How to Avoid Hazards in Directional Drilling

Horizontal directional drilling in Roseville, CA is a productive and efficient way to drill for utilities and other trenches—but the practice comes with plenty of hazards. Property damage, physical injury and even death can occur when an operator hits a gas or electric line, among other potential for problems. Es7 Comm-2 U, Inc. specializes in safe, effective directional drilling in Roseville, CA—read on to learn about potential hazards as well as how we take measures to avoid problems.

Hazards in directional drilling

Utility strikes are the biggest danger to operators and the surrounding population. These occur when the operator hits a utility line, like gas or electric. When the lines are hit, electrocution and explosions can occur, and often result in physical injury or fatality. States and municipalities have witnessed these accidents and have passed legislation to ensure that operators know exactly where utility lines are placed in any given location.

Equipment accidents are also a major hazard. Rotating drill equipment is all too easy to get caught in, and fluids are under high pressure, which can cause serious injury. Following safety standards and operating instructions is crucial to drilling safely.

How to stay safe while drilling

Es7 Comm-2 U, Inc. adheres to the highest possible safety standards when on a job. Here are some of the ways we take care to avoid hazards while drilling:

• A solid plan: As with many projects, the smartest first step is to make a detailed plan. In this case, that is a “bore plan,” which analyzes the route, depth and how much of a bend the pipe will have.
• Locating utilities: Next, we locate existing utility lines to avoid accidents. Most states have a hotline that will provide locations of utilities so drillers can avoid hitting them.
• Exposing utilities: After talking to the state authorities, OSHA requires that drillers expose utility lines. This is usually accomplished by drilling potholes, either manually, with vacuum excavation or with hydroexcavation.
• Secure the job site: Securing the job site and only having essential personnel on hand is important in keeping spectators and operators safe. If a utility line strike occurs, explosions could occur. Alternatively, the ground can be charged and result in electrocution for bystanders—it’s smart to limit the people nearby to only the necessary parties.
• Use trackers: Frequently tracking the status of your project, including depth, direction and other measurements, will ensure that continued operations are safe and on course.
• Avoid interference: Electromagnetic interference can cause inaccurate results in bore-tracking devices, so the best way to handle the problem is to use a combination of all the above methods to accurately locate the utility lines.

Horizontal directional drilling comes with a lot of potential hazards, but taking appropriate precautions will vastly reduce or eliminate most of the dangers associated with projects of this sort. Es7 Comm-2 U, Inc. is your source for safe, efficient directional drilling in Roseville, CA. We work with residential and commercial clients to get the job done right—call us today.

Categorised in: Directional Drilling

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