Safety Tips When Performing Hydro Excavation Near Utilities

In one of our recent articles, we talked about hydro excavation costs in Melbourne. We received a great response on that and a highly asked question about safety protocols for hydro excavation near utilities. Well, the concern is really nice because there are so many underground utilities, including gas lines, water lines and more. That too, not just in Melbourne but throughout Australia. So, to be sure that you are not causing any harm to them, there are some safety guidelines.

Well, we are VWD Group! Your trusted team of excavation and demolition contractors in Melbourne. In today’s article, we will walk you through some safety tips to follow while performing safe hydro excavation methods near utilities.

1 You Must Call Before You Dig Australia Before Starting Any Work

This is probably the most important step you can take for your safety. Before any hydro excavation work begins in Melbourne, you have to contact Before You Dig Australia. Their plans must be no more than 30 days old when you start your excavation work. This makes sense because utility locations can change. Old information might not be accurate. Victorian law requires that you identify all underground services within 5 meters of your planned work area.

2 The Hydro Vaccum Pressure Should Always Be Under Control

This tip is really important when you are working near underground utilities. You should never exceed 2,000 PSI when working around underground services in Melbourne. Some operators may use pressures up to 6,000 PSI for tough soil. But near utilities, you need to be much more careful. Use rotating or oscillating nozzles instead of direct spray nozzles. They are gentler on underground pipes and cables. Otherwise, you might cause serious damage that costs thousands to repair.

3 Your Workers Need Proper Safety Equipment and Training

This is not just a tip, but it is a bare minimum that every excavation project should consider.  Each operator and worker should have important PPE like hard hats, safety boots, gloves, and eye protection. Other than this, they should use insulated gloves and consider rubber matting underfoot while working around electrical cables. Most importantly, each worker who is working should have the right training and experience to use the hydro vacuum equipment. As we have said already, safety should never be compromised in any excavation work.

4 You Must Maintain Safe Distances From Electrical Services

Electrical utilities are probably the most dangerous ones to work around during hydro excavation. You cannot do any mechanical excavation within 500mm of electrical services without written permission from the service owners. Manual excavation needs written permission within 300mm of electrical services. Use non-conductive spray guns with all safety guards in place. Never touch or brush against cables. Single Wire Earth Return systems are really dangerous. You should not excavate within 10 meters of poles with SWER transformers.

5 Gas Lines Also Need Extra Special Precautions

Working near gas mains during hydro excavation needs special safety considerations. You should have proper fire extinguishing systems available. Eliminate all ignition sources if a gas escape occurs. Only one person should excavate manually in confined spaces while another acts as observer with breathing and escape equipment ready. Gas monitoring is essential where there is a risk of an unsafe atmosphere. Emergency plans with contact details must be displayed on your work site.

6 Always Treat Deep Excavations As Confined Spaces

This is like one of the most important safety tips for your hydro excavation project in Melbourne and everywhere. Deep hydro excavation holes can become dangerous confined spaces. You have to check the air quality all the time for things like low oxygen, toxic gases, and flammable stuff. Actually, we always test the air before our workers go down and keep testing while they work. 

7 Your Risk Assessment and Documentation Must Be Complete

Another important thing is to thoroughly assess the risks involved and document them properly. For holes deeper than 1.5 meters, WorkSafe Victoria wants to know about your work at least three days early. Just like this, you may need other permits based on how deep you dig and what conditions you find. Keep all these papers ready because site inspectors can ask to see them anytime during your project.

8 You Need Emergency Response Plans Ready

Your project can face sudden accidents even after following all the safety guidelines. But the situation can be under your control when you have a plan for it. Just act really quick in those sudden scenarios of emergencies. In case you hit a pipe or cable, stop everything right away and do not try to repair it yourself. You should immediately call the emergency helpline 000 if it’s a gas or electricity line. Also, convey the situation to the respective utility company to let them know what happened. Make sure your workers know exactly what to do and where to go if something goes wrong. Apart from this, have clear escape routes planned out so nobody gets trapped if there’s an emergency.

9 Just Make Sure That Waste Management Follows Environmental Rules

Hydro excavation soil can be contaminated if it has harmful substances like petroleum hydrocarbons, asbestos or heavy metals. Of course, if that’s the case, you will need to pay more attention to the special disposal of the soil in Melbourne. But even if the soil is not contaminated, the authority says that the slurry waste should also be disposed of responsibly as liquid waste. Also, you need to pay attention to water management because hydro excavation uses a lot of water volumes that must be managed responsibly.

10 You Should Document Everything for Quality Assurance

After completing hydro excavation near utilities, you need to verify service integrity where possible and document any impacts or concerns. Report any utility damage immediately to service owners and relevant authorities. Complete proper backfilling and site restoration following approved procedures. Keep excavation work permits and safety documentation for the required periods as specified by regulations. This documentation protects you legally and helps improve safety on future projects.

Get Professional Help For Your Hydro Excavation Work In Melbourne

VWD Group is your trusted team of hydro excavation professionals in Melbourne. We have completed more than 1000 projects. Our trained operators understand Melbourne’s regulations and have the right equipment to work safely around all types of underground services. You can get your free quote for hydro excavation work by calling us at 1300 893 366 or sending us an email at info@vwdgroup.com.au.