Standard Colors for Your Underground Utilities
If you find underground utilities, you can easily determine what type of utility it is for. The risk was high before when people could not easily identify the type of utility lines underneath whenever they dig. Although not completely eliminated, risks today have been reduced. It is thus important that we know how to identify these underground utilities if there is a need to dig the ground so that you can prevent harm. Before digging through a certain piece of land, the OSHA requires that the underground utilities be located. It is to prevent disaster. Fatal injuries can happen if underground utility lines are struck. Services in the area where the lines are located can experience interruption. Before digging their property, people should call 811 to call the utility companies so that these incidents are prevented. Utility companies can then mark out their respective lines when you call them out.
But, despite the marks, there will sill be accidents. The reality is that there is an incident almost every 6 minutes where utility line are struck. When utility lines are stuck it causes disturbances in traffic lights wastewater pipes, telecommunication lines and more. This is then something that affects public health and safety.
GPR or Ground Penetrating Radar is used by companies to locate their utility lines. With this machine, companies can easily locate utility lines. Calling 811 is enough for the property owner to let companies located their lines.
It is easier to identify underground utility lines today because they now use different colors for each utility. Below are some of the colors used for different utility lines.
If you see white lines, then these are proposed excavation sites. Area that will be excavated in the future are marked.
Temporary survey markings use pink lines. Surveyors use pink lines to mark off legal property boundaries.
Electric power lines, cable, conduit, and lighting cable use red lines. The color red is perfect for electric works because it is associated with fire and danger.
Yellow lines are used for gas, oil, steam, petroleum, and gaseous materials. The bright color yellow is used to be a warning sign since a natural gas leak can create a potentially disastrous situation.
Communication, alarm, signal lines, cable, or conduit use orange lines. If you see blue lines then these are lines for potable water. Purple lines are used for reclaimed water, irrigation, and slurry lines. If you see the color green, then it indicates sewer and drain lines. Hitting this line can truly derail any project for a long period of time.
You can learn more about the color coding of utility lines if you click here now! View here for more.