Undergoung Utilities and their Standard Colors
It is now easier to know what an underground utility line is for. The risk was high before when people could not easily identify the type of utility lines underneath whenever they dig. Today, the risks have been lessened although not completely eliminated. In order to prevent harm, it is important to know or identify these utility lines if your need to dig the ground. Before digging through a certain piece of land, the OSHA requires that the underground utilities be located. You dont want something disastrous to occur. If you hit any of the underground utility lines while digging then you can be fatally injured. The location of the areas where the lines were struck can experience service interruption. To prevent these types of incidents, it is important for property owners to call 811 so utility companies can identify their undergoing lines. Utility companies can then mark out their respective lines when you call them out.
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. Traffic lights, wastewater pipes, telecommunication lines, etc. are affected when lines are struck. This is then something that affects public health and safety.
Companies can locate utility lines through the use of GPR or Ground Penetrating Radar. 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.
There are certain colors that mark different utility lines for easy identification. Below are some of the colors used for different utility lines.
Proposed excavation sites use white lines. Area that will be excavated in the future are marked.
Temporary survey markings use pink lines. Legal property boundaries are marked off by these pink lines.
Red lines are used to mark electric power lines, cable, conduit, and lighting cable. The color red is perfect for electric works because 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.
Orange lines are used for communication, alarm, signal lines, cable or conduit. If you see blue lines then these are lines for potable water. Reclaimed water, irrigation, and slurry lines used purple lines. If you see the color green, then it indicates sewer and drain lines. You can derail any project for a long time if you hit these lines.
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