About Dig|Safely. New York

Established in 1968, Dig|Safely. New York promotes an easier, safer digging environment and serves the entire state of New York outside of Long Island and New York City, which is covered by New York City One-Call. The not-for profit organization, located in Syracuse, NY serves as a message handling service for member facility owners and operators, taking information about planned excavations and distributing this information to its membership. Each member facility owner / operator is then responsible for marking the location of their underground facilities at the excavation site. Note that Dig|Safely. New York is not a utility, and does not physically locate any underground facilities.

Customer Service Representatives at Dig|Safely. New York are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to receive and process calls to the toll-free phone number (1-800-962-7962), or via three digit dialing with the recently introduced 811 program. With each call, Dig|Safely. New York notifies an average of six utility owners, saving excavators time and money!

Dig|Safely. New York's Mission

The mission of Dig|Safely. New York is to prevent damages to underground facilities and protect the public through education and quality communication with excavators, underground facility operators and designers in an efficient, courteous and cost effective manner while complying with governing regulations.

How is Dig|Safely. New York Organized?

What drives the continuing quest for improvement and value in the Dig|Safely. New York service is the fact Dig|Safely. New York is a not-for-profit organization, owned and supported by it's members. It is governed by a Board of Directors who comprise a representative sample of the wide variety of facility owners in its membership (i.e. gas, electric, communication utilities, water and sewer authorities, municipalities, etc.) In addition, the Board and the industry is rounded out through the representation of an engineering company and a contractors' association.

The Board creates task oriented committees, incorporates the various Damage Prevention Councils and oversees the Executive Director of the Call Center.

With the leadership of the Board, Dig|Safely. New York sets its prices, procedures and its short and long term plans. People are always encouraged to give their input about how the Dig|Safely. New York service can be improved, as we are always striving to provide the best service and value at the most economical cost.

How does Dig|Safely. New York work?

Excavators call Dig|Safely. New York, toll-free at 1-800-962-7962, or by dialing 811.
[ What type of information will Dig Safely New York ask for? ]
[ Alternative ways of making a location request ]
Dig|Safely. New York Customer Service Representatives take the details of the excavation and transmit that information to member facility owners. Additionally, the caller may request a copy to be faxed or e-mailed to themselves, as well.
[ What does a location request ticket look like? ]
Dig|Safely. New York CSRs inform callers which member facility owners will be contacted, and issue serialized reference numbers for documentation of each location request.
[ You can print out a Stake-out Response Worksheet for use during the call, and also lookup member stake-out and design contacts ]
Contacted member facility owners must mark or clear the areas in question.
[ What do all the colors mean? ]
[ What are the standards for marking or digging near a buried facility? ]
Contacted member facility owners inform the excavator the site has either been cleared or it has been successfully marked.
[ Closing the loop through Positive Response ]

Dig|Safely. New York covers 55 counties (all of New York State except New York City and Long Island) and includes over one thousand owners of buried facilities as members in its One Call System. Through the customization of Dig|Safely. New York's dispatching to meet the needs of our members, these one thousand (plus) members actually translate to over two thousand, five hundred receiving stations.

Who Needs to Use Dig|Safely. New York?

Dig|Safely. New York serves all of New York State except New York City and Long Island.
All excavators must call Dig|Safely. New York at 1-800-962-7962 at least two (2) working days prior to the start of excavation, but not more than ten.
[ For a full explanation, take a look at our page entitled, What is legal notice?. ]
[ The complete list of responsibilities for excavators is contained within New York State Industrial Code Rule 753.]
According to New York State Law (General Business Law Article 36 and Public Service Law 119-b), all operators of underground facilities must become members of the Dig|Safely. New York One-Call network.
[ Check out New York State Industrial Code Rule 753 for comprehensive information. ]

Which organizations are members of Dig|Safely. New York?

Click here to view the Dig Safely New York Member List.

Which organizations are not members of Dig|Safely. New York?

Good question! Despite the law, not all buried facility owners are members of Dig|Safely. New York. Until that day comes, non-participants (these companies who do not belong) will have to be identified and contacted separately by the excavator. This is a tedious step often overlooked. One of the key functions of the Field Reps and the Damage Prevention Councils is the identification and recruiting of new and potential members.

Dig|Safely. New York Highlights:

Opened for business January 2, 1970
In House Operation
24x7x365 Availability
Not for Profit Corporation
Governed by Board of Directors comprised from its membership
Serving 55 Counties (all of New York State, except NYC and Long Island)
1,300+ Member Facility Owners
4,500+ Ticket Receiving Stations
385,000 Incoming Calls Received in 2005
2,431,500+ Ticket Deliveries in 2005
Average of 6 member notifications generated for each stake-out request taken