Sufficient Particularity & White Lining Policy

Revised April 12, 2024
 
As required by O.C.G.A. § 25-9-6 and GPSC Rule 515-9-4-.14, it is the responsibility of the Utilities Protection Center, Inc., d.b.a. Georgia 811, to develop a policy defining “Sufficient Particularity” and identifying when “White Lining” is required. This policy will assist all underground facility owners, facility operators and locators in the state by providing more detailed information on the extent of any proposed excavation. It will also assist excavators in their efforts to increase productivity by allowing for more efficient use of the existing locating resources within the state.
 

Sufficient Particularity

Sufficient Particularity means providing a detailed description of the specific tract or parcel of land where the design request, blasting, or excavating will occur, allowing the facility owner or operator to identify the exact location. It also directs excavators as to how specific they must be in describing their area of proposed excavation so as to avoid confusion with facility owners and locators.
 
Sufficient Particularity is achieved by either describing with words (known also as Verbal White Lining) or white lining the excavation area (known also as Physical White Lining). This includes clearly and concisely defining boundaries of the area of excavation. In the event the location upon which the blasting or excavating is to take place cannot be described with sufficient particularity, the person proposing the blasting or excavating shall mark the route or boundary of the site of the proposed blasting or excavating.
 

White Lining

White Lining means marking the route of the excavation with white paint, flags, stakes, or a combination of such methods to outline the dig site prior to notifying Georgia 811 and before the locator arrives on the job (O.C.G.A. § 25-9-3). GPSC 515-9-4-.14 describes the requirements related to White Lining: https://rules.sos.state.ga.us/GAC/515-9-4-.14
 
When white lining, the following should be included in the locate request:

1. The number of white lined areas, and
2. Describe where the white lined area(s) can be found.

To prevent unclear locate instructions, it is advisable to either white line or describe the area of excavation. In the event both methods of sufficient particularity are used they must be consistent otherwise a new ticket may be required.
 
The use of GPS coordinates is considered sufficient particularity only if accompanied by white lining or a clear description of the area of excavation.
 

Examples of Locate Instructions

To assist in better defining the extent of excavation, each address can be subdivided into four quadrants – Front Left, Front Right, Back Left, and Back Right – or four sides – Entire Back, Entire Front, Entire Left, Entire Right. All areas will be identified as if standing at the centerline of the street in front of the requested address, at the curb, facing the property in question. The following are examples of how properties can be divided:

 
The 10 examples to follow are for illustrative purposes only. Sufficient Particularity is achieved by either describing the excavation area with words or white lining the excavation area. Each example illustrates what should be entered in the Locate Instructions for both methods. Either method is acceptable.
 
Each example shows two variations. The first illustrates describing the excavation area with words. The second illustrates white lined excavation areas.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Exceptions to White Lining

Unless otherwise required by applicable municipal or county ordinance, white lining will not be required in the following situations:

• Any large project so designated in accordance with GPSC Rule 515-9-4-.13;
• Any jobsite that can be described with such particularity as required by O.C.G.A. §25-9-6(b); and
• “Emergencies” and “extraordinary circumstances” as such terms are defined O.C.G.A. §25-9-3(13) and O.C.G.A. §25-9-3(17).

Additional Requests & Updates (Restakes)

If the locate instructions of the original ticket were defined by white lining and those marks are no longer visible, then the excavator must remark the boundaries of excavation using white paint, stakes and/or flags prior to submitting an Additional Request or Updating the ticket as required by O.C.G.A. §25-9-6(b).
 
If the original ticket describes the area of excavation with sufficient particularity using verbal white lining exclusively, an Additional Request or Update requires no white lining.