2023 Tennessee Code › Title 65 - PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS (§§ 65-1-101 — 65-37-104) › Chapter 31 - UNDERGROUND UTILITY DAMAGE PREVENTION ACT (§§ 65-31-101 — 65-31-120) › Section 65-31-108 - Response to notice of intent to excavate or demolish

(a)
(1)
(A)
Each operator notified in accordance with §
65-31-106
shall stake or otherwise mark, prior to the noticed time of the proposed excavation or demolition, the surface of the tract or parcel of land affected by the excavation or demolition to indicate the approximate location of all its underground utilities that may be damaged as a result of the excavation or demolition. The operator shall not charge the person giving notice to the one-call service, the excavator, or property owner for the marking of its facilities. However, an operator may recover the costs of the marking of its facilities from customers in an appropriate ratemaking procedure. The operator shall not be required to indicate the depth of any such utility, but only the approximate ground location under which the utility is located. Such staking or other marking shall utilize the following color code:
(i)
SAFETY RED shall be used to mark electric power distribution and transmission facilities;
(ii)
HIGH VISIBILITY SAFETY YELLOW shall be used to mark gas and oil distribution and transmission facilities;
(iii)
SAFETY ALERT ORANGE shall be used to mark telephone, telegraph, cable television, video, and other telecommunications facilities;
(iv)
SAFETY PRECAUTION BLUE shall be used to mark water systems facilities;
(v)
SAFETY GREEN shall be used to mark sewer systems facilities; and
(vi)
SAFETY PURPLE shall be used to mark reclaimed water.
(B)
In the event more than one (1) operator uses the same color code under subdivision (a)(1)(A), each operator using the same color shall include a distinctive marking, such as the initials of the operator's name or other marking, that appropriately identifies each operator and sufficiently distinguishes each operator's marking from any other operator authorized to use the same color under subdivision (a)(1)(A).
(2)
Notwithstanding subdivision (a)(1), the underground utility damage enforcement board may establish, by rule, best practices for uniform color code and marking consistent with this part. The rules may include stakes, flags, non-permanent paint, or other low impact marking practices. Rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.
(3)
Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, marking methods established by subdivisions (a)(1) and (2) shall be the methods of marking underground facilities in this state.
(b)
Each operator participating in a one-call service that has been notified in accordance with §
65-31-106
shall notify the one-call service that the operator has marked the approximate location of all of its underground utilities as required by this section or that the operator has no underground utilities in the proposed area of excavation. The operator shall provide this notice to the one-call service in accordance with procedures adopted by the one-call service for this notification. This notice shall fulfill the operator's obligation set forth in subsection (e). When each operator notified in accordance with §
65-31-106
has notified the one-call service that its underground utilities in the proposed area of excavation have been marked or that the operator has no underground utilities in the proposed area of excavation, the person responsible for the excavation or demolition may immediately proceed with the excavation or demolition, notwithstanding the minimum three-working-day notice requirement before excavation or demolition can begin set forth in §
65-31-106(a)
.
(c)
An excavator shall exercise reasonable care to avoid damage caused by an excavation or demolition within the safety zone around the marked location of the underground utilities by hand digging when practical, utilizing pneumatic hand tools, or utilizing mechanical or technical methods approved by the facility owner or operator. Hand digging and noninvasive methods are not required for removal of pavement or concrete. As used in this subsection (c), "safety zone" means a strip of land at least four feet (4') wide, but not wider than the width of the utility plus two feet (2') on either side of the utility.
(d)
If, upon arrival at the site of a proposed excavation, the excavator observes clear evidence of the presence of an unmarked utility in the area of the proposed excavation, the excavator shall not begin excavating until an additional notice is made to the one-call. The excavator may then proceed, exercising reasonable care to avoid damage to the utility which may be caused by such excavation or demolition.
(e)
If no facilities exist in the tract or parcel of land, the operators shall make a reasonable effort to so advise the individual who initiated the request, provided the request is received in accordance with §
65-31-106
.
(f)
The approximate location of underground utilities does not include a designation of location as to depth below the surface of the ground. Excavators must use reasonable care to ascertain for themselves the exact depth of the underground utilities below the surface of the ground. If, after so ascertaining, the excavator learns that its excavation or demolition is likely to interfere with the operation of the underground utility facilities, it must again notify the affected operator of such underground utility facilities and reasonably cooperate with the operator of the underground utility facilities to conduct its excavation or demolition in such a way that the operations of the underground utility facilities are not disturbed or the affected underground utility facilities are placed out of the way of the proposed excavation or demolition.
(g)
Each operator notified in accordance with §
65-31-109
, shall within two (2) hours stake or otherwise mark, utilizing the color code set forth in subsection (a), the surface of the tract or parcel of land affected by the excavation or demolition to indicate the approximate location of all its underground utilities that may be damaged as a result of the excavation or demolition.
(h)
Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection (g), an excavator submitting a notice of emergency excavation or demolition in accordance with §
65-31-109
may provide information that operator response is not required within two (2) hours and provide an alternate emergency operator response time that is more than two (2) hours and less than seventy-two (72) hours. In such circumstances, the operator receiving such notice shall respond before the emergency operator response time submitted in the notice.
(i)
Any contract locator acting on behalf of an operator is subject to this section.
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 628,s 5, eff. 7/1/2024.
Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 307, s 5, eff. 7/1/2021.
Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 307, s 4, eff. 7/1/2021.
Amended by 2018 Tenn. Acts, ch. 716, Secs.s 1, s 6eff. 4/12/2018.
Acts 1978, ch. 692, § 8; T.C.A., § 65-3208; Acts 1993, ch. 223, § 14; 1999, ch. 73, §4; 2006, ch. 686, §§ 7, 8.