Standard Colors for Your Underground Utilities

Underground utilities can easily be identified today. 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. Although not completely eliminated, risks today have been reduced. 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. You dont want something disastrous to occur. Fatal injuries can happen if underground utility lines are struck. Services in the area where the lines are located can experience interruption. Before digging their property, people should call 811 to call the utility companies so that these incidents are prevented. Calling the 811 number will enable utility companies to come out and mark their respective utility 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 this happens, it affects traffic lights, wastewater pipes, telecommunication lines and more. Public heath and safety is affected when this happens.

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. Companies can locate their utility lines if any property owner calls 811.

There are certain colors that mark different utility lines for easy identification. The colors below indicate the kind of utility uses it.

Proposed excavation sites use white lines. It locates areas that will be excavated in the near future.

If you see pink lines, they are temporary survey markings. These are used by surveyors 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. Lines for potable water use blue lines. If you see purple lines, that this is for reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines. Sewer and drain lines use the color green. You can derail any project for a long time if you hit these lines.

You can learn more about the color coding of utility lines if you click here now! View here for more.