Section 12-121 - Emergency excavation or demolition(a)(1) This section applies to any action taken to address an emergency from the time the emergency arises until a standard ticket is initiated and valid under § 12-124 of this subtitle, including any work associated with stopping or mitigating the emergency.(2) Subject to § 12-120(b) of this subtitle, if all reasonable precautions have been taken to protect underground facilities, § 12-120(a) of this subtitle and §§ 12-122 through 12-135 of this subtitle do not apply to an emergency excavation or demolition being performed to prevent danger to life, health, or property.(b) A primary contractor or a person performing an emergency excavation or demolition to prevent or mitigate loss of or injury to life, health, property, or an essential public service shall: (1) identify the location and extent of work, as stated in § 12-124(b)(1) of this subtitle, in a clear and concise manner;(2) take all reasonable precautions to protect underground facilities in and near the excavation or demolition area; and(3) immediately notify the one-call system serving the geographic area where the emergency excavation or demolition is performed to inform the appropriate owner-members of the excavation or demolition area.(c)(1) The owner-member or its contract locator shall: (i) respond to an emergency notice as soon as possible but not later than 2 hours from the transmission of the ticket from the one-call system; and(ii) except for circumstances beyond an owner-member's or contract locator's control and for municipal corporations, considering the hours of operation and availability of employees:1. begin the locating process to mark their respective underground facility or facilities within 3 hours after the transmission of the ticket; or2. if the facility owner has no underground facilities within the delineated excavation area, clear the ticket within 3 hours after the transmission of the ticket.(2) The person responsible for the excavation shall be on site or in communication with the owner-member, their contract locator, or their representative within 3 hours after the transmission of the ticket by the one-call system, or a mutually agreed response time.(3) The owner-member or its contract locator shall respond to the underground facilities information exchange system as soon as:(i) the extent of work is marked; or(ii) it is determined that no underground facilities are in the delineated area.(d) A person that abuses the emergency excavation and demolition procedure set forth in this section is subject to penalties under § 12-135 of this subtitle.Amended by 2022 Md. Laws, Ch. 135, Sec. 1, eff. 4/12/2022.Amended by 2021 Md. Laws, Ch. 18, Sec. 1, eff. 3/11/2021.