Hit an Underground Utility Line? Here’s What to Do

If you’re working on a contracting project, you have a lot of things on your to-do list. However many items you need to cross off, you should prioritize contacting 811 for a free utility location check before you break ground. This is essential for the safety of your crew and your utility contractor in Roseville, CA.
But what happens if you forget to call 811 and you accidentally hit an underground utility line? There are important steps you can take to minimize damage and injury. Follow these steps if you damage an underground utility line:
• Get everyone to safety: If you hang around to inspect the damage in order to try and figure out what type of line you hit or how serious the impact is, you could be putting yourself at risk. Even if you’re not sure what happened, you should encourage everyone in the vicinity to move away from the damage site—and make sure you do the same.
• Use your senses: Pay close attention to what you see, smell and hear. This can help to give you a better idea of the situation you’re dealing with. Do you see smoke or fire? Do you smell natural gas? Assess your surroundings carefully for these clues, and you’ll be able to approach the damage with a clearer idea of what the situation is.
• Don’t touch: It may seem obvious that you shouldn’t touch any material that is exposed, but accidents happen. Many diggers also don’t know to avoid any physical contact. If you hit an electric line, you or your equipment could be electrically charged, even if you don’t feel anything unusual. It’s better to steer clear of others until you know it’s safe.
• Avoid trying to help: Maybe you know exactly what kind of utility line you hit, or you think the damage looks minor. You might think you have the skills to repair the problem yourself, but this is very unsafe and puts everyone at risk. Discourage others on the site from attempting to help, even if they sound confident. It’s simply not worth the risk.
• Get the utility company on the phone: The only people qualified to get the problem under control are the professionals at the utility company that controls the utility line. When you are a safe distance from the site of the damage, contact the company and follow their instructions closely to minimize further damage or injury.
Take steps at the beginning of any contracting project to ensure that you dig safely. An experienced utility contractor in Roseville, CA can provide expertise and help minimize risk.
Es7 Comm-2 U, Inc. specializes in drilling and boring for underground utility services. We work directly with communication and utility companies to locate and document underground utility lines on your site. With our 15-plus years of industry experience, we understand the ins and outs of underground utilities and can be counted upon to provide reliable information and service. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help you.

Categorised in: Underground Utility Contractor

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