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Buried Utilities and Locates
Bobcat Service Division
with-operator rentals, excavation services
When do you have to have locates done?
There are different rules depending on what services you are talking about.
If you are talking about TSSA-oversight services (gas, hydro), basically any time there is digging going on, a locate must be done. And we have seen gas lines (which are supposed to be buried a minimum of 18”), literally 3 and 4 inches under the sod, so you can never be too sure. There are very few exceptions to the rule, not even for shallow digs – like stripping off old sod – you still need to have the gas, etc, located.
About the only exception we know of is if you only want to remove the old asphalt, and only in some cases, just the pavement itself, but not the touching the base/gravel for repaving can a locate be unnecessary, apparently.
As a general rule, we say if you are using a machine (ie needing our services) you should just do it any and every time. And why not? It’s free – just think ahead a bit, save everybody the grief. For sure, whenever you have ordered a mini-excavator, backhoe, auger or any other time we are digging down more than a few inches you should have the locates done.
Technically, any time earth is being excavated or disturbed in a municipality where any buried utilities exist anywhere (not just natural gas, but hydro, fibre optics and phone, etc.) you are supposed to have the locates on hand in advance – regardless of how deep or shallow the digging is expected to be go, and if the work is going to be in the back yard, or in the middle of a farmers’ field (places where you are sure, and common sense would seem to agree, that there is no or little chance that any services are buried there), so says the legislation (the Technical Safety Standards Act, in Ontario).
Just get in the habit of requesting them every time, for every job, right away.
Where to call?
In Ontario, one locator service is done by Ontario One-Call 1-800-400-2255.
And don’t forget to also call your local municipality for the water and sewer lines to be located.
(Forget to have your water lines and sewer located too and you will very likely have a mess on your hands - and a costly mess to clean up too - especially if you are digging anywhere near where these lines come into the building and below the frost line - typically 4 feet deep.)
Post Hole Service
for fences and decks
Equipment Rentals
just the machine, without operator
