Before digging near utilities, what steps should you take?

Before digging near utilities, what steps should you take?

• A. Obtain written permission from the landowner and proceed after a visual check.
• B. Call locate services, maintain distance, and excavate carefully with hand digging where needed.
• C. Use a metal detector to locate utilities and begin digging.
• D. Rely on surface clues and ignore utilities.

Answer: (B)

Identifying and protecting buried utilities before you dig. Call locate services to have all underground utilities located and marked, keep a safe distance from the marks, and excavate carefully with hand digging where necessary. This approach ensures you know where lines run and reduces the risk of striking a line with equipment. If you must dig near a marked area, use non-destructive digging methods to expose lines without damaging them. Written permission from the landowner doesn't identify buried utilities, and relying on a metal detector or surface clues can miss or misplace lines, creating a serious hazard.

Identifying and protecting buried utilities before you dig. Call locate services to have all underground utilities located and marked, keep a safe distance from the marks, and excavate carefully with hand digging where necessary. This approach ensures you know where lines run and reduces the risk of striking a line with equipment. If you must dig near a marked area, use non-destructive digging methods to expose lines without damaging them. Written permission from the landowner doesn't identify buried utilities, and relying on a metal detector or surface clues can miss or misplace lines, creating a serious hazard.