2023 Indiana Code › Title 8. Utilities and Transportation › Article 1. Utilities Generally › Chapter 26. Damage to Underground Facilities › 8-1-26-18. Duty to Locate and Mark Facilities; Design Information Notice; Color Coding of Markings; Pipeline Facilities; Alteration of Markings; Notice of Operator's Inability to Locate and Mark Facilities

Sec. 18. (a) Subject to subsection (k), each operator notified under section 16 of this chapter shall, not later than two (2) full working days after receiving the notice of intent provided in section 16 of this chapter, supply to the person responsible for the excavation or demolition the following information, using maps when appropriate:
(1) The approximate location and a description of all the operator's underground facilities that may be damaged as a result of the excavation or demolition.
(2) The location and description of all facility markers indicating the approximate location of the underground facilities.
(3) Any other information that would assist that person in locating and avoiding damage to the underground facilities, including providing adequate temporary markings indicating the approximate location of the underground facility and locations where permanent facility markers do not exist.
(b) Each operator notified under section 16.5 of this chapter of preliminary engineering studies or construction planning activities shall, not later than ten (10) full working days after receiving the design information notice, contact the person serving the design information notice and shall do the following:
(1) Do one (1) or more of the following, in accordance with section 16.5(f) of this chapter:
(A) Provide to the person serving the design information notice the approximate location and a description of all the operator's underground facilities that are located in the project area that will be affected by the proposed excavation or demolition.
(B) Allow:
(i) the person serving the design information notice; or
(ii) another authorized person;
to inspect, at a location that is acceptable to the operator, drawings or other records for all of the operator's underground facilities within the project area that will be affected by the proposed excavation or demolition.
(C) Designate with temporary facility markers the location of all of the operator's underground facilities within the project area that will be affected by the proposed excavation or demolition, as identified in the design information notice.
(2) Using maps when appropriate, provide to the person serving the design information notice the location and a description of all facility markers indicating the approximate location of the underground facilities, if applicable.
(3) Using maps when appropriate, provide to the person serving the design information notice any other information that would assist a person in locating the underground facilities during the engineering studies or construction planning activities.
(c) Facility locate markings must consist of paint, flags, or stakes or any combination that mark the approximate location of the underground facilities. The method of marking must be appropriate for the location of the underground facilities.
(d) Color coding of facility locate markings indicating the type of underground facility must conform to the following color coding:
Facility and Type of Product
Specific Group
Identifying Color
(1)
Electric power distribution
and transmission
Safety red
(2)
Municipal electric systems
Safety red
(3)
Gas distribution and
transmission
High visibility
safety yellow
(4)
Oil distribution and
transmission
High visibility
safety yellow
(5)
Dangerous materials, product
lines, steam lines
High visibility
safety yellow
(6)
Communications service
systems
Safety alert orange
(7)
Cable television
Safety alert orange
(8)
Police and fire
communications
Safety alert orange
(9)
Water systems
Safety precaution blue
(10)
Sewer systems
Safety green
(11)
Proposed excavation
White
(e) Each operator notified under section 16 of this chapter shall, not later than two (2) full working days after receiving the notice of intent provided in section 16 of this chapter, make a reasonable attempt to provide notification to the person responsible for the excavation or demolition if the operator has no facilities in the location of the proposed excavation or demolition.
(f) Each operator notified under section 16.5 of this chapter of preliminary engineering studies or construction planning activities shall, not later than ten (10) full working days after receiving the design information notice, make a reasonable attempt to notify the person providing the design information notice under section 16.5 of this chapter if the operator has no facilities located in the project area that will be affected by the proposed excavation or demolition.
(g) This section does not apply to an operator making an emergency repair to its own underground facility.
(h) This subsection applies if all of the following occur:
(1) An operator of a pipeline facility is required to supply information, including facility locate markings, under subsection (a) to a person responsible for an excavation or demolition.
(2) The operator of the pipeline facility fails to supply the information described in subdivision (1) or provides incorrect facility locate markings.
(3) The operator's pipeline facility is damaged during the excavation or demolition for which the operator was required to supply the information described in subdivision (1).
The operator of the pipeline facility may be subject to a civil penalty in an amount recommended by the advisory committee and approved by the commission, not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(i) Subsection (h) does not apply to an operator that:
(1) is repairing its own underground facilities; or
(2) fails to supply required information or provide facility locate markings due to factors beyond the control of the operator.
(j) A person that knowingly moves, removes, damages, or otherwise alters a facility locate marking supplied under this section may be subject to a civil penalty in an amount recommended by the advisory committee and approved by the commission, not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000). This subsection does not apply to a person that moves, removes, damages, or otherwise alters a facility locate marking as part of the excavation or demolition for which the facility locate markings were supplied.
(k) If an operator receives, under section 16 of this chapter, notice of an excavation or demolition and determines that the operator is unable to do either or both of the following, the operator shall notify the person responsible for the excavation or demolition of the operator's determination and shall provide additional information and, if requested, onsite assistance to the person responsible for the excavation or demolition:
(1) Locate and mark the operator's affected underground facilities in the time required by subsection (a).
(2) Mark the approximate location of the operator's affected underground facilities.
As added by P.L.69-1990, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.62-2009, SEC.15; P.L.200-2014, SEC.5; P.L.122-2017, SEC.6.