How accurate is a locate?

Locates are accurate +/- 1m horizontally, but in specific cases, may be much more accurate. What does that mean to you?

No mechanical excavation work should take place within 1m of marked utility lines, regardless of apparent "accuracy". Locate accuracy is subject to adjacent lines, soil conditions, surface substances, overhead interference, humidity, local conditions, magnetic interference and equipment calibration, to name a few.

Likewise, marks may be misplaced by surface conditions, frost, strong winds moving paint wands, or surface moisture. Therefore, the one meter safety zone is indeed justifiable. No mechanical excavation is to take place within 1m horizontally of any marked utility line, regardless of its identity. Please use extreme caution in this regard. Remember, "accuracy" is never known until the line is excavated!

Contact Kevin Doyle, Frontier Utility Locating
(905) 548-7643
Utility Locates & Subsurface Mapping in Ontario, Canada