The Dos and Don’ts of Excavating

Have an upcoming job that requires a bit of excavation? It’s important you work with trusted excavating contractors in Canyon Lake, TX to ensure the job gets done safely and with a high degree of quality.

With this in mind, here are some dos and don’ts of excavating you should be aware of before you begin your job:

• DO make sure you keep a reasonable amount of clearance between all underground utilities and any powered equipment you’ll be using in the job. You don’t want to accidentally knock out these important utilities for neighboring properties.
• DON’T ever assume a cable or pipeline will run straight between utility markers. You’ll find that this layout varies widely from property to property.
• DO protect all color-coded markings as much as you can until you no longer need them for the job.
• DON’T use your own paint to refresh the utility locator marks yourself. Instead, you should call your locator to redo the marks.
• DO conduct a thorough, detailed examination of the excavation area very carefully, especially the areas near underground utilities.
• DON’T assume utilities will be placed at the same depth throughout the entire excavation route. Again, this varies based on when the parts of the utility were installed, how the terrain has shifted over time and the company that installed those utilities to begin with.
• DO everything you can to protect and support any facilities that are exposed during the excavation process, and while backfilling, make sure those facilities have enough support to prevent damage from occurring.
• DON’T excavate inside the tolerance zone at the project site without first getting proper authorization and the correct equipment.
• DO be prepared for just about any type of hazard that could arise. Make sure you have all the emergency contact numbers you need on hand for the excavation area, including fire, utilities and police. You should also have a clear emergency plan that covers hazards, and make sure everyone at the job site is educated and trained in that plan and its execution.
• DON’T ever assume all of the utility owners in the area have responded to your work requests and correspondence. Make sure you get positive responses before proceeding.
• DO ensure you have someone other than the person operating the equipment on the job site to detect signs of underground facilities during the excavation process.
• DON’T ever attempt to stop or repair leaks by yourself, or use anything that could potentially cause a spark at the job site. This could cause unnecessary hazards that you simply don’t want to deal with.

These are just a few tips that will help you during any excavation job. If you’re interested in learning more about the excavation process or the safety procedures we take in all of our work as excavating contractors in Canyon Lake, TX, we encourage you to contact Countryside Construction Inc. today and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have for us.

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