WTH is the deal with flags anyhow ?

**Dave72** · August 21st, 2009, 12:54 AM

I dont get how it seems pretty much all of you guys (and gals) have to flag your locates.

Now, of course you cant flag on a road/sidewalk.. and those locates are acceptable... so it must be some concern about the paint coming out of the grass/dirt before the locate expires ?

We do 30 days for a locate to expire here, and you can still see the paint in the lawns past that. A dirt driveway would be lost (but then again so would the flags)..

We do put wood stakes in deep weeds or in the bush.. but not on someone's lawn.

Dont kids pick em out and stab each other with them etc ?

**GPGrasshopper** · August 21st, 2009, 07:19 AM

Sometimes... and sometimes poeople run over them with a lawnmower and want you to buy them a new house for the trouble.
Where I am flags are used in new construction areas, heavy traffic areas, and always on gas. Most of the gas companies require flags and paint under contract. The other utilities, you throw flags when you need to based on whether you think your paint will stay put.

**Red Dawg** · August 21st, 2009, 08:28 AM

Herein Florida the contractor is responsible for the marks for 30 days. We take pictures of the marks and then it is up to the contractor to keep them up. If they are wiped out the contractor has to call in a NEW ticket. No refresh tickets are allowed. We have the photos to prove we marked the facilities.

**Mke** · August 21st, 2009, 10:18 AM

I barely use flags, and when i do it is more for survey. Gives them a point to aim at when picking up utility marks. This way I can concentrate on them picking up the bends and angle points. As for construction, if i use flags I will aim strictly at the Construction area. 3 flags. 1 in the center of proposed trench or work area (more if there is a wide dig) and one on either side of proposed trench.

**MOJO** · August 21st, 2009, 11:25 AM

So...if you guys aren't using flags on every sight (where applicable), what happens if the contractor is color-blind? I know it sounds funny, but it happens more than you would think. The point is to protect the facilities, right?

**noOT4me** · August 21st, 2009, 12:21 PM

Flags also show up much better in post locate photos.

**mke13** · August 21st, 2009, 04:03 PM

uhhh..... we verbaly berate contractors digging on our facilities.... We are also handcuffed because of "F.O.D." issues. If we put flags down we are required to pull them up at the end of the work.....

There is only one thing worse then putting down flags....and that is picking them up.

mke

**Goldenboy** · August 21st, 2009, 11:44 PM

In Wisconsin it is the excavators responsibility to remove the flags when the work is complete. For pictures of your locate the flags make a world of difference. You can see the marks for a long way. If you had to try to take pictures with no flags it wouldn't show much in taller grass.

**Red Dawg** · August 22nd, 2009, 06:43 AM

Originally Posted by mke13

uhhh..... we verbaly berate contractors digging on our facilities.... We are also handcuffed because of "F.O.D." issues. If we put flags down we are required to pull them up at the end of the work.....

There is only one thing worse then putting down flags....and that is picking them up.

mke

I have never heard of a locator having to remove the flags. I know in Florida several counties wanted the paint removed.

**mke13** · August 22nd, 2009, 01:35 PM

ahhh, the reason for us being responsible for removing of flags is due to where I work.

All Rules change inside of an airfield fence.

**beyond help** · August 22nd, 2009, 08:50 PM

I hate plastic flags, and flagging in the winter.

**RD_Wrangler** · August 22nd, 2009, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by Dave72

I dont get how it seems pretty much all of you guys (and gals) have to flag your locates.

Now, of course you cant flag on a road/sidewalk.. and those locates are acceptable... so it must be some concern about the paint coming out of the grass/dirt before the locate expires ?

We do 30 days for a locate to expire here, and you can still see the paint in the lawns past that. A dirt driveway would be lost (but then again so would the flags)..

We do put wood stakes in deep weeds or in the bush.. but not on someone's lawn.

Dont kids pick em out and stab each other with them etc ?

Dunno where you're working at, but around here the weather (not to mention lawn mowers) is pretty damn harsh on paint apparently. We have a 14 day (10 working day) expiration, and unless you paint each "hash" heavy, you're lucky to have the paint there at all on the grass, much less on new construction dirt. Then there's the tall grass/weeds issue that was mentioned.

Flags are our friends.

**USIC1** · August 23rd, 2009, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by RD_Wrangler

Dunno where you're working at, but around here the weather (not to mention lawn mowers) is pretty damn harsh on paint apparently. We have a 14 day (10 working day) expiration, and unless you paint each "hash" heavy, you're lucky to have the paint there at all on the grass, much less on new construction dirt. Then there's the tall grass/weeds issue that was mentioned.

Flags are our friends.

As long as you gots the pics, half emptys will do the trick...

I click, click the evidence and adios... I could careless if it lasts 5 mins...

**sprayandpray** · August 23rd, 2009, 08:05 AM

Due to the way our contracts have been worded we not only have to flag every other mark, we are also supposed to paint out the initials of the utility every other mark("supposed" being the operative word). On gas, the RR Commission requires every other mark to reflect the size of a main if it is 6" or larger. I'm getting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in my right hand/wrist because of all of the "writing" I have to do now.

**yahoo** · August 23rd, 2009, 10:08 PM

we don't flag here....unless you are in a good mood that day and want to get your complete exercise program in for the day.......???? with my new vest flagging would be a breeze now....did i mention how much i love my vest ??? ha!