PRM-004: Excavation

Date: 01/18/2006 Status: Final
Last Revised: 04/21/2026
Policy Type: University
Contact Office: Facilities Management
Oversight Executive: Senior Vice President for Operations
Applies To:

Academic Division and the Medical Center.

Table of Contents:

Policy Statement
Procedures

Reason for Policy:

The University is committed to (1) protecting people, property, and underground utility services (the buried networks of pipes, cables, and conduits that deliver essential resources like water, sewer, electricity, natural gas, and telecommunications, etc.) to University and Medical Center facilities; and (2) complying with the Code of Virginia Underground Utility Damage Prevention Act and other local codes.

Definition of Terms in Statement:
  • Excavation:Any operation in which earth, rock, or other material in the ground is moved, removed, or otherwise displaced by means of any tools, equipment, or explosives and includes, without limitation, grading, trenching, digging, ditching, dredging, drilling, augering, tunneling, scraping, cable or pipe plowing and driving, wrecking, razing, rendering, moving, or removing any structure or mass of material.
  • University Medical Center (Medical Center):The hospital and buildings that are University property in which health care, research, administrative support, and ancillary services are provided that are owned or leased by the University. (Also referred to as the Health System.)
  • University Property:Land or buildings that the University owns or leases and that is under the control of the Board of Visitors. University property also includes premises the University uses for activities of its offices, departments, personnel, or students.
Policy Statement:

Any excavations on University property or at the University Medical Center must comply with the Code of Virginia Underground Utility Damage Prevention Act and other applicable local codes. Because most University and Medical Center utilities are located underground, digging can damage buried utilities and result in serious safety hazards to workers, damage to utilities and property, and service interruptions.

All excavations require a cleared VA811 excavation ticket issued by the VA811 Call Center prior to any excavation on University or Medical Center property. The VA811 Call Center will contact Facilities Management for assistance in locating utilities on University or Medical Center property when a ticket is requested.

Compliance with Policy:
Failure to comply with the requirements of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination in accordance with relevant University policies.

Direct questions about this policy to Facilities Management.

Procedures:

To request an excavation ticket, call 811 or 1-800-552-7001. Visit the VA811 Call Center website for more information.

Related Information:

University Design Guidelines; Chapter 2 Historic Preservation, Section 2.2 Preservation Guidelines, Item Number 7, pg. 27: "Archaeology must be incorporated into projects involving ground disturbances."

Major Category:
Physical Resource Management
Next Scheduled Review:
04/21/2029
Approved By, Date:
Policy Review Committee, 01/18/2006
Revision History:

Revised to comply with State law 4/21/26; Added Compliance section 7/21/21.

Supersedes (previous policy):

XIII.C.1 Facilities Management - Utilities Services.

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