Utility location
In some locations, major oil and gas pipelines, national defense communication lines, mass transit, rail, and road tunnels also compete for space underground.
[2] Before digging, local governments often require that the underground systems' locations be denoted and approved, if it is to be in the public right-of-way.
As well as providing a understanding of the networks within the vicinity of a site, this information can help to prevent accidents, disruptions, and costly delays during construction.
Location by these technical means is necessary because maps often lack the pinpoint precision needed to ensure proper clearance.
A few utilities are permanently marked with short posts or bollards, mainly for lines carrying petroleum products.
Utility Locators and other stakeholders depend on data like this to learn about risks and to justify continued investment in the industry.
The CGA also has published a paper called "Insights into Improving the Delivery of Accurate, On-Time Locates",[citation needed] which has expert information on how to improve the locating industry in the US and Canada (not to be confused with the Canadian Common Ground Alliance (CCGA), a companion organization to CGA in Canada).
Failure to call such a number ahead of time may result in a fine or even a criminal charge against a person or company, particularly if such negligence causes a major utility outage or serious accident, or an evacuation due to a gas leak.
A special type of spray paint dispenser, which works when the can is upside-down, is used to mark lines, often in a fluorescent color.
In this case, each sprinkler head is usually marked, so that landscaping crews will not cover or bury them with soil or sod, or damage them with tractors or other construction equipment while digging holes for trees, shrubs, or other large plants or fenceposts.
This is also important because a vehicle (tractor, truck, or otherwise) can break a sprinkler or the hard-PVC pipe or joint it is mounted on, simply by driving over it, particularly on newly moved soil which is uncompacted and therefore unsupportive of such weight.
The standard for permanent markers in Germany uses the following colors:[16] India uses a convention similar to the US, for marking underground utilities such as telephone, gas, water and electricity.
[17] There are no legal color code requirements for buried utilities and surface markings, however a general convention is used and encouraged by the government health and safety department - Worksafe.
The national standard for the United Kingdom uses the following color guide:[19] Canada and the United States use the American Public Works Association (APWA) Uniform Color Codes for temporary marking of underground utilities:[20][21][22][23][24][25] Some municipalities use pink paint to make lines and codes on the pavements related to required street improvements such as ramp replacement, asphalt grinding, and form injection.
