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Buried Utilities and Locates
Bobcat Service Division
with-operator rentals, excavation services
You must ensure that the locates are valid and complete
What does that mean? Note the following:
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Locates consist of 2 things – the paint marks on the ground – which are important and need to be visible, and the accompanying paperwork (reports and site drawings) that the locators provide for you.
Locates consist of 2 things – the paint marks on the ground – which are important and need to be visible, and the accompanying paperwork (reports and site drawings) that the locators provide for you.•The paint marks need to be visible – so if there was snow on the ground at the time they were done that has now melted, or other debris or mounds of soil that has been moved, you may need to have them done again.
The paint marks need to be visible – so if there was snow on the ground at the time they were done that has now melted, or other debris or mounds of soil that has been moved, you may need to have them done again.•The paperwork is actually probably as important, or more so, than the painted marks on the ground. You absolutely must have the paperwork there the day of our digging and put that paperwork into the hands of the operator. No paperwork in his hands, no digging (probably). That is the law. Don’t forget them back at the office, or leave them with the homeowner who has left for work, or any other excuse – the authorities won’t care about any of that, so neither can we. And having a copy on a smart phone for us to see “all clear” too is apparently not good enough either so we are told. Paper, in our hands, the only way!
The paperwork is actually probably as important, or more so, than the painted marks on the ground. You absolutely must have the paperwork there the day of our digging and put that paperwork into the hands of the operator. No paperwork in his hands, no digging (probably). That is the law. Don’t forget them back at the office, or leave them with the homeowner who has left for work, or any other excuse – the authorities won’t care about any of that, so neither can we. And having a copy on a smart phone for us to see “all clear” too is apparently not good enough either so we are told. Paper, in our hands, the only way!•Check your paperwork that they give you – it will have a “best-before” date on it, and that is generally 30 days, in some rarer cases 60 days. If we arrive on day 31, the paperwork and the locates are useless – as if you never go them in the first place, in terms of if we should hit something (the locators do make mistakes sometimes and forget to locate something, miss something or mark it in the wrong spot from time to time) it will be completely our (as in yours’ too!) fault and all of us (especially you!) will be subject to fines and repair cost and potential damage liabilities. So, for that fact, if your locates have expired we will treat it as it is –as if you don’t have them done, which you technically don’t – and again, the operator may refuse to dig, and you will still be liable for the payment of his bill. Note – this is even so if you have had delays in getting started due to rain or rescheduling at our end – none of these factors are reason for us to change our position on this – it is your job to always have valid locates on hand, so keep this in mind and keep getting new ones every 3 or 4 weeks if you have an ongoing project so you have fresh, current ones on hand at all times. They cost you nothing – just the trouble to make a 3 minute phone call!
Check your paperwork that they give you – it will have a “best-before” date on it, and that is generally 30 days, in some rarer cases 60 days. If we arrive on day 31, the paperwork and the locates are useless – as if you never go them in the first place, in terms of if we should hit something (the locators do make mistakes sometimes and forget to locate something, miss something or mark it in the wrong spot from time to time) it will be completely our (as in yours’ too!) fault and all of us (especially you!) will be subject to fines and repair cost and potential damage liabilities. So, for that fact, if your locates have expired we will treat it as it is –as if you don’t have them done, which you technically don’t – and again, the operator may refuse to dig, and you will still be liable for the payment of his bill. Note – this is even so if you have had delays in getting started due to rain or rescheduling at our end – none of these factors are reason for us to change our position on this – it is your job to always have valid locates on hand, so keep this in mind and keep getting new ones every 3 or 4 weeks if you have an ongoing project so you have fresh, current ones on hand at all times. They cost you nothing – just the trouble to make a 3 minute phone call!•All necessary utility companies or their locator representatives must have been out and checked in and be specifically noted on your paperwork for your locates to be complete. This process varies from locality to locality and utility company to company to some degree, so make inquiry yourself about this to be sure. In many cases you will call a one-call number type service who will either coordinate with the actual locators and utility companies to see that they all come out (that may happen in one or multiple visits), or the one-call people may also be the locators themselves.
