Anyone else have problems with digsafe having trouble marking out their utilities correctly. I did a job last week and the gas line was marked out 10' off. As soon as we were a few feet past the marks I called them back out to relocate the main. They spent the next half hour trying to locate the main with no such luck. It costs me 3 hours of time looking for their main because they couldnt find it. Anyone know a way I can send them a bill for wasted time? I should have just dug like crazy after I was 18" past the marks and broke their line but I didnt want to ruin my day by hitting a high pressure gas line.
ruin your day? i have fun watching 15 differant people from dig safe comming out to see there marks still on the ground and gas pouring out at on there dime. just kidding but i really do get tired of the 3 day thing we have had to hold off on good days just to work in the rain waiting on those guys
I take it 'digsafe' is similar in concept to what we call 'dial before you dig'? http://www.1100.com.au/ In my experience they are limited in that they will give you the general location of the services but you still have to get a cable locater out to get a more accurate location.
locates pretty much bite for the most part....50% right .... don't know of a way to bill though best thing I found is to take pictures before you start.... one company I worked for even videoed the job sites.... Try working in plants where nothing is located ... your handed a set of excavation prints..... guessimate I call them..... reasonably accurate.... A little better than the locators... a real nightmare sometimes, when there's dozens of lines....
We always have missdig, same as dig safe, locate. Then we double check. Ditch Witch makes a locator that does a good job. Maybe it would be something for you to look into? I know it helps us out a lot. Not only on double checking others mark outs, but marking out private owned systems such as lighting and communication lines. http://www.ditchwitch.com/electronics/locating-equipment/910-receiver
For the 3 day thing, plan ahead. I usually try and have it done at least a week in advance and then have them do a remark a day in advance. The remark also helps with double checking the first guy. And they have a emergency service if you need it sooner. Around here we can setup locates on the internet, and a good trick to beat the 3 day rule. Get it online before midnight and they will locate it in the morning 2 days later, so basically about 32 hours later or so. Around here we cannot dig around a high pressure line without a guy from the Gas company present, same for fiber. And they will double check the locate, and give you a very accurate depth. Would love to have one of those locate devices they have, but big dollars. We have a Schonstedt locator to double check in the public right of way and to use onsite. And to use when strange things happen, like when it snows after the locate is done and you can't see the marks the next day. And yes we have had locates that are way off to the side, just depends on how good the locate guy is and if he is in hurry. The reason you sometimes get a locate off to the side is the way these work. They will usually get 3 signals in a V-shape, one in the center and 2 off to each side. How far depends on the depth. And it is up to the user to determine if he is centered or not by signal strength, so it can be user error.
Around here the common practice is one locator works the same general area. So the double check wont help. The guy comes out, gets out a few cans of paint, runs around "freshening" up the old paint marks, he takes a few snap shots with his camera, and away he goes.
Most of the lines should have a tracer wire buried with the line. They should hook up a tone device and then they should locate it with a tone pole. If this isn't done something is wrong or they don't care.
Everything should either have a copper tracer wire run along side it to pick up with a "pin finder" (basically a metal detector) etc. Now a days everything is located via GPS. When it's installed it's topo'd with a GPS rover pack to give the co-ordinates for the utility and the locators pull it up on their laptop then use either a rover pack or pin finder to mark it. Locates are always given within a certain proximity (meaning just cause the mark is there it doesn't mean the utility is directly below, it could be off on one side or another). Check your paper work to see what tolerances they work with. Also it's the responsibility of the CONTRACTOR to hand expose or use a non destructive method approved by the utility provider (aka hydrovac/daylighting). Locates will only get you close, the rest is up to you. HOWEVER if they are out side of their tolerances and you hit it, it's their problem. If you are within their tolerances (or they didn't mark it) and you hit it, it's your problem.
If the lines are new enough to have a locate wire.... I've worked several places that used that fiberglass pipe for fire protection....no locate wires...touch that stuff and your wet... they are do a good job locating it....