Diggers Hotline operators are professionally trained to obtain specific information concerning locate requests. The operators enter information into a computer terminal. There is a specific reason for every question asked. This section will provide a brief explanation of the reason for each.

Locate request processing is very easy if the caller has an understanding of the questions and is prepared to answer them. Preparation is the key. The best way to prepare to make a call is to obtain a "ticket format" pad. This pad is available at no cost and can be obtained from the call center upon request. On page 8 is a sample of a blank ticket format.

1. ID Number: Repeat callers to Diggers Hotline can be issued a caller identification number. Providing a caller identification number will automatically populate responses in the next fields for the operator in the call center, eliminating the need for the caller to provide the information.

2. Phone Number: The telephone number of the caller is taken in case additional information is required at a later time and for use by those members who call to confirm appointments or respond to an emergency excavation request.

The phone number can also be used as a key to activate our computer databases, similar to a caller ID.

3. Caller’s Name and Company Name & Address: The caller’s name and company name are taken in order to maintain records of all locate requests. This information is also helpful in the event it is necessary to contact someone for further information about the locate request. The mailing address associated with the Caller ID is also confirmed.

4. Contractor Type: Possible responses include "Contractor" "Member" "Municipality" "Utility" "Homeowner" and "Other".

5. Field Representative and Phone Number: If the person in charge of the work is different than the caller, a field contact is needed. Providing a mobile phone or pager number will help locators get in touch with someone at the jobsite, rather than someone in an office.

6. Work Being Done For: The identification of who the work is being performed for is another resource for obtaining additional information about the project. The customer’s name or the general contractor’s name is sufficient.

7. City/Place and County: The city, town, village or unincorporated area where the excavation will occur. Diggers Hotline accepts calls for all 72 counties in the state of Wisconsin. Work outside of Wisconsin should be referred to the one-call system for that area.

Diggers Hotline recognizes legal municipalities (cities, towns, and villages) and unincorporated communities. It is very important to identify the exact place name in which the work will be performed because there are different members in the Township of Waukesha than in the City of Waukesha, for example. By providing an incorrect municipality title, some Diggers Hotline members may not be notified of the locate request.

8. Address, Street, Side of Street: Diggers Hotline is required by state law to obtain the address of the excavation site to process a locate request. If this information cannot be provided by the user, Diggers Hotline will not be able to process the locate request.

If a traditional street address is not available, acceptable substitutes include a fire number, a lot number or another specific description of the location of the work site.

Diggers Hotline call-taking procedures state that a separate ticket will be filed for each job site. In other words, the installation of 15 sewer laterals will result in the filing of 15 separate tickets. Work on a single stretch of road that does not include individual services or laterals can be covered by one ticket, provided that the work does not cross a municipality boundary. For example, gas main construction which runs on Wisconsin Avenue from 18th Street to 10th Street and then on 10th Street to State Street would need to be filed on two separate tickets and described as follows:

Ticket No. 1: On Wisconsin Avenue from 18th Street to 10th Street.

Ticket No. 2: On 10th Street from Wisconsin Avenue to State Street.

On major or large project tickets that stay on the same street, a maximum radius of 100 feet will be allowed at each intersection. Any location request that exceeds 100 feet at intersections would require additional tickets.

Multiple vertical excavations can be placed under the heading of "Multiple Dig Sites" and can be filed under one ticket. Multiple dig sites will be handled in one of four ways: 1) one address, one ticket; 2) an appointment ticket; 3) a prints ticket; 4) Major Project Criteria, in which dig sites must stay in the same municipality and on the same street or road. It is assumed that the party calling in a multiple dig site ticket will work with Diggers Hotline members and their contract locators, informing where and when work will occur, so that marking can be accomplished in a timely manner. Failure to do so will result in an invalid multiple dig site ticket.

Horizontal excavations, such as trenching, plowing or similar work, cannot be filed under multiple dig sites.

9. Intersection #1, Distance and Direction from Intersection: Diggers Hotline is required by state law to obtain the nearest intersecting road, and the distance and direction from the nearest intersection to process a locate request. If this information cannot be provided by the user, Diggers Hotline will not be able to process the locate request.

This information also ensures that Diggers Hotline is accurately identifying the work site on our internal maps, which further guarantees that the proper facility owners are receiving the locate request information.

10. Intersection #2: Although not required, a second intersection road close to the excavation site may be given.

11. TRSQ: The town/range/section/quartersection numbers of the excavation site may also be provided, but these numbers are not required.

12. Type of Work: Field locators need to know the extent of the job and operators will ask for a description of the work. The more detail provided, the better. For example, "installation of a sanitary sewer lateral" is much more helpful than "digging for a sewer line."

13. Explosives?: Gas safety rules require gas facility owners to perform leakage surveys in the vicinity of any excavation or demolition after blasting has been performed. Diggers Hotline asks whether explosives will be used in an effort to assist gas facility members in complying with these rules.

14. Overhead Lines?: State and federal safety standards state that the minimum safe working clearance from any overhead line is 10 feet. Greater clearances are required for overhead lines operating at voltages exceeding 50,000 volts to ground. Diggers Hotline operators ask whether the equipment being used can extend to more than 14 feet above ground, and if so, if the equipment will be used within 25 feet of any overhead lines. If the answer to both questions is "yes", members with overhead lines which require working clearances greater than 10 feet will call or arrange to meet regarding safe-working clearances from their overhead lines.

15. Boring Equipment?: Due to the number of damages that occur with boring, facility owners need to be aware if boring will take place at the work site.

16. Start Date/Time: Start dates vary, depending upon the type of call being placed and the circumstances of the call. Diggers Hotline operators will issue the earliest legal start date possible. Operators will then ask how soon after this time the work is scheduled to begin. The legal start date will become the latter of these two dates.

Wisconsin’s state law requires a minimum of three business days prior notification. Business days are defined in the law as any day other than Saturday, Sunday, or legal holidays. The following are the legal holidays recognized by Wisconsin law:

New Year’s Day
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Presidents’ Day
Good Friday
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
September Primary Day (when applicable)
Columbus Day
Veterans Day
November General Election Day (when applicable)
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day

Starting excavation before the legal start date and time is prohibited by state law; beginning work early can result in forfeiture of the excavator’s rights and protection provided for under state statute 182.0175.

Diggers Hotline does not process locate requests more than 30 days prior to the intended start of excavation.

17. Marking Instructions: After identifying the location of the job site, Diggers Hotline operators will identify what portion of the job site is to be marked out. The following guidelines should be considered:

a) In all cases, Diggers Hotline is looking for a description of the area to be marked out. Operators will not accept instructions to mark a particular facility (i.e. "mark the gas line at this address.")

b) Right and left should not be used as directions. Use north, south, east and west instead.

c) Diggers Hotline operators try to refrain from using "mark the entire lot." Provide the specific area of the lot to be marked out. The following are a few examples:

i) Mark the west 20 feet of the lot.

ii) Mark the front of the house to the curb.

iii) Mark a radius of the NW corner of the lot.

iv) Mark the area from the house north approximately 100 ft. to the barn.

v) Mark a 20 foot radius around the perimeter of the home.

d) If the excavation is in a roadway, marking instructions may include but are not limited to:

i) Mark from curb to curb.

ii) Mark from lot line to lot line in the road right of way.

iii) Mark from the center line of road to N,S,E,W lot line or curb.

e) If your excavation work exceeds the marked area, you must call for another locate request with the correct marking instructions.

18. Remarks: Diggers Hotline operators will also record any additional information deemed appropriate.

Optional Information: Diggers Hotline operators will not ask the following questions during a call, but it is sometimes helpful for the caller to provide some or all of this information:

1. Fax Number, Cell Number, Pager Number, Best Time to Reach, Email: Diggers Hotline operators can add this information to the ticket to allow locators a variety of ways to communicate with the caller.

2. Duration of Work: The response to this question helps locators schedule their workloads.

3. Pre-Marked?: Whenever possible identify the proposed work area with white paint, flags, or stakes. This will provide locators with an accurate understanding of the proposed excavation area. Facility owners may identify proposed excavations for new facilities by using white paint; or flags or marking tape striped with the appropriate facility color code. Such markings should identify the owner of the facility.

The following are guidelines which may be used when identifying proposed excavations:

Cable, Conduit, Pipe, etc.: White surface marks, flags, stakes, or laths should be placed at intervals of 10 to 30 feet along the intended route. Surface marks can be made with white paint or tape and should be approximately 1 1/2 inches wide by 12 inches long.

Manholes, Vaults, Poles, Trees, Vents, Anchors, etc.: White surface marks, flags, stakes, or laths should be placed at intervals of three to five feet around the perimeter of the intended excavation.

Grading, Pavement Removal, Basements, Other Excavations: White surface marks, flags, stakes, or laths should be placed at intervals of three to 30 feet around the perimeter of the intended excavation. If possible, identify the amount of cut or fill.

4. Subdivision, Block Number, Lot Number, Job Number, Permit Number, Print Reference Number: These are all fields that may be used to help better identify the site of the proposed excavation.

After all the information is verified, Diggers Hotline operators will issue a ticket number. It is very important to keep this ticket number as future inquiries concerning the ticket will be expedited if the ticket number is available. Operators will also list the members that will receive the locate request.