Underground utilities need careful consideration when excavating. Gas pipelines, electrical cables, fiber optic cables, telephone wires, and water mains are essential to everyday life but pose a challenge to workers when the location is unknown. There is a risk of property damage or injury from underground utilities when excavating for all construction projects.
Obtain County Records Before Digging
Your local county clerk will have land maps on record for properties in your county, such as Middlesex County Clerk Land Records. These records include utility easements and zoning, among other information needed to plan a construction project.
Easements
Easement records are public documents that show the location of an easement on a property. An easement is a right to use another person’s land, usually for access or utility purposes. The land owner with the easement has only a limited right to use it. In many cases, a construction plan will need to take into account the use rights of the easement area, responsibility, and access rights of the owner’s property and neighboring properties.
Zoning
Zoning codes determine building allowances on a property and the permitted locations of structures. They not only set standards for how new buildings must look and function but also what distance they must have from roads, neighboring properties, utility lines, and easements.
In many cases, on larger properties, utility lines may not take a straight path. They must circumvent bedrock and other geological structures. Utility markouts are required and essential before beginning excavation. Verifying the accuracy of the markouts is also critical before digging.
Contact “Call Before you Dig” for Utility Mark Outs
The Underground Facility Protection Act requires anyone who excavates more than 6” deep to inform their utility company before digging. Any municipal department, homeowner, contractor, builder, or anyone who wants to dig must contact the local utility company to determine if lines are buried under the excavation area. The Federal Act has unified the process through the “Call 811” system to ensure safe digging. Once notified, the utility company marks out the location of their lines.
You must provide the following details when excavating: the location, the nearest intersection, how far down you’re digging, the type of job, and where you want the property outlined. You cannot work outside of the job description stated in your request. Before using any digging machinery, you must manually dig within two feet of the marked-out line.
Utility Markout Color Coding
- Red – Electric
- Yellow – Gas, Oil, Dangerous Materials, Product and Steam Lines
- Orange – CATV Communication
- Blue – Water
- Green – Sewer
- White – Proposed Excavation Site
How accurate are utility markings?
Even though utility markings can be reasonably accurate, you should manually verify their accuracy. Just because you see a utility marking on the ground does not mean their location is precise. The ground can shift over time, meaning the utility marking may not be as accurate as you think. Hand excavate within 2’ of markout. You should always Utility locating devices can be used by an experienced professional.
A Professional Contractor Handles Navigating Utilities
A professional contractor will handle requesting and verifying the details of underground utilities for their clients. It is the duty of the Excavating contractor to manage these issues at every step of the process. This includes being aware of any signs the utility lines could be compromised due to weathering or other conditions and communicating with inspectors for every phase of the project required by local ordinance.
Almasi Companies has a long track record of compliance and safety in construction services. We specialize in healthcare, mixed-use, education, industrial, hospitality, retail, commercial, sports and entertainment, utilities, transportation, and energy/LEED-certified organizations in New Jersey. Please act responsibly with your property and enlist the services of qualified professionals.
