Board reviews draft safety standards for unmarked underground lines, seeks operator response protocols

Board staff presented an informational update on Feb. 10 outlining draft safety standards intended to reduce excavation risk from unmarked underground lines.

Staff said the board's work under the Dig Safe Act has shifted since 2023 from a focus on abandoned lines to unmarked lines excavators encounter in the field. The presentation summarized a July 2025 review of Common Ground Alliance best practices, a subsequent survey and stakeholder workshop, and recurring concerns raised by excavators and operators.

According to staff, stakeholder feedback coalesced around three questions: which operators should respond when an excavator reports an unmarked line; when they should respond; and how they should respond. Staff reported that operators participating in the workshop said they would have no objection to responding to a notification — even if the response was simply to state the line was not theirs — and that public safety would benefit from a standard encouraging that practice.

To address timeliness, staff proposed a triage system that would prioritize unmarked-line notifications over standard ticket types. On how to respond, operators told staff they often can determine ownership without a site visit if provided sufficient information (photograph, location, directionality, depth, size, material and color); staff’s recommendation would permit operators to exercise discretion about whether a site visit is necessary but require follow-up visits when ownership remains unclear.

Public commenters and board members raised related concerns: the difficulty of identifying older or abandoned lines whose records are lost, the role of cities in identifying lines on city-owned property, and special challenges for maritime or underwater lines (for example, dredging or anchor-drag incidents). Board members noted that these maritime issues are technically complex and may require specialized contractors or diver services, and agreed to keep maritime concerns under review as part of ongoing work.

The presentation concluded with staff recommending that the board direct staff to draft regulatory language implementing the proposed operator-response elements for the board’s safety standards. No formal action was taken on this informational item; staff will return with draft language for future consideration and public input.

The board scheduled follow-up discussions and workshops as needed to refine standards and outreach to specialized audiences, including maritime and agricultural stakeholders.