User Manual

2 Utility AirSpade Technical Applications Bulletin
THE CASE FOR SOFT EXCAVATION
When it comes to
underground utility lines,
what you can’t see can
hurt you. The Common
Ground Alliance (CGA), an
association that promotes
efforts to reduce damage to
underground infrastructure,
estimates there are over
20 million miles of gas,
electric, water, sewer and
telecommunication lines
buried in the United States.
That’s the equivalent of
more than one football field
length of buried utilities for
every man, woman, and child
in the nation.
Digging without knowing the
location of underground
utilities can lead to injuries
and fatalities, property
damage, service disruptions
and costly repairs. Conse-
quently, utility companies
and contractors go to
great lengths to ensure employees are taking necessary safety
precautions when working around underground utility infrastructure.
Still, incidents continue to occur. According to the U.S. Department
of Transportation, 1,815 pipeline incidents were caused by excavation
damage between 1988 and 2014. These incidents resulted in 193
deaths, 757 injuries and nearly $545 million in property damage.
INTRODUCTION
On January 3, 2013, in Minneapolis, MN, workers
attempting to run a sewer line struck a 36” water
main with a backhoe causing 14 million gallons of
water to flood the downtown area. Called
Minneapolis’ largest water leak in 30 years, the
repair costs alone were estimated at $325,000. No doubt, the
repair costs were small in comparison to the millions of dollars in
water damage to adjacent businesses.
On August 20, 2014, a 38-year-old worker in
Edmonds, WA, died when his jackhammer struck a
7,200-volt underground power line. On the day of
the incident, the worker and two other employees
were digging trenches and installing storm drains
on a hospital campus. According to a news report, the incident also
temporarily cut power to the hospital and some residents in the
surrounding area. The Washington State Department of Labor &
Industries levied over $50,000 in fines to two contractors for
safety violations related to the fatal accident.
On June 7, 2010, a truck-mounted power auger
punctured a 36-inch-diameter natural gas trans-
mission line near Cleburne, TX. The operator was
digging holes for the installation of new electric-
service utility poles. The natural gas ignited, killed
the auger operator and burned six workers. Total property damage
and cleanup costs were estimated to be over $1 million.
Among the incidents involving underground utility strikes in recent years: