Many various types of utilities are present, buried underneath our streets and roadways – Sanitary and storm sewers, underdrain, water, natural gas, oil, telephone, fiber optic, cable television, traffic signal, electric power, process piping, steam lines and more. In addition, there are 2 different types of utility networks – Transmission (transmitting large quantities of natural gas, fuel or electric power between utility facilities; often high volume under high pressure) or Distribution (Distributing natural gas, fuel or electric power from a central location to area residences and businesses).
Buried utilities lines are not always under the public right-of-way. Transmission facilities, such as Pipelines, also run through private properties. Developed areas often have an underground maze of different municipal and utility networks and, while not as crowded, rural areas can contain buried transmission and communication lines.
The consequences of damaging underground utilities during excavation work range from inconvenience (service outages and costly repair work) to catastrophe (large-scale property damage and loss of life). Hitting a telephone conduit can disrupt service to a neighborhood while damaging a major fiber optic duct bank can affect an entire region of the country.
When a water or sewer main is damaged during construction work the resulting flooding can fill excavated areas, endangering workers and possibly leading to scour and erosion under adjacent roadways and structures. Breaking an oil pipeline can result in a spill that contaminates a large environmental area including sources of drinking water, and damaging a pressurized gas main can fuel an explosion and fire large enough to destroy an entire neighborhood.
If you are planning a demolition project, you need to coordinate with all utilities providing service to the property. All utilities must be shut off before you start any actual demolition. Shutting off the utilities before demolition helps prevent accident and injury to you, your contractors, or the inspectors. This is particularly important for natural gas, because demolition before a service is capped could lead to a natural gas leak or an explosion.
Call Before You Dig:
Calling 811, two business days before you begin digging, will alert utilities to come out and mark their buried lines from the street to your house for free!
Calling before you dig ensures that any publicly owned underground lines will be marked, so that you can dig around them safely. Having the utility lines marked not only prevents accidental damage to the lines, but prevents property damage and personal injuries that could result in a breaking line. Also, it’s the law and it’s free! Please visit callbeforeyoudig.org or call 1-800-424-5555 (or 811) for additional information.
We are ECG, we are safety first.
This field definitely needs some expert hands and skill. So, have you decided on what type of project you need? Make sure you research on this for a while before coming up with a decision.
We pride ourselves in providing Demolition, Abatement and Environmental Services you can depend on. (Concrete cutting, coring, green demolition, disinfection and sterilization cleaning services, asbestos abatement and more)
Contact us to get started on your next project, Call us: 562-438-7999.
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