It’s the time of year in most parts of North America where pavement repairs are probably due to utility problems that have required some fixing. No matter what portion of the repair your crew is responsible for, make sure your crew is safe throughout. AsphaltPro has an article on best practices for preparing and working in a trench at this link. And we want to use this week’s tip to stress the importance of checking for shallow utilities before digging or milling.
On a routine mill-and-fill night project in Hawaii a few years ago, tragedy struck when the rotomill’s cutter drum came in contact with a gas line too near the surface of the paved roadway. The contractor had checked the area’s schematics and knew where and how deeply the engineering blueprints indicated utilities were buried. But such blueprints aren’t always correct, and workers pay the price with injuries—or worse.
You can’t see what’s beneath the surface of your pavement repair. Take the time to investigate with ground penetrating radar, GNSS or your preferred method of intel-gathering. Know where hazards lurk before saw cutting or cold milling to any depth. You not only protect equipment from buried metal, but you also protect workers from potential harm.
Stay safe out there!
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