In Part 1 of our series on how to set up a safe job site for horizontal directional drilling, we talked about the importance of the operator’s manual for your equipment and marking known utility lines.
Here in Part 2, we’ll dive deeper into potholing and setting up your job site for your HDD project.
Use potholing to find underground utilities
You need to locate underground utilities before you start horizontal directional drilling. That’s not just a safety concern, but an OSHA requirement. Each utility needs to be exposed near the bore to verify its exact location.
This is where potholing comes in. By potholing with a vacuum excavation system, you can safely and fully expose existing utility lines. You can do this for hard surfaces like concrete by using a core saw to cut a small access hole.
Set up your job site for success
Now that you’ve marked and identified all the known utility lines on the job site, it’s time to set up the site itself. Begin by making sure your trailer surface is dry and isn’t slick from mud, snow, or ice. Level your trailer with the ground and slowly drive the HDD equipment off the ramp.
Place traffic warning cones around the truck and trailer and use any traffic warning devices that may be required by your city officials. Have your crew members insert the voltage stake of your directional drill into the ground 6ft away from the machine once the drill is positioned on the site. The voltage stake shouldn’t be over the drill string.
Once the drill and voltage stake are in position, place safety cones on all four sides of the drill. Use safety signs as needed to ensure only trained personnel wearing appropriate protective equipment are allowed inside the perimeter of the safety cones.
At this point, the drill’s operator can sit on the drill to stake it in the ground to keep it from moving during the drilling process. It’s crucial that only the operator comes into the cone area at this point and that they’re wearing protective equipment.
After marking any exposure pits and testing your remote lockout system, your job site is safe and secure for construction.
Find the right Austin directional drilling contractors for the job
Horizontal directional drilling is accomplished in three main phases. You need professional and experienced Austin directional drilling contractors at every phase of your HDD project.
American Directional Boring has the Austin directional drilling contractors you’re looking for to get your project done safely and efficiently. To learn more about our underground directional boring services and contractors, contact American Directional Boring today.
