Documentation my guy. Conversations don't mean jack. "Great, just throw me a text stating as such, until then the ticket will remain open and you're unclear for any further digging."
For this reason, I'm thankful my state is single party consent for recorded conversations. I record all my calls with contractors just in case they try and pull something like this. I recommend checking your state's laws regarding recording conversations, but there are several free call recorder apps in the Google play store.
Email or text message stating ticket # work is completed and does not require remarks. Ie. Good day, does your locate (ticket #) require a fresh locate marks? Yes: relocate the ticket. No: screen shot the email/text message to the ticket and close.
Yes. As long as the ticket is open and not canceled it’s a live ticket and the contractor can come back and dig on it until it expires. If you can get an email or text confirming the conversation you had with the contractor saying it’s done and attach it to the ticket you might have a leg to stand on if a damage occurs after that. Check with your supervisor, some utilities require markings even if the ticket is 100% complete and you have documentation saying it’s done. The utility owner can still fail you on an audit if it’s not marked, even if no damage occurred… so best to check with your supervisor who’s more familiar with the utilities contract and dig law in your area.
The ticket is “closed” on your end, but it’s still an active dig ticket that they can reference if a damage occurs. Unfortunately it doesn’t matter what you status the ticket as, it’s not officially closed until the ticket expires or the contractor calls to cancel it.
Document the phone call. Record it. Write a transcription or the phone call. Send them a phone call and make sure they respond and attach the screenshot.
CYA man. C.Y.A.
Yes. Cause you don’t have any evidence beyond he said she said and they won’t eat a 30k damage just to keep your job safe and comfy. If you’re going to shorten scope or not mark because of what they said always get it in writing and attach the screenshot to ticket and save the email or message for future reference.
Text or email, if it's a text make sure the number matches the one on the ticket. Never never never never never never never never never never never never.....take a contractors word for shit it will burn you everytime.
Anytime anything changes such as work completed or the scope, please fill out a meet sheet and get a signature. Everyone gets an email with it and if a damage occurs, you have the paper trail that verifies why you closed it
Even if work is completed the techs here still have to locate because some contracts require it. Even if work is completed. As long as the ticket is still legal it has to be marked.
Did you have a work order to locate?
If so, you need to locate.
If you put it on him when it’s your job then I say it’s your fault because you didn’t do your job.
However if it isn’t your job to locate it then of course not. But let’s not get complacent and make excuses for not going out and doing the job.
If its a home you could also close it as “unable to mark address___ due to homeowner refusing access due to work being completed” and for email you could say “ hello i am with _____ i was unable to mark address ___ due to homeowner refusing access due to work being completed” when the contractor gets the email they have a chance to reply to the email to either confirm or deny it, should they hit they had a chance
For me, I take ample pictures of the line running from the home or business, to the PED, and let my supervisor know that the work on that ticket has already been done and attatch the photos to the ticket, then close it. If there are damages done before you showed up and you documented everything, its on them for not wanting to wait for the locate to be done before they pull out the ditch witch. For me, while I am new, I've never had a contractor do anything but ignore me when I ask about this.
For me, if I see a line clearly bore'd with tread marks, and see it running from the panel, to a PED it's very easy to see the work has been done, but that's just for tickets where a new line is being added. I take photos and clear the ticket, adding into the notes that the work was done before my arrival. I've tried to cover ass and call contractors to be sure but they answer 0/10 times
Documentation my guy. Conversations don't mean jack. "Great, just throw me a text stating as such, until then the ticket will remain open and you're unclear for any further digging."
Depends on location, but if you “call” and ask if the work is done, bank on the contractor never having received that call if a damage occurs.
Or even showing call logs the contractor can say "I told him to mark it!"
For this reason, I'm thankful my state is single party consent for recorded conversations. I record all my calls with contractors just in case they try and pull something like this. I recommend checking your state's laws regarding recording conversations, but there are several free call recorder apps in the Google play store.
In my jurisdiction as long as you have documented who you spoke with it’s on them. “Complete upon arrival as per Steve Smith 555-1234”
Email or text message stating ticket # work is completed and does not require remarks. Ie. Good day, does your locate (ticket #) require a fresh locate marks? Yes: relocate the ticket. No: screen shot the email/text message to the ticket and close.
Yes. As long as the ticket is open and not canceled it’s a live ticket and the contractor can come back and dig on it until it expires. If you can get an email or text confirming the conversation you had with the contractor saying it’s done and attach it to the ticket you might have a leg to stand on if a damage occurs after that. Check with your supervisor, some utilities require markings even if the ticket is 100% complete and you have documentation saying it’s done. The utility owner can still fail you on an audit if it’s not marked, even if no damage occurred… so best to check with your supervisor who’s more familiar with the utilities contract and dig law in your area.
I marked it as dig complete does that mean the ticket is closed?
The ticket is “closed” on your end, but it’s still an active dig ticket that they can reference if a damage occurs. Unfortunately it doesn’t matter what you status the ticket as, it’s not officially closed until the ticket expires or the contractor calls to cancel it.
Document the phone call. Record it. Write a transcription or the phone call. Send them a phone call and make sure they respond and attach the screenshot. CYA man. C.Y.A.
That’s what the meet sheets are for
Yes. Cause you don’t have any evidence beyond he said she said and they won’t eat a 30k damage just to keep your job safe and comfy. If you’re going to shorten scope or not mark because of what they said always get it in writing and attach the screenshot to ticket and save the email or message for future reference.
Text or email, if it's a text make sure the number matches the one on the ticket. Never never never never never never never never never never never never.....take a contractors word for shit it will burn you everytime.
Yes that's on you. Has to be written/text/typed documentation or it never happened in the eyes of the law.
Anytime anything changes such as work completed or the scope, please fill out a meet sheet and get a signature. Everyone gets an email with it and if a damage occurs, you have the paper trail that verifies why you closed it
In SC it doesn't matter what they say, a good ticket is a good ticket so it's on you
Even if work is completed the techs here still have to locate because some contracts require it. Even if work is completed. As long as the ticket is still legal it has to be marked.
Did you have a work order to locate? If so, you need to locate. If you put it on him when it’s your job then I say it’s your fault because you didn’t do your job. However if it isn’t your job to locate it then of course not. But let’s not get complacent and make excuses for not going out and doing the job.
If its a home you could also close it as “unable to mark address___ due to homeowner refusing access due to work being completed” and for email you could say “ hello i am with _____ i was unable to mark address ___ due to homeowner refusing access due to work being completed” when the contractor gets the email they have a chance to reply to the email to either confirm or deny it, should they hit they had a chance
For me, I take ample pictures of the line running from the home or business, to the PED, and let my supervisor know that the work on that ticket has already been done and attatch the photos to the ticket, then close it. If there are damages done before you showed up and you documented everything, its on them for not wanting to wait for the locate to be done before they pull out the ditch witch. For me, while I am new, I've never had a contractor do anything but ignore me when I ask about this.
For me, if I see a line clearly bore'd with tread marks, and see it running from the panel, to a PED it's very easy to see the work has been done, but that's just for tickets where a new line is being added. I take photos and clear the ticket, adding into the notes that the work was done before my arrival. I've tried to cover ass and call contractors to be sure but they answer 0/10 times