced proven techniques,
methods and equipment appropriate to the circumstances, in accordance with
section
16-345-5 of the
Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, in such a manner that will enable
the excavator to establish the actual location of the underground facilities so
marked, or if it is not practical to so mark the location of such facilities,
identify the approximate location of such facilities in a manner mutually
agreeable to the public utility and the excavator. Any interconnections between
facilities of the public utility and others, such as tees connecting mains to
customer owned facilities, shall be clearly marked and labeled by the utility
providing service to the interconnection in accordance with section
16-345-5 of the
Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, provided, however, that such utility
shall not be required to mark the location of customer owned facilities, except
at the immediate location of the interconnection or tee. Whenever feasible, the
public utility shall also provide information to the excavator as to any
special requirements for excavation or demolition at or near its facilities
including, without limitation, any special considerations regarding structural
or lateral support or the use of heavy equipment over public utility
facilities;
(B) Notwithstanding
subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, the public utility that has a standard
and repeating layout and which is connected by facilities visible on the
surface (such as certain storm sewers) need not mark those standard and
repeating facilities, provided that maps indicating the approximate location
are supplied to the excavator within the specified time limit. Facilities that
are attached to a standard and repeating layout but do not conform to the
standard and repeating layout shall be marked unless an alternate mutually
agreeable location method is used;
(C) In the event that the public utility
determines that it has no underground facilities in the designated area, make
reasonable effort to so inform the excavator and document such efforts, or mark
this information in accordance with subsection (l) of section
16-345-5 of the
Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies; and
(D) Upon receipt of a ticket of an area of
continual excavation, the public utility shall contact the party requesting the
ticket, and provide it information or maps indicating the location of
facilities in the area of continual excavation;
(2) Upon receipt of information that the
excavator, after reasonable attempt to locate the underground facilities, is
unable to locate the actual location of the underground facilities after the
approximate location of an underground utility facility has been marked by the
public utility, provide such further on-site assistance as may be needed to
determine the actual location of the underground facilities. The assistance may
be in the form of location detection equipment or technical advice. Such
technical advice may include, without limitation, the need for and advice
concerning location or locations of test holes by the excavator. An excavator,
who has failed to make a reasonable attempt to locate the facilities within the
approximate location as marked out by the public utility prior to calling the
public utility for on-site assistance, shall reimburse the public utility for
all costs incurred in the further location of such facilities. If the actual
location of the facility is found to be within the approximate location as
marked out by the public utility, it shall constitute a failure by the
excavator to have made a reasonable attempt to locate;
(3) Immediately upon receipt of a ticket of
an emergency excavation, dispatch personnel to determine the effect of the
excavation or demolition on any facility it may have in the area and to mark
the approximate location of facilities in the designated area;
(4) Immediately upon receipt of a ticket of
emergency blasting, dispatch personnel to determine the effect of the blasting
on any facility it may have in the area and to mark the approximate location of
facilities in the designated area; and
(5) Upon receipt of information that contact
or damage involving its underground facilities has occurred, dispatch qualified
personnel as soon as is reasonably possible to effect temporary or permanent
repairs and to protect the public from any potential danger resulting from the
contact or damage to its facilities.
(c) A public utility may identify, in
accordance with subsection (k) of section
16-345-5 of the
Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, the location of a facility connected
to its facilities beyond the point of the interconnection or tee, but not owned
or operated by the public utility, as a helpful guide to an excavator. Said
identification shall not be deemed to impose any liability upon the public
utility for any inaccuracy in said identification.
(d) Each public utility, individually and
through appropriate utility organizations, shall maintain a program designed to
educate excavators in order to minimize the possibility of damage incidents to
underground facilities and to minimize the potential detriment to public safety
attendant with damage to underground facilities. Upon request by any excavator
planning an excavation or demolition, each public utility shall provide basic
instruction concerning the hazards associated with its underground facilities
and specific precautions necessary when working at or near those
facilities.
(e) Each public utility
shall attend all preconstruction meetings of which it has knowledge related to
excavation or demolitions which might affect its facilities for the purpose of
addressing special or particular issues related to public safety as well as
other issues related to the proposed excavation or demolition.
(f) Each public utility shall, where
practicable, install a warning tape located above the facility, and keep
appropriate records thereof for all new underground facilities. For all
repairs, replacements or modifications involving an exposure of existing
underground facilities at least one hundred (100) feet in length that does not
already have warning tape installed and which the utility has knowledge of such
exposure, the utility shall, where practicable, install a warning tape located
above the facility, and keep appropriate records thereof. The minimum
separation between the facility and the warning tape shall be twelve (12)
inches unless the depth, other underground facilities or other engineering
considerations make the minimum separation unfeasible. The warning tape shall
be durable, designed to withstand extended underground exposure, be of the
color assigned to the type of facility for surface markings in subsection (i)
of section
16-345-5 of the
Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies and durably imprinted with an
appropriate warning or message.
(g)
Each public utility shall, during the installation of new underground
facilities, mark the approximate location of such new facilities in accordance
with section
16-345-5 of the
Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies for such newly installed facilities
as they are backfilled or installed.
(h) For all new non-metallic utility
facilities, the utility shall install a means of locating the facility using
electronic locating equipment, such as tracing wire.
(i) Any person who locates and marks the
location of underground facilities on behalf of a public utility shall be
trained in applicable locating industry standards and practices equal or
superior to the National Utility Locating Contractors Association's locator
training standards and practices. Each person's training shall be documented,
and such documents shall be maintained by the public utility.
Notes
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