Safe Digging is No Accident

1. Safe Digging is No Accident Jaime Medina

2. Regulations • Texas Utilities Code Title 5 Chapter 251 • Underground Facility Damage Prevention & Safety • Addresses all Utilities and Intrastate Pipelines • Texas Administrative Code Title 16 Chapter 18 • Underground Pipeline Damage Prevention • Specific to Gas Distribution and Intrastate Gas & Hazardous Liquids Pipelines Only • 29 CFR Part 1926 Subpart P – Excavations 651 (b) (2) • Specific to notifying utility companies prior to excavation - Employee safety regulation • Health & Safety Code Title 9 - Safety Subtitle A. Chapter 756 - Subchapter H – Construction Affecting Pipeline Easements & ROW • Specific to notifying a pipeline operator of construction activities near a pipeline easement or ROW

3. Texas Administrative Code Title 16 Chapter 18 Underground Pipeline Damage Prevention • This presentation addresses excavations in the vicinity of gas and hazardous liquids pipelines only. • “Operator” refers to gas and hazardous liquid pipeline operators • “Excavator” refers to any person or entity that engages in or is preparing to engage in the movement of earth in the vicinity of gas and hazardous liquids pipelines .

4. Texas Administrative Code • TITLE 16 ECONOMIC REGULATION • PART 1 RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS • CHAPTER 18 UNDERGROUND PIPELINE DAMAGE PREVENTION • Rules • §18.1 Scope, Applicability, and General Provisions • §18.2 Definitions • §18.3 Excavator Notice to Notification Center • §18.4 Excavator Obligation to Avoid Damage to Underground Pipelines • §18.5 Operator and Excavator Obligations with Respect to Positive Response • §18.6 General Marking Requirements • §18.7 Excavator Marking Requirements • §18.8 Operator Marking Requirements • §18.9 Options for Managing an Excavation Site in the Vicinity of an Underground Pipeline • §18.10 Excavation within Tolerance Zone • §18.11 Reporting Requirements • §18.12 Penalty Guidelines

5. Incidents Per Fiscal Year

6. Top Ten – Root Causes

7. Top Ten – Type of Excavator

8. Top Ten – Type of Work Performed

9. Top Ten – Type of Equipment

10. Proposed Revisions From 2012 Draft • Zero Depth – Mechanized Equipment • 12” Depth – Hand Dig • 14 working Days ticket life continues • Maximum 1/2 Mile

11. What is considered an EMERGENCY EXCAVATION? A situationthatendangers life, health, or property

12. EMERGENCY EXCAVATION A situation in which the public need for uninterrupted service and immediate reestablishment of serviceif service is interruptedcompels immediate action.”

13. Proposed Operator Requirements • Positive Response • Emergencies within 4 hours • Accuracy of locates • Larger than 12” • 12” or smaller • 2 or more methods to locate pipeline • Indicate size/type of line every other mark • Advise Excavator of abandoned pipelines

14. Proposed Excavator Requirements • Avoiding Damage • Site Assessment • 18” Tolerance Zone • Plus nominal diameter pipe (currently ½ nominal) • Once line is exposed? • Proposed to allow excavation using mechanized equipment once line is exposed. • Cease Work • Refresh marks

15. Proposed Damage Reporting • Incident Management • Mandatory 911 Call • Make safe • Incident Reporting • Requires Investigation • Proposed 30 days • ***811 Notification of Digup *** • Advise Excavator of reporting requirements in writing • Operator damage reporting

16. Current Penalties • $2500 Violations • Failure to Call 811 • Failure to Locate Properly • Mechanized Equipment in Tolerance Zone • $2000 Violations • Failure to Comply with Chapter 18 • Failure to Submit TDRF • Failure to Notify Operator of Digup via 811

17. www.texas811.org www.rrc.state.tx.us www.commongroundalliance.com www.onecalltexas.com