The Importance of Colors of Underground Utility Lines
If you find underground utilities, you can easily determine what type of utility it is for. Before, it was difficult to do so and people were at risk if they try to make a dig without being able to identify all the lines underneath the land. There is reduced risks today because of new methods of identifying utility lines although not a complete reduction. In order to prevent harm, it is important to know or identify these utility lines if your need to dig the ground. The OSHA requires that utilities underground first be located before digging through a piece of land. Otherwise it can be something disastrous. Fatal injuries can happen if underground utility lines are struck. It can also interrupt services in your area where the line is located. 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.
Sometimes, even if the lines are marked accidents still happen. Utility lines are struck every 6 minutes, some place. Traffic lights, wastewater pipes, telecommunication lines, etc. are affected when lines are struck. These incidents affect public health and safety.
With the use of GPR or Ground Penetrating Radar, companies can locate utility lines. This has made it easier to locate utility lies underground and other important things. Calling 811 is enough for the property owner to let companies located their lines.
Today, utility lines are marked with different colors for easy identification. The colors below indicate the kind of utility uses it.
White lines are for proposed excavation sites. Area that will be excavated in the future are marked.
If you see pink lines, they are temporary survey markings. Surveyors use pink lines to mark off legal property boundaries.
If you see red lines, then you can be sure that these are electric power lines, cable, conduit, and lighting cables. 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. Bright yellow is an appropriate warning color since it is very disastrous to have a natural gas leak.
Communication, alarm, signal lines, cable, or conduit use orange lines. If you see blue lines then these are lines for potable water. Reclaimed water, irrigation, and slurry lines used purple lines. Green lines are used for sewer and drain lines. Hitting this line can truly derail any project for a long period of time.