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the Locator’s
It has been my experience as a locator that when I followed the same steps during each locate and kept my truck organized, I was much more productive during
my day and made far fewer mistakes. Although many locators may approach the task differently, I’d like to present seven fundamental steps for every locator to consider.
Step 1: Follow safety procedures and use your safety equipment and knowledge
Try to make the right choices and take a personal approach to your safety and the safety of those around you. You are ultimately responsible for your safety during the day while driving to and performing line locates. The choices you make on the jobsite will often not only affect your own safety but also have an impact on the safety of others. Start by identifying the hazards that exist or may exist
on the jobsite and then choose the appropriate personal protective gear and equipment you will need to perform this task safely.
Step 2: Read ticket and check all prints before and after performing the locate
During the planning stages of
the locate, thoroughly read your excavation notice to gain a clear understanding of the dig area. If you are unclear of the exact location of the dig site, contact the caller of the ticket
for additional details. Access your area maps, prints and records for the dig area and identify your dig area on your prints. Determine the number, type and size of buried lines you have in the area, along with the location of the top side access point best suited for applying
the transmitter to each buried metallic line or tracer wire. Prints should be considered a guide and not a fact. If your print shows that you have a line buried near the dig area but not in the dig area, it’s always a good idea to hook up and verify the line is actually clear.
Step 3: Visually survey the entire scope of work
A visual inspection of the jobsite is a very important step to ensuring that all of your lines located in the requested area are marked. Start by visually confirming the entire scope of work
on the locate ticket by doing a jobsite walk through. While on your walk through, confirm the location of access points you identified on your prints. Take a close look at the landscape to search for topographical clues of utility construction like trench lines, cracks, patches or cuts in the pavement. A good visual inspection can also help you identify other buried facilities
that may not have been documented
on your prints. Be on the lookout for any conditions that might affect the accuracy of your locate like chain
link fences, guard rails, guy wires and overhead lines that may interfere with your locatable signal. And, as always,
By Bob Nighswonger Utility Training Academy
be on the lookout for safety hazards or abnormal conditions that may impact your safety.
Step 4: Make a plan and work your plan
You should also consider establishing a pattern for locating and focus on locating one line at a time. I normally located several types of utilities on my jobsites but would completely locate each utility system before starting on the next system. Strategically deploy your signal transmitter and locate
one line at a time. When faced with a congested dig site or utility easement, deploy your transmitter away from the congestion and locate the line into the congested area.
Step 5: Trace, pinpoint and mark
Temporary markings placed on the job-site are nonverbal communication between the locator and the excavator with the color indicating the type of product flowing through the pipe or cable. Your temporary markings should clearly identify the estimated horizontal location and pathway of lines buried in the dig area. Other valuable information you could provide with your location markings could include size of line, type of line or pipe material, as well as the number of lines in a single trench or conduit package and who owns the line.
Step 6: Double check and restore the site
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2023, Issue 4 Arkansas 811 Magazine • 17