locates not proper and hit gas line

[CM1995]

Down here it's all installed by lowest bid subs, the spec is "keep it somewhere in the right of way if you can"

Same here with phone and cable. Local telecom company came out to install the service line to a new fast food restaurant. They used a "hand wedge" and started at the existing pedestal and ran it between a gas station and a Taco Bell. It was maybe 8" deep.

It also happens on gas lines too. This was a new installation. The two service laterals running across the street are about 12" deep. The picture is a little deceiving as it looks deeper than it is as there is dirt piled up on the back side of the trench.



When a utility company uses the lowest bidder and pays by the foot, this is the result.

 

[lantraxco]

And that tracer wire is all over the place, if this was several feet deep the locator would be having fits trying to follow and mark it out, lol.

 

[Jim D]

CM,

They could say "120 inches deep" on their spec and it would be the same picture as you posted.

 

[Axle]

On the other hand our local telephone company (Telus) won't mark properly. They just say if you hit it call us and we'll fix it. On a 4 mile road widening project we hit the one line about 4 times and no bill at all.

I hate that. Bell Canada and Rogers didn't want to come out at all to mark anything. 'If you hit it, we'll come out'. I had to twist their arm to come out and mark my yard once even after telling them I've got both of their sub-boxes in my back yard. So I ask them if they really want to deal with 8 people calling about loss of service due to the box... and they still didn't want to bother. Took telling them to send me a registered letter that they absolve me of any damages and are giving me the okay to dig anywhere in the yard.

 

[bobcat1]

If Bell uses their standard locate clearance form and you have used the locate description as the whole property, you are clear to dig. What comes into question are back yard right of ways and easements. These are details you need to know when giving your description of the dig area to Ontario One Call. Bell uses their records to assess if it is to be located or play the odds, save money and hope that repairs are less than locate charges overall. The amount of money saved by Bell by not locating in situations where single house service lines are involved seems to far out way the cost of repairs with the volume of locates that are being called in every day. We keep all locate packages for the same span of time we keep the job records(7 years).