“Is the area marked in white?” On the phone or online, we’ll ask. Why do we ask, you ask? Traditionally a white flag represents surrender. In the excavating community though, it means proposed (or planned) excavation. Paint, flags, ribbon, and stakes are commonly used to provide a visual explanation of where underground utilities are located. […]
Happy Labor Day!
Happy Labor Day! What started as a small idea to honor the working class, has since turned into a nationwide movement in which we pay tribute to the contributions that workers have made to our country. But where does Labor Day come from? Some believe it originated in New York in 1882, after a very […]
Excavator Responsibilities
Over the years, even very experienced workers tend to forget some of the basics they learned in the beginning of their careers. This week’s blog is a refresher on excavator responsibilities. The excavator is responsible for: Requesting the one-call notification, it is not your customer’s responsibility. Immediately reporting damage or exposure of any underground utility […]
NOT JUST ANOTHER SATURDAY
This coming Saturday is National 811 day. How did we arrive at that? Easy! August is the 8th month, and then add on the 11th day. It’s a day to remember to always use 811 before you dig! This year, Texas811 is proud to be participating in a big 811 day party in Houston at […]
TELLING THE STORY
“Publicity is absolutely critical. A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front page ad.” That quote is attributed to Sir Richard Branson, the British business leader, investor, author and philanthropist. He is the founder of the Virgin Group, controls over 400 companies, and, according to the June Forbes magazine, is worth about $5.1 […]
NO EXCUSE, SIR!
Have you ever been truly inconvenienced? Not the-barista-gave-you-regular-coffee-when-you-asked-for-a-latte inconvenienced. More like losing your telecommunications cable, or your gas service, or your water service because someone hit a buried utility they didn’t know was there. What? You didn’t know that utility was buried in that location? No excuse, sir! That’s one of the four approved responses […]
MAKE AN IMPACT
Have you ever heard of Marcus Maecilius Flavius Eparchius Avitus? Probably not. He was a short-lived Emperor of the Western Roman Empire from July of 455 to October of 456. Not that it mattered much. The Western Roman Empire fell in 476, barely 20 years after he was deposed and tossed on the rubbish heap […]
HALFWAY THERE
The Fourth of July holiday is already upon us! If you want to do the math, there are 174 days until Christmas. (Sorry, didn’t mean to put you into a panic!) 2018 is halfway done, and it’s been a busy time for us at Texas811. So far this year we’ve taken over a million and a half […]
WHO’S SUPPOSED TO MARK THESE LINES?
Today, let’s address a common item that many homeowners, farmers and ranchers may have run across. A locate request was put to 811 for an area of your front or back yard, and after 48 hours, no flags or other markings have appeared in the area. There are several reasons for this, and you […]
DON’T MEET YOUR WATERLOO
On June 18th in 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte met his Waterloo. Literally. The Battle of Waterloo was fought in what is now Belgium and ended the period of history known as the Napoleonic Wars. The failed emperor was shipped off to spend the remaining years of his life a prisoner on the tiny island of St. […]