When we excavate in the ground we are always at risk of coming into contact with existing underground services. We have procedures in place that ensure that service plans have been gathered and services marked out on site by the utility owner prior to any work starting on site. We liaise with utility owners to arrange stand-overs of their strategic assets during our work.
We have a team of highly skilled machine operators, foreman and labourers who are able to interpret the information from the plans and mark-out in conjunction with tell-tale signs on the ground to put together an excavation methodology.
Our methodology will include potholing – either by hydro-excavation or by hand as appropriate. We carry our own hydro-excavation equipment and have a preferred supply chain that includes hydro-excavation specialists who we are confident can work to our standards.
We risk assess every excavation and decide whether to dig by traditional methods or using hydro-excavation methods. If we deem that traditional methods are appropriate our teams are highly skilled in safe digging techniques that can prove critical in uncovering unknown or poorly mapped services.