The Importance of Colors of Underground Utility Lines
If you find underground utilities, you can easily determine what type of utility it is for. However, a long time ago, it was difficult to identify these utility lines and so when people try to dig there were many risks involved. Today, the risks have been lessened although not completely eliminated. 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. If you need to dig through a piece of land today, you are required by the OSHA to first identify or locate underground utilities. Otherwise it can be something disastrous. If you hit any of the underground utility lines while digging then you can be fatally injured. Services in the area where the lines are located can experience interruption. To prevent these types of incidents, it is important for property owners to call 811 so utility companies can identify their undergoing lines. When the number is called, you can let the utility companies come out and mark their respective lines.
Marking lines may lessen the risks but there are time when accidents still happen. It is said that every 6 minutes, there is a utility line that is struck. When utility lines are stuck it causes disturbances in traffic lights wastewater pipes, telecommunication lines and more. Public heath and safety is affected when this happens.
GPR or Ground Penetrating Radar is used by companies to locate their utility lines. When locating utility lines underground, this machine makes it easy to do so. 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. The colors below indicate the kind of utility uses it.
If you see white lines, then these are proposed excavation sites. Area that will be excavated in the future are marked.
Pink lines are temporary survey markings. Legal property boundaries are marked off by these pink lines.
If you see red lines, then you can be sure that these are electric power lines, cable, conduit, and lighting cables. This color is appropriate for electrical works since it is associated with fire and danger.
Lines for gas, oil, steam, petroleum, and gaseous materials use the color yellow. Bright yellow is an appropriate warning color since it is very disastrous to have a natural gas leak.
If you see orange lines, then you should associate this with communication., alarm, signal lines, cable or conduit. Blue lines are used for potable water. If you see purple lines, that this is for reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines. If you see the color green, then it indicates sewer and drain lines. A project can be derailed for a long time when these utility lines are hit.
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