Alabama’s Underground Damage Prevention Law establishes requirements for excavators, utilities, and other stakeholders working near buried infrastructure.
Understanding the law helps ensure safe excavation practices and protects critical underground facilities.
Alabama law requires excavators to notify the One-Call Notification System before beginning excavation so underground utilities can be located and marked.
These requirements help prevent damage to buried infrastructure, protect public safety, and reduce costly service disruptions.
Alabama 811 operates the statewide One-Call Notification System. When an excavator submits a locate request, Alabama 811 distributes that notification to participating utility operators so they can locate and mark underground facilities.
Alabama 811 facilitates communication between excavators and utility operators but does not enforce the law or issue penalties.
Enforcement of Alabama’s damage prevention law is overseen by the Alabama Underground Damage Prevention Authority (ALUDPA).
The Authority reviews reported violations of the excavation law and determines appropriate corrective actions when necessary.
The Authority may:
• Review reported violations and incident reports
• Evaluate evidence related to excavation activities
• Require corrective safety training
• Assess civil penalties when violations occur
When potential violations of the damage prevention law occur, they may be reviewed through the enforcement process.
Typical steps include:
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STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
• Protect workers and the public
• Prevent service outages
• Protect critical infrastructure
• Reduce costly repairs and project delays