(a) An excavator shall request the location of underground pipelines at each excavation site by giving notice to the notification center as required by Texas Utilities Code, Chapter 251.
(b) An excavator shall include in the notice the method or methods by which the excavator will receive a positive response.
(c) When an excavation site cannot be clearly identified and described on a line locate ticket, the excavator shall use white-lining to mark the excavation area prior to giving notice to the notification center and before the locator arrives on the excavation site.
(d) If an excavation project is too large to mark using white-lining or is so expansive that a full description cannot be provided on a line locate ticket, then the operator and the excavator shall conduct a face-to-face meeting to discuss the excavation activities and to establish protocols for:
  (1) the interval between each notice to the notification center;
  (2) the scope of each line locate ticket;
  (3) the life of each line locate ticket; and
  (4) the schedule of work on the excavation and the chronological order in which applicable locate tickets are to be marked.
(e) If an excavation project is not completed at the time a line locate ticket expires, the excavator shall refresh the ticket by giving the notice described in subsection (a) of this section. A request to refresh shall be limited to the area yet to be excavated.
(f) An excavator and an operator may agree that the life of a line locate ticket is more than 14 days provided that:
  (1) the agreement is in writing; and
  (2) the agreement is signed and dated by both the excavator and the operator.
(g) Both the excavator and the operator shall retain a copy of any agreement made pursuant to subsection (f) of this section.

Source Note: The provisions of this §18.3 adopted to be effective September 1, 2007, 32 TexReg 3545