Leave Utility Locate Flags in Place

Before digging, contractors call OHIO811 to have underground utility lines marked with colored flags. These flags show the location of buried gas, electric, water and fiber optic lines. Do not remove the flags until all work is finished. Removing them is against the law, creates serious safety hazards, and can leave you responsible for the cost of relocating utilities or repairing damage if a line is struck. If flags are in your way, mow carefully around them. If needed, bend a flag over and let it pop back up, rather than pulling it out.

Why does this matter?

• Safety. Each color marks a different utility. Moving a flag can put workers and neighbors at risk.
• The law. Ohio law protects utility markings while a project is active. Removing them can be charged as a fourth-degree felony under Ohio Revised Code 2909.04 (disrupting public services) or as criminal mischief under ORC 2909.07.
• Cost. If a flag is removed and a crew hits an unmarked line, the property owner can be held financially responsible for repairs, and utilities must be relocated at the owner’s expense.
• They’re temporary. Locate tickets expire after a few weeks, and crews remove the flags once work is complete.

Questions about a locate in your yard? Contact OHIO811 at oups.org or call 811.