All necessary utility companies or their locator representatives must have been out and checked in and be specifically noted on your paperwork for your locates to be complete. This process varies from locality to locality and utility company to company to some degree, so make inquiry yourself about this to be sure. In many cases you will call a one-call number type service who will either coordinate with the actual locators and utility companies to see that they all come out (that may happen in one or multiple visits), or the one-call people may also be the locators themselves.•While we can’t be too specific on this next point, we can say in general terms that the biggest concerns (generally, in Ontario, at least) are for buried natural gas supply, and hydro-electricity service – both of which are under the purview of the TSSA (the Technical Safety Standards Association), and hitting and breaking one of those lines can have serious repercussions with the TSSA. Don’t be fooled by the name “Association” as this is not a business or trade association in the normal sense – it is really an Agency, as in a branch of the government of Ontario, and they have the full law behind them (that Technical Safety Standards Act) and teeth to go with it. Hit and break a gas line and they will be coming by to investigate, and charge you for the time to come investigate and visit with you (at a cost of hundreds of dollars per hour, which they will bill you – either the contractor and/or the property owner), and that is before they fine you, if they choose to do so, which they may. Each infraction or fine for an individual or company ratchets up the fines to the point where they can get into the tens of thousands of dollars and even jail time! (Research online to see this is so.) After they are done with you, utility itself can bill you for a lot of things – gas lost/wasted into the air, the emergency repair crews and materials to repair the line or meter or otherwise. Often the police, fire department (numerous trucks with lights and sirens going) also arrive on scene and the street is for a time at least, closed down. One could potentially get a bill from the municipal government for those emergency services too, possibly, as many places are charging user fees for some such services. The point is, that if you just do your job and get your locates on time all this cost and risk and nonsense can all be avoided.
While we can’t be too specific on this next point, we can say in general terms that the biggest concerns (generally, in Ontario, at least) are for buried natural gas supply, and hydro-electricity service – both of which are under the purview of the TSSA (the Technical Safety Standards Association), and hitting and breaking one of those lines can have serious repercussions with the TSSA. Don’t be fooled by the name “Association” as this is not a business or trade association in the normal sense – it is really an Agency, as in a branch of the government of Ontario, and they have the full law behind them (that Technical Safety Standards Act) and teeth to go with it. Hit and break a gas line and they will be coming by to investigate, and charge you for the time to come investigate and visit with you (at a cost of hundreds of dollars per hour, which they will bill you – either the contractor and/or the property owner), and that is before they fine you, if they choose to do so, which they may. Each infraction or fine for an individual or company ratchets up the fines to the point where they can get into the tens of thousands of dollars and even jail time! (Research online to see this is so.) After they are done with you, utility itself can bill you for a lot of things – gas lost/wasted into the air, the emergency repair crews and materials to repair the line or meter or otherwise. Often the police, fire department (numerous trucks with lights and sirens going) also arrive on scene and the street is for a time at least, closed down. One could potentially get a bill from the municipal government for those emergency services too, possibly, as many places are charging user fees for some such services. The point is, that if you just do your job and get your locates on time all this cost and risk and nonsense can all be avoided.•Hydro is also a service now under the oversight of the TSSA. If your service is from overhead wires, you probably have little to worry about, but your locators will indicate that all is clear on your paperwork.
Hydro is also a service now under the oversight of the TSSA. If your service is from overhead wires, you probably have little to worry about, but your locators will indicate that all is clear on your paperwork.•Next, the services not under the TSSA, but potentially lethal as well (we are talking cost here), and those are from the phone company – a main phone trunk line hit would be a disaster to you cost-wise, and even worse would be fibre optics. A single line going up to your residence might not be as costly if hit, but why risk it?
