Transcript No Slide Title

Excavator Safety
Texas Administrative
Code Title 16
Chapter 18
Underground Pipeline
Damage Prevention
DIG TESS
Excavator Safety
Doug Meeks, CHST
Damage Prevention Manager
DIG-TESS
• 25 years experience in underground
utility construction/maintenance
• 15 years experience in occupational
safety
[email protected]
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Excavator Safety
Chapter 18
Damage Prevention Brochures
Are now available online:
www.rrc.state.tx.us
• Overview of Chapter 18 requirements;
• Provide information on how to file a TDRF
report.
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Excavator Safety
Excavator Brochure
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Excavator Safety
Excavator Brochure
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Excavator Safety
REQUEST LOCATES
From The Office – Online With GeoRemote
In The Field - Call 811
• At least 48 hours in advance;
• Not more than 14 working days
prior to beginning the work.
One-Call tickets expire after
14 working days!
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Excavator Safety
After The Call:
Before Your Start Date
You should expect “Positive Response” by the
pipeline operator within 48 hours. The operator
will either:
1. Respond by fax or e-mail that their pipeline is
“All Clear”; or
2. Mark the approximate location of the pipeline
with the appropriate APWA marking color; or
3. Arrange for a meeting or communicate any
special instructions.
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Excavator Safety
AT THE JOBSITE
White line the work area?
Required meeting at the site?
One-call ticket?
–On site or produce it within 1 hour;
–Refresh ticket if the job lasts more
than 14 working days.
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Excavator Safety
SITE ASSESSMENT
Observe for indications of an unmarked
pipeline in the area. Examples include:
– Pipeline ROW markers or old paint markings;
– Valve boxes, meters, risers, or regulators;
– Street cuts or ditchlines;
• If pipelines are not marked or cleared within 48
hours, submit a 2nd request for facility locates.
• The pipeline operator has 4 hours to respond to
a second request.
• Should you dig without locates?
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Excavator Safety
Avoiding Damage
Excavator must exercise reasonable
care to prevent damage to the pipeline.
This typically requires:
• Protect and preserve locate markings;
• Request relocates as necessary;
• No mechanized excavation equipment
within 18” either side of the pipeline;
• Proper backfill and compaction.
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Excavator Safety
What Is “Damage”
The Obvious:
Puncturing or severing the pipeline.
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Cracked or chipped coating
Dents or scrapes
Displacement
Tracer wire
Valve boxes
Anodes
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Excavator Safety
BLOWING GAS?
Abandon equipment in place and call
911
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Keep people and vehicles out of the area;
Eliminate ignition sources;
Evacuate if necessary;
Wait for the fire department and facility
operator;
• Do not attempt to repair!
• Do not cover it up!
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Excavator Safety
REQUIRED REPORTING
File an electronic report on-line at
ww.rrc.state.tx.us within 10 days if:
• You damage a pipeline;
• The pipeline operator fails to provide a
“Positive Response” within 48 hours; or
• The pipeline operator fails to respond
within 4 hours of 2nd notice.
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Excavator Safety
REQUIRED REPORTING
Why should you file?
• $1000 fine per violation for non-compliance;
• They need your side of the story to ensure
a complete investigation.
– The Top Ten Root Causes provided through
the TDRF system as of yet depicts only part of
the story.
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Excavator Safety
TOP TEN
Damages by Root Cause
Notification to One-Call
Center made but not
sufficient
3%
Failure to use hand tools
where required
5%
Failure to maintain the
marks
3%
Failure to maintain
clearance
9%
No notification made to
One-Call Center
45%
Excavation practices not
sufficient
10%
Yellow areas show damages caused by
possible EXCAVATOR violations to Chapter
18 Rules - about 75%
Facility was not located or
marked
11%
June 2008
Orange areas show damages caused by
possible PIPELINE OPERATOR violations to
Chapter 18 Rules - about 25%
Facility marking or
location not sufficient
14%
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For reporting questions:

www.rrc.state.tx.us

Call 512-475-0512

[email protected]
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Excavatorwww.onecalltexas.com
Safety
www.digtess.org
www.rrc.state.tx.us
www.commongroundalliance.com
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