When installing and maintaining electrical utilities, there are many technical and safety considerations. One of these considerations is the use of hydro excavation. Hydro excavation is a method of excavation combining high-pressure water and a vacuum to remove soil, excavate, in potholing, landscaping, digging holes and in the installation of utilities.
Hydro excavation is commonly used in construction when managing electrical and other utilities. Unlike traditional methods of excavation, hydro excavation is much safer as it is non-destructive excavation and more controlled.
Hydro excavation uses highly pressurized water to break up soil and dig holes in order to expose utility lines. The removed soil is transferred to a debris tank located on the back of a truck where it is stored during the hydro excavation process. Hydro excavation poses significantly fewer risks to underground utilities as it is non destructive. The process of using hydro excavation to expose underground electrical utilities is also called daylighting or potholing.
Working with electricity is always dangerous, even when using hydro excavation. However, hydro excavation is the safest option when working with electric utilities, but there are still risks involved in this process, although rare.
The main risk of using hydro excavation around electrical utilities is electric shock, even though the likelihood of electric shock is significantly less with hydro excavation than other methods of excavation. Traditional excavation practices like hand digging and using heavy machines like backhoes increase the chances of electrical shock while performing utility maintenance.
Hydro excavation operators can experience an electrical shock when water from the hose touches a wire that has become live due to fraying or damage, a truck makes contact with hanging electrical wires that are either underground or hanging, static electricity charges from the truck or equipment build up, or human error from improperly handling equipment or careless mistakes.
Shocks can also occur when workers kneel, take their feet off the ground, or another body part makes contact with the ground containing the electrical utility wires. Boots with rubber soles and other protection gear containing rubber is recommended at all sites where there are electric wires exposed or being repaired. Rubber does not conduct electricity and will keep workers safe from electric shock.
To prevent electric shock during hydro excavation, several safety measures should be taken into consideration before beginning. It is advised that crews keep the trucks as far away as possible from the actual location of where the electrical utilities are located and placing the hose between the truck and the area set for excavation.
Another safety measure to prevent electrical shock during hydro excavation is for the company performing the excavation to ask local utility companies to turn off the electricity in the area until the job is done. Also, lowering water pressure when around electrical utility line is recommended as extremely high water pressure might damage a line and cause an electrical shock.
Hydro excavation allows for the installation of utilities, repairs to existing lines, and the installation of new lines with fewer safety concerns than manual digging and large equipment. The combination of industrial strength pressurized water and vacuum suction allows for a clean and safe process that is cost effective.
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