Next, the services not under the TSSA, but potentially lethal as well (we are talking cost here), and those are from the phone company – a main phone trunk line hit would be a disaster to you cost-wise, and even worse would be fibre optics. A single line going up to your residence might not be as costly if hit, but why risk it?•In the past, cable companies were not too careful where they buried their cable lines – they tend to run them anywhere that’s convenient to them – just inches under the lawn, along the sidewalk, but sometimes right across the middle of the front lawn. Up until recently, the cable companies’ position on the matter of locating was to not pay to have a company (the locators) do the locating for them or even to bother sending their own people out to mark them out. Apparently they figured that it was just as cheap for them not to bother to pay for those locating costs beforehand, but rather just to wait until something was hit and damaged and then come out and fix it (at their own cost), as their cables were fairly simple and low cost, easy to re-run. So previously (and to date as we have not heard otherwise yet) we would simple hit, cut and ruin their cables without a worry. That may still be the same policy that some or all have, we cannot say for certainty – that may be something that you want to look into yourself. What we can tell you is that no matter what, these cables are very hard to avoid (call it impossible) and you should expect some damage to some of them if they are present as a natural and expected casualty of your project, and not to expect us to be responsible in any way for costs or inconveniences associated with such damage, because we are telling you now we won’t be. (Now that cable is no longer used just for entertainment – TV, but many use it for the Internet – ie business, and even telephone – so potentially emergency phone calls, it could be argued that cable has in recent years taken on a much more important role – especially if we cut one of the lines that feed neighbours’ houses of yours too. Sorry about that too, but as noted, we really can’t do much about it, that’s how it is. Until they start burying them 2 or 3 feet below the surface and/or encasing them in conduit, and/or doing proper locates for them, we and all other machine operators will continue to hit and destroy them.)
In the past, cable companies were not too careful where they buried their cable lines – they tend to run them anywhere that’s convenient to them – just inches under the lawn, along the sidewalk, but sometimes right across the middle of the front lawn. Up until recently, the cable companies’ position on the matter of locating was to not pay to have a company (the locators) do the locating for them or even to bother sending their own people out to mark them out. Apparently they figured that it was just as cheap for them not to bother to pay for those locating costs beforehand, but rather just to wait until something was hit and damaged and then come out and fix it (at their own cost), as their cables were fairly simple and low cost, easy to re-run. So previously (and to date as we have not heard otherwise yet) we would simple hit, cut and ruin their cables without a worry. That may still be the same policy that some or all have, we cannot say for certainty – that may be something that you want to look into yourself. What we can tell you is that no matter what, these cables are very hard to avoid (call it impossible) and you should expect some damage to some of them if they are present as a natural and expected casualty of your project, and not to expect us to be responsible in any way for costs or inconveniences associated with such damage, because we are telling you now we won’t be. (Now that cable is no longer used just for entertainment – TV, but many use it for the Internet – ie business, and even telephone – so potentially emergency phone calls, it could be argued that cable has in recent years taken on a much more important role – especially if we cut one of the lines that feed neighbours’ houses of yours too. Sorry about that too, but as noted, we really can’t do much about it, that’s how it is. Until they start burying them 2 or 3 feet below the surface and/or encasing them in conduit, and/or doing proper locates for them, we and all other machine operators will continue to hit and destroy them.)•If you have a sprinkler/lawn irrigation system in your lawn and you are resodding or doing any other such potentially disturbing/destructive work, assume you will be spending money doing some repairs to the lines and/or heads (or worse, the electrical signal wires and/or valve boxes, etc), if those are not all clearly marked out, which is something the utility locators will not do for you, as they are your own private property. Even if you do highlight and mark out some of them for us, we still must warn you that we can’t be held responsible for some damages which will inevitably occur (and frequently does) – factor repair costs into your planning of your project’s budget right from the outset.
If you have a sprinkler/lawn irrigation system in your lawn and you are resodding or doing any other such potentially disturbing/destructive work, assume you will be spending money doing some repairs to the lines and/or heads (or worse, the electrical signal wires and/or valve boxes, etc), if those are not all clearly marked out, which is something the utility locators will not do for you, as they are your own private property. Even if you do highlight and mark out some of them for us, we still must warn you that we can’t be held responsible for some damages which will inevitably occur (and frequently does) – factor repair costs into your planning of your project’s budget right from the outset.•The same holds true of any other private lines you may have buried on your property if you don’t tell us about them, expect they will be hit. Even if you tell us about them but cannot tell us for sure exactly where they are (precisely marked out on the surface within inches of its precise line, and how deep, within a reasonable certainty), or you don’t first physically dig them up by hand to show us visibly where they are, you can expect that they will be hit and damaged. We will not be responsible in any way for such damages. Some customers like to say, “Oh, there’s an electrical wire feeding the garage at the back, that runs somewhere right about here. Or here, or maybe just over here. Somewhere there anyway. Just keep an eye out for it and don’t hit it.” Nice try. We will, of course keep our eyes open for it and do our best to avoid hitting and cutting or damaging that line, but the reality is that by the time we see it it is usually already cut in two. You can’t dig by feel. In the battle between excavator and wire, excavator always wins! (Examples of private lines of yours that might be buried, which fit this category, include electrical wires of all types – electrical supply to outbuildings, lighting, pool pumps and such things, gas lines to heaters, barbeques, and so on, plumbing for pools and ponds, sprinklers as mentioned, and so on. Etc.)
