How close can I dig to a utility line marking?

No mechanical excavation is to take place within 1 meter horizontally of any utility line markings (flags, paint, or stakes, etc.). "Scratching the surface" above utility lines, boring beneath an uncovered line without hand-excavating to full crossing depth, or digging up to a line with mechanical means is NOT acceptable. Depths of lines may vary and must be determined by hand-digging.

Multiple lines in common trench, or positioned above each other may interfere with accurate locating, and appear as only one line. Adjacent utility lines may distort the electro-magnetic fields required for accurate locating, and offset the marks. For all of these reasons and more, contractors MUST respect the one-meter rule.

 

 

 

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