Don’t Dig Blind: Why Underground Utility Location Services Are Your First Line of Defense Against Costly Excavation Disasters

Every year, thousands of property owners and contractors face devastating consequences from hitting underground utilities during excavation projects. Hitting a buried line while digging can disrupt utility service, cost money to repair, or cause serious injury or death. Whether you’re planning a simple fence installation, a major home addition, or commercial construction, understanding the critical importance of underground utility location services can save you from financial ruin, legal liability, and potentially life-threatening accidents.

The Hidden Infrastructure Beneath Your Property

What lies beneath the surface of your property is far more complex than most people realize. Millions of underground utility lines run through our region and it is not possible (or safe!) to guess or approximate their location. Gas lines, electrical cables, water mains, sewer systems, telecommunications lines, and fiber optic cables create an intricate web of infrastructure that keeps our communities functioning.

Erosion and root system growth can alter the depth or location of buried lines, or your utility companies may have completed work on their lines since the last time you dug – so you must contact 811 before you dig, each and every time. This means that even if you’ve successfully dug in an area before, conditions may have changed, making previous knowledge unreliable.

Understanding the 811 System: Your Legal Obligation

State laws require you to call a free utility marking service before digging on your property. The 811 system serves as the foundation of excavation safety across the United States. 811 is the national call-before-you-dig phone number. Anyone who plans to dig should call 811 or go to their state 811 center’s website a few business days before digging to request that the approximate location of buried utilities be marked with paint or flags so that you don’t unintentionally dig into an underground utility line.

The process is straightforward but requires proper timing. State laws vary, but generally, utility companies have a few days to respond to your request. Utilities will send out locators who will come to your dig site to mark the approximate location of buried utilities with paint or flags so that you can avoid them. Most states require at least 48-72 hours notice, and each utility type corresponds to a specific color of paint or a flag — for example, gas lines are marked with yellow paint or flags.

When 811 Isn’t Enough: The Value of Private Utility Location Services

While calling 811 is legally required and provides basic protection, experienced contractors and property owners often go a step further. After the public locate service has finished its work, I encourage owners and contractors to bring in a private locate service for a closer study of the area. In addition to performing a more thorough inspection, private locate services will generally create a map of everything they find, which you can then compare to the drawings you have. Yes, working with a private locate service adds a cost to the process, but if they discover even one power or gas line that the public locate crews missed, you’ll save a significant amount of money and time in the long run.

Professional utility location services use advanced technology including ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to identify, map, and verify underground infrastructure with minimal disruption. These services are particularly valuable for complex projects where precision is critical and the cost of mistakes would be substantial.

The Real Dangers of Unmarked Utilities

The risks associated with hitting underground utilities extend far beyond simple inconvenience. Tearing up the ground near electrical cables can cause serious electrical shock and injury, especially if one is unaware of the proximity of a live line. Before any excavation project begins, it is critical to locate the surrounding utilities by contacting a local utility provider to confirm the existence and safety of an electrical line before any excavation can be done. Failure to do so may lead to potential injury and hefty fines.

Gas line strikes present even more severe risks. Breaking ground near a gas line can have both immediate, and potentially lasting, consequences. Not only can a natural gas leak threaten the safety of everyone in the vicinity, but it can also ignite combustible material if exposed to a source of heat or flame. An accumulation of gas in an enclosed space can be explosive, and even spark an explosion if the right conditions are present.

Safe Excavation Practices Around Located Utilities

Once utilities have been properly located and marked, safe excavation practices become crucial. Excavators are required to use hand tools only within 24 inches on either side of the underground line and are responsible for the safety and protection of any facilities while they are exposed. This “tolerance zone” varies by state but typically ranges from 18 to 30 inches on each side of marked utilities.

Another best practice for working around underground utilities is the use of hydro excavating equipment. Hydro excavating combines the use of high-pressure water with a vacuum truck to remove soils around utility lines with minimal damage to the lines themselves. There’s a misconception that hydro excavating is more costly than the traditional approach of digging by hand, but contractors who favor the hydro excavating approach will be quick to tell you that it’s more cost-effective.

Choosing the Right Excavation Partner

When your project requires professional excavation services, selecting an experienced contractor who prioritizes safety is essential. For property owners in the Tri-Cities area, working with a reputable excavation contractor Benton County, WA ensures that your project begins with proper utility location protocols and follows all safety requirements.

Nailed It Construction TC understands the complexities of excavation in Eastern Washington. From site prep to drainage solutions, we provide professional excavation services to ensure a solid foundation for your next project. Precision, efficiency, and reliability guaranteed. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, we take pride in our reputation for high-quality craftsmanship, attention to detail, and unwavering dedication to our clients.

The Bottom Line: Prevention Is Always Cheaper Than Repair

The investment in proper utility location services pales in comparison to the potential costs of utility strikes. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to minimize the risk of unexpectedly encountering underground utilities. It takes extra planning in the early stages of the project and a little bit of additional investment, but that’s a small price to pay when you consider the schedule disruptions such discoveries create — or the cost of repairing the damage your project created to a major utility line.

Remember that underground utility safety and damage prevention is a shared responsibility. Owner/operators, locators, 811 centers, contractors, regulatory agencies, and others have grave responsibilities in the process. Without each stakeholder executing their responsibilities the process is compromised, endangering public and workforce safety, property, vital services, life and limb.

Don’t let your next excavation project become a cautionary tale. Always contact your 811 center, wait the required time for utilities to respond to your request, and ensure that all utilities have responded to your request before putting a shovel in the ground. When in doubt, invest in professional utility location services and work with experienced excavation contractors who understand that safety isn’t just a requirement—it’s the foundation of every successful project.