Electrical Hazards Awareness

Briefing
Excavation and Trenching
Module 5

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Improvement Project

These tools must be used with

care!

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Serious Injury at DOE Site when

13.2kV Cable Struck
A laborer was burned
and rendered
unconscious when his
jackhammer hit a
buried 13,200 volt
electrical power
cable.

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Typical Tasks That Expose

Personnel to Underground
Power Lines

Construction site excavation

Jack-hammering
Well drilling
Landscaping
Trenching for piping
Fence installation
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Excavation Program Elements

Designate a Competent Person to oversee all excavation
jobs and train to understand the electrical hazard
Use written excavation procedure and excavation permit
Require an excavation/trenching checklist to be used in
job planning
Require non-intrusive surveys of areas and develop an
interference map of area
Ensure excavation planning requirements flow down to
subcontractors
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Electrical Hazard Identification

Perform detailed drawing and map review including original site

drawings and recent project drawings

Understand that drawings and maps, however, may not be up to

date or indicate all field routings correctly

Perform walk-down of site surrounding the excavation area and look

for conduits and raceways that extend underground and could cross
into the excavation work zone

Discuss excavation area with facility site knowledge

Look for new asphalt, manholes not marked on prints or disturbed

soil to identify potential for unmarked interferences
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Field Investigation
Perform non-intrusive surveys of excavation area using trained and
certified utility locators
Mark surface with interferences and verify immediately prior to start
of excavation
Know limitations of non-intrusive equipment
GPR has been off target by 3 feet and may not identify some
interferences
Voltage proximity detectors are shielded by ground wire or
conduit
Current proximity detectors will not detect if electrical load is
turned off
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Identifying Interferences
De-energize and lockout known electrical hazards-Dont
let schedule and convenience take precedent.
Hand excavate interferences within excavation limits
Look for different types of soil in the excavation area
or for colored concrete that may indicate presence of
underground electrical line
Consider use of vacuum excavation technology for
uncovering interferences
Use caution when hand digging-even shovels and post
hole diggers can damage direct burial cables
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Identifying Interferences
Use appropriate PPE (voltage rated gloves and footwear)
when identifying electrical interferences
PPE is important since detection of hidden utilities can
not always be guaranteed
Use double-insulated electrical tools
Use fiberglass-insulated shovels and picks when
excavating by hand
Use rubber mats as appropriate
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Other Safe Practices

Stop work and call a time out if an unidentified
obstruction is found during excavation
Revise maps and drawings to reflect actual found field
conditions before closing excavation permit
Consider use of electronic drill stops when drilling in
concrete (DOE Electrical Safety Handbook Section 11)
Observe all Power Line Right of Ways and notify power
company prior to excavation
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Conclusion
Remember, you can
avoid the pain and
suffering that can happen
when you contact an
underground energized
electrical power line
Implement and follow the
practices in this module
Stop work when in doubt

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Improvement Project