§ 63-4-1. Contractor; powers, duties and responsibility.

(a)

Communication between the job site and the contractor's base office shall be maintained at all times through the use of a two-way radio system or some other means approved by the Director of Fire and Rescue Services.

(b)

When any person damages a utility line, or the protective coating thereof, or accidentally exposes or severs a utility line during excavation or demolition, an EMERGENCY condition shall be deemed to exist and the operator of such utility line shall be directly notified at that time.

(c)

When any gas or flammable liquid utility line is severed, or damaged to the extent that there is escapement of its contents, a HAZARDOUS condition shall be deemed to exist and the operator of such utility line and the Emergency Operations Center of Fairfax County shall be immediately notified.

(d)

Contractors shall display in plain sight on the instrument or control panel, or dash of all trucks and mechanized equipment operated by them, the current telephone number(s) which is to be utilized to serve HAZARDOUS-condition notice as required in Subsection (c) above.

(e)

The telephone numbers to be utilized in serving EMERGENCY-condition notice as required in Subsection (b) above shall be located at least on the approved site plan, subdivision plan, or engineering plan which is to be at the site during excavation or demolition as required by Section 63-2-3 (c) of this Chapter.

(f)

It shall be unlawful to backfill around a damaged utility line, as described in Subsection (b) or (c) above until the operator of said utility line has been notified of such incident and has repaired the damage and/or has given clearance to backfill in writing.

(g)

During an EMERGENCY or HAZARDOUS condition, it shall be lawful to excavate, without using blasting, if notification as required in Section 63-2-2 (a) of this Chapter is given as soon as reasonably possible.

(23-73-6B; 1961 Code, § 6B-15.)

(23-73-6B; 1961 Code, § 6B-15.)