Hi, I have been operating excavators within a minesite environment for a few years now.. Most of my experience is surface based I hardly put the bucket in the ground but when I do I always feel safe, when I have to stick the bucket in the ground, dig permits are signed off by 3 - 4 supervisors/superintendents...dig permits given to me...electrician will wand it, hand dig mandatory around services etc
Now I have saved up enough money to buy a small 1.5 t excavator to work in and around the city.... I would like to buy one, leave the mining and return home to work more reasonable hours. I have a few questions regarding underground services, I did work for a few weeks around the CBD and outer suburbs as a subcontractor getting work through someone and what i came across was that alot of the people I went to do work for had minimal paperwork or just didn't know what was in the ground and infact didn't care they just wanted me to "dig there and be quick about it". Is it common practice that construction sites or concretors wanting footings or electricians wanting a trench to just think you'll come along and dig for them no questions asked? What risks do I put myself in, if I hit an electrical cable with the mini digger....financial and safety wise? I have been getting cold feet about buying one, the type of work i will be doing will be for different people most days and I would like to know that i am safe and will go home the way i went to work each day.
Now I have saved up enough money to buy a small 1.5 t excavator to work in and around the city.... I would like to buy one, leave the mining and return home to work more reasonable hours. I have a few questions regarding underground services, I did work for a few weeks around the CBD and outer suburbs as a subcontractor getting work through someone and what i came across was that alot of the people I went to do work for had minimal paperwork or just didn't know what was in the ground and infact didn't care they just wanted me to "dig there and be quick about it". Is it common practice that construction sites or concretors wanting footings or electricians wanting a trench to just think you'll come along and dig for them no questions asked? What risks do I put myself in, if I hit an electrical cable with the mini digger....financial and safety wise? I have been getting cold feet about buying one, the type of work i will be doing will be for different people most days and I would like to know that i am safe and will go home the way i went to work each day.