| Industry Information |
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Who Uses Hydro-Excavation?
Oil Refiners & Suppliers Gas Refiners & Suppliers Utility Companies - Telecomm, Power & Cable Water & Sewer Departments Landscape Contractors Excavation Contractors Directional Drilling Companies Engineering Companies |
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| Below is information from OSHA that discusses underground excavation provisions. These provisions clearly define Ground Tech's procedures as a safe method for utility excavation.
With every tragic industrial accident occuring throughout the United States, the use of Hydro-Excavation becomes a more viable alternative to the methods of the past. As this process becomes more mainstream, the agencies which regulate such processes have determined that Hydro-Excavation is a safe and effective way for finding underground lines and pipes. |
| OSHA underground utility excavation provisions for 2003-2004 |
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Underground installations. 1926.651(b)(1)
The estimated location of utility installations, such as sewer, telephone, fuel, electric, water lines, or any other underground installations that reasonably may be expected to be encountered during excavation work, shall be determined prior to opening an excavation.
Utility companies or owners shall be contacted within established or customary local response times, advised of the proposed work, and asked to establish the location of the utility underground installations prior to the start of actual excavation or owners cannot respond to a request to locate underground utility installations within 24 hours (unless a longer period is required by state or local law), or cannot establish the exact location of these installations, the employer may proceed, provided the employer does so with caution, and provided detection equipment or other acceptable means to locate utility installations are used.
When excavation operations approach the of underground installations, the exact location of the installations shall be determined by safe and acceptable means. |
| 1 "Hydro-vacuum excavation" It is our understanding that some hydro-vacuum excavation equipment can be adjusted to use a minimum amount of water and suction pressure. When appropriately adjusted so that the equipment will not damage underground utilities (especially utilities that are particularly vulnerable to damage, such as electrical lines), use of such equipment would be considered a "acceptable means" of locating underground utilities. However, if the equipment cannot be sufficiently adjusted, then this method would not be acceptable under the standard. Russell B. Swanson, DirectorDirectorate of ConstructionOccupational Health & Safety Administration |