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. […]
EVERY MONTH IS SAFETY MONTH
Did you know that June is National Safety Month? As far as we’re concerned at Texas811, every month is National Safety Month. Our goal is damage prevention and making sure everyone goes home safe at the end of a day of construction and excavating around Texas’ vast buried infrastructure of utilities. It’s easy enough to […]
BUILDING A CLOCK
I was at a flea market over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Besides the usual used tools, velvet paintings of Elvis and other such treasures, one gentleman was selling a box of tiny parts. When I enquired, he said they used to be a clock. Some assembly required, apparently. That got me thinking about the […]
KEEPING YOUR COOL IN TEXAS HEAT
All of us at Texas811 hope you’re having a great Memorial Day holiday. Of course, all good things must come to an end, and that means back to work tomorrow. If you’re one of the many people who make your living outdoors through excavation, contracting, or other related work, keep an eye on the sky. […]
THE DOMINO EFFECT
Ever watch a row of dominos topple? Domino one falls into domino two, domino two falls into domino three, and so on. Falling dominos are fun and kind of mesmerizing to watch – unless you’re in the business world. A May 2 explosion and fire at a Michigan parts factory turned into a domino cascade […]
WHAT’S MINE IS MINE
Last week we talked about how underground utility locators generally work to locate only those utilities that belong to them, while ignoring the lines that run from the meter to your house. If you need a refresher, click here to read that blog. A lot of people wonder what to do about the flags if no […]
WHY ARE ALL THOSE FLAGS IN THE GROUND?
Let’s say you’re a homeowner, and you come back to the house one day after work and find a line of little colored flags or spray paint marching through your yard. What happened while you were away? Utility work is going to be done and someone called 811 to get underground lines located Captain Jack […]
THE TOLERANCE ZONE
“The Tolerance Zone.” It might sound like The Twilight Zone, a classic TV series hosted by Rod Serling, or The Phantom Zone, an interdimensional prison seen in Superman comic books. Actually, it’s neither. The Tolerance Zone shows up once you’ve made the free call to 811 to get underground utilities flagged in your work area. When […]
DECODING THE COLORS
Spring is well upon us, and flowers are in bloom. Maybe you’re seeing some in your yard, or at a neighbor’s home. They are certainly in abundance at gardening centers! Just like each blossom denotes a different flower – so do the tiny utility marker flags you are also seeing pop up like mushrooms as […]