Utlilities Disposition

DOE-HDBK-1092-2004

Plastic Utilities Ribbon Tape is used in most facilities as well as commercial and industrial

applications. It is installed directly above the utility, but below the surface of the ground so an

excavator will dig it up, and thereby indicate the presence of a utility, before the utility is

damaged.

Metallic Utilities Ribbon Tape is used in many facilities. It is buried at a specified depth above

the utility. This ribbon can be detected and its route traced by a metal detector.

Traceable Ribbon Tape is used in many facilities. It is buried at a specified depth above the

utility. This ribbon can be detected and its route traced by a metal detector or by a passive

sweep. Direct burial, traceable ribbon tape has been known to lose it's traceable effectiveness

after being buried for a period of time and also has been known to create a false positive adding

to confusion that a utility or a abandoned pipe is there causing a miss-marked utility.

Nontraceable ribbon in bright colors with "Utility Buried Beneath," buried 1 to 2 feet above the

utility, provides adequate warning for the excavation operator that a utility is near.

Tracer Wire is the preferred method of tracing non-metallic utilities. When installed correctly

and combined with a proactive open trench policy and programmable Marker Balls is a highly

effective combination. Directly connecting to the traceable wire using any locating instrument,

provides a highly accurate locate.

Marker Balls installed at the beginning, ends, tees and turns, provides a highly cost effective

solution to finding exact locations of where a particular section of a utility is located. Add the

programmable capability, and you can positively know your locating the exact utility your looking

for by the press of the button and reading the preprogrammed data indicating size, material,

date installed etc.

11.5 UTILITIES DISPOSITION

Utilities identified during the planning stages should be evaluated to determine their function as

it relates to the facility. Every effort should be made to de-energized and lock out power cables

which could be encountered by excavations workers. Telecommunications and

signal/monitoring circuits, likewise, require consideration. Planned outages is the preferred

approach. NFPA 70E is the recognized standard for de-energizing equipment as the first

priority. Don't let schedule and/or convenience take precedent. Impact to the facility in the

event of damage to these cables/circuits should be part of the evaluation.

11.6 WORK CONTROL DURING EXCAVATIONS

The facility's safety program should provide clear, consistent direction to the excavation

workers. It should address facility expectations for workers encountering unexpected utilities

during the excavation. The excavation permitting program, open trench policy, no-dig zone,

above ground utility identification program, hazardous energy control, and submittal of as-built

drawing requirements prior to permit closure should be considered.

11.6.1 SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURES

The requirements for safety equipment should be understood. Some concrete wall and slab

excavations require both mechanical and electronic drill-stops in some facilities. Some facilities

require insulated footwear and/or gloves for certain types of excavations or certain site areas.

These requirements are required to be effectively communicated to the excavation workers.

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