What is a “Priority Locate/Crew Onsite Locate” and what are my options as an operator?
A priority locate is a common term used by excavators to indicate that they are requesting a response for locate marks in less than the required 2 business days. It is a common misconception that a priority locate is a legal type of request. It is not. There is no mention of priority locates within the Oregon excavation laws. Therefore, there is no legal basis or requirement for an operator to respond in a shorter time frame (other than an emergency). Currently, the One Call Center will inform the excavator that operators are not required to perform the locate in less than 2 business days, but will inform the operators of the request. As a practical matter, many operators do try to respond to priority locates to the extent that their resources will allow. Excavators are strongly encouraged to plan their work carefully to allow for the full 2 business day response time.
