Opinion ID: 867601
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Responsibilities of excavators and owners

Text: ¶ 7 Several sections of the Underground Facilities Act, found at A.R.S. §§ 40-360.21 through 40-360.32, apply to the present case. First, an excavator must determine whether any underground lines exist in the area of excavation before beginning work. [4] Then, every owner of underground lines is directed to locate and mark its lines within two days of receiving notice of an excavation, and excavators cannot commence their work until marking is completed. [5] Even after the owner marks its lines, an excavator must still act with reasonable care. [6] An excavator who encounters an unmarked line must notify either the owner or the organization designated by the owner (in this case, the Blue Stake Center) of the unmarked line. [7] Neither an excavator nor an owner may assume an underground line is abandoned without verification. [8] ¶ 8 On this record, there is evidence that APS violated A.R.S. § 40-360.22(B) and (I) by breaching the requirement of identifying and marking its lines and by negligently failing to identify and warn of the location and dangerous nature of its high-voltage line encased in the galvanized pipe. Similarly, there is evidence that Gunnell violated A.R.S. §§ 40-360.23(B) and 40-360.22(I) when he uncovered an unmarked line and failed to appropriately verify its type (by notifying either the Blue Stake Center or APS), and thus determine whether it was actually abandoned, before he cut into it.