The same holds true of any other private lines you may have buried on your property if you don’t tell us about them, expect they will be hit. Even if you tell us about them but cannot tell us for sure exactly where they are (precisely marked out on the surface within inches of its precise line, and how deep, within a reasonable certainty), or you don’t first physically dig them up by hand to show us visibly where they are, you can expect that they will be hit and damaged. We will not be responsible in any way for such damages. Some customers like to say, “Oh, there’s an electrical wire feeding the garage at the back, that runs somewhere right about here. Or here, or maybe just over here. Somewhere there anyway. Just keep an eye out for it and don’t hit it.” Nice try. We will, of course keep our eyes open for it and do our best to avoid hitting and cutting or damaging that line, but the reality is that by the time we see it it is usually already cut in two. You can’t dig by feel. In the battle between excavator and wire, excavator always wins! (Examples of private lines of yours that might be buried, which fit this category, include electrical wires of all types – electrical supply to outbuildings, lighting, pool pumps and such things, gas lines to heaters, barbeques, and so on, plumbing for pools and ponds, sprinklers as mentioned, and so on. Etc.)•City services: Water and sewer. Something that many contractors forget about is that when they call in for locates they assume that all buried utilities are located by the locator services. In almost all municipalities the water and sewer services are owned by the city and the locators do not include locating those, almost ever. Assume that they aren’t for yours either. Check carefully. We will not be responsible, as noted above for ANY services that are not located or omitted on your paperwork given us, such as a water supply line. Hitting one of those can flood your basement very quickly and will potentially cost you a lot of money in damages (not to mention the plumber costs to fix the line and/or the city’s fees). So think ahead, and call the city too, before you dig. Good thing you read all this like we recommended, right? Good thing we have thought to cover all this for you here too! We may have just saved you thousands of dollars just reading this! (We can’t tell you how many water lines we have cut in exactly this way, waterproofing a house, and the customer tells us all has been located, and next thing you know their basement has 8 inches of water in it! Never our fault.)
City services: Water and sewer. Something that many contractors forget about is that when they call in for locates they assume that all buried utilities are located by the locator services. In almost all municipalities the water and sewer services are owned by the city and the locators do not include locating those, almost ever. Assume that they aren’t for yours either. Check carefully. We will not be responsible, as noted above for ANY services that are not located or omitted on your paperwork given us, such as a water supply line. Hitting one of those can flood your basement very quickly and will potentially cost you a lot of money in damages (not to mention the plumber costs to fix the line and/or the city’s fees). So think ahead, and call the city too, before you dig. Good thing you read all this like we recommended, right? Good thing we have thought to cover all this for you here too! We may have just saved you thousands of dollars just reading this! (We can’t tell you how many water lines we have cut in exactly this way, waterproofing a house, and the customer tells us all has been located, and next thing you know their basement has 8 inches of water in it! Never our fault.)•For the record, we do not claim this to be a complete list of types of utilities – there can be more from place to place. One example – there are transcontinental pipelines and communication cables that run in industrial areas, along rail lines and beside highways and under high-tension hydro corridors that can be immensely costly to hit (major fibre optic lines are $1 million per hour when damaged and down – that will put you out of business), and their owners hyper-vigilant to make sure no one is nearby them or messing with them. Always call first!
For the record, we do not claim this to be a complete list of types of utilities – there can be more from place to place. One example – there are transcontinental pipelines and communication cables that run in industrial areas, along rail lines and beside highways and under high-tension hydro corridors that can be immensely costly to hit (major fibre optic lines are $1 million per hour when damaged and down – that will put you out of business), and their owners hyper-vigilant to make sure no one is nearby them or messing with them. Always call first! Post Hole Service
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