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Cut through a buried phone line on a residential job last spring
Was clearing a half acre lot outside Eugene and my tooth hit something that wasn't root. Turned out the homeowner's cable line was only 6 inches down, no flagging or anything. Had to call the utility company and eat a $200 fee while the guy waited two days for service. Any of you guys running into unmarked lines on private property more often now?
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robin_foster11mo ago
The one-call center is Oregon Utility Notification Center, not "local one-call line" - it's a statewide service. I use it too, but here's the thing: they only mark public utilities up to the meter box. On private property past that point, you're on your own unless you hire a private locator. That's how that buried cable at 6 inches got missed. Doesn't mean you shouldn't call, just know the limits so you don't get a false sense of safety. Do you usually ask homeowners if they know where their own lines run?
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noah_barnes1mo ago
Had a similar thing happen last year on a property in Springfield. Now I always call the local one-call line before I even unload the machine, even for small lots. Costs me an hour of time but beats paying fines or fixing busted lines.
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