Page 30 - Mississippi

Enforceable Changes to the Mississippi Dig Law effective July 1, 2024
Definitions Revised 77-13-3(i)
Directional boring, Dredging, and Anchoring were added to the definition of Excavate.
Definitions Added 77-13-3(x), 77-13-3(y)
Locate request ticket - An electronic document generated by Mississippi 811, Inc., which includes the information provided by the excavator as described in Section 77-13-5(c) of the law.
Trenchless excavation - Horizontal excavation parallel to the surface of the earth which does not use trenching or vertical digging as the primary means of excavation, including, but not limited to, directional boring, tunneling, or augering.
Pre-Marking 77-13-5(1)(c)
The excavator must pre-mark the approximate boundary of the proposed excavation area with white paint, flags, or stakes, before submitting a locate request to MS811.
When the excavator pre-marks with
a single stake or other single-point indicator, that excavator represents that the proposed excavation area does not exceed fifty (50) feet in any direction from the pre-mark.
Pre-marking of the proposed excavation area with white paint, flags or stakes shall not be required if the area can be defined in the advance written, elec- tronic or telephonic notice by a street address, lot and block number, distance from a driveway or street intersection, or by other geographical descriptions more specifically described in the rules and regulations adopted by the Board.
Proposed Excavation Area 77-13-5(1)(c)
The location of the proposed excavation provided on a locate request ticket is limited to an area that the excavator reasonably believes may be completed within 14 calendar days and cannot include any area in which the excava- tor has already completed excavation work.
The proposed excavation location on
a renewal locate request ticket cannot include any area in which the excavator has already completed the excavation work.
Trenchless Excavation 77-13-5(5)(a)(b)(c)
The following applies on the site of any excavation involving trenchless excavation, including directional bor- ing, where the approximate location of
underground utility/facility lines has been marked.
The excavator shall not use pow- er-driven equipment across or within the marked location of underground utilities, unless:
i. The excavator exposes the ex- cavation path by a noninvasive method.
ii. The excavator carefully mon- itors the horizontal and vertical location of the excavation device as it crosses the entire width of the marked utilities.
When excavating parallel to the marked utilities, the excavator shall use a noninvasive method to identify the actual location of the under- ground utility at careful and prudent intervals.
Probing 77-13-5(1)(c)
A locate request ticket is not required when a qualified operator uses a hand-powered probe rod to map the location of their underground facili- ties, provided that the operator uses reasonable care to protect themself and any underground utilities in the area.
28 • Mississippi 811 2024, Issue 3