Underground Private Utility Locating & Mapping
Why Call a Private Utility Locator?
With GPRS’s private utility locating services, you can know the location of the utilities under the surface of your job site with confidence. Accurate utility detection is critical to ensure the overall timely success of any construction project where excavation is planned. Choosing to ignore these issues can lead to significant budget overruns, wasted time, and injury risks on your job site. It’s legally mandated that 811 is called before any excavation project. However, the scope of 811 is limited to locating only public utility lines. Because of this, it is crucial to connect with an expert private service provider like GPRS to maintain site safety. We offer an extensive range of reporting options, from ground markings to a basic field sketch to highly detailed reports that pinpoint buried electrical, water, gas, communication, sewer, and storm drain lines.
Property owners are always responsible for locating private utilities. When looking for a private locator, selecting a locator who can meet your needs and provide clear communication is vital. GPRS consistently offers high-quality customer service as well as accurate utility locating results. GPRS can precisely locate telecommunications cables, private water service, sprinkler systems, propane tank lines, security lighting wires, ancillary electrical conduits, and more.
Private subsurface utilities represent over 65% of all buried utility lines. 811 services are only giving you half the picture. To ensure a safe work site for your employees and clients, you should always dial 811. However, there are additional steps you should take to guarantee a protected job site. Hiring a SIM-certified subsurface locator is vital to ensure your locators are well-trained and equipment experts. In addition, GPRS created a guidebook titled "6 Steps to a Safe Job Site," which provides instructions for establishing a safe environment before excavation begins.
Call 811 (One Call System) and ensure all public utilities are properly marked
Ask key personnel at the facility for knowledge on underground information and documentation
Walk the job site and excavation area to search for visual indications of underground utilities
Review existing as-built utility drawings for the site and specific excavation area
Hire a qualified private utility locator
- Ensure that the private utility locator uses multiple locating technologies such as GPR and Electromagnetic Locators
- Ensure that the private utility locator provides a map or drawing of their findings
- Walk the job site with the private utility locator to review the results of the underground utility locate
Expose all located lines via pot-holing (vacuum excavation)
Hold a pre-excavation meeting with all involved parties to review the map provided by the private utility locator, and cross-reference with any existing maps, 811 results, and the results of the vacuum excavation
Utility Strikes are Costly and Dangerous
Utility lines under the ground are one of the most common hazards among excavation crews and the most costly unnecessary expenditure during construction projects. Before beginning any excavation project, you must locate, mark, and avoid any subsurface utilities present on the job site. Call the 811 state utility locator to start this process. 811 is only required to locate public utility lines, providing you with an incomplete understanding of your project site and putting your team's safety at risk.
The responsibility of damaged or severed line strikes during your excavation falls on your shoulders and your opportunity to hire a private utility locator. There is a utility strike every 60 seconds, totaling 532,000-line strikes, costing roughly 30 billion dollars in 2019 alone. More importantly, since 2000, there have been thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths regarding insufficient ground disturbance policies at construction and other job sites.
How Do Utility Locating Services Work?
The goal of GPRS's utility locating services is to identify the type and location of buried utility lines to prevent unnecessary damage or injury to field personnel during excavation. GPRS uses many state-of-the-art tools to provide the industry’s most accurate utility detection services. We utilize ground penetrating radar, electromagnetic induction, thermal scanning, and CCTV sewer camera systems to help provide a clear and precise picture of the location and condition of utility lines beneath your job site.
The Accuracy of GPRS Private Utility Locating
To ensure the accurate and comprehensive locating of buried private utility lines, customers need to contact a private utility locating contractor such as GPRS. Our industry-leading radar technology will provide the most comprehensive data of existing sub-surface utilities on your job site. With the accurate utility locating GPRS delivers, you can avoid damage to existing services.
GPRS attained a 99.8%+ subsurface damage prevention rate was through a revolutionary industry standard. Subsurface Investigation Methodology, or SIM, is the industry-leading, metrics-based guideline for the underground locating and concrete scanning industries. SIM includes 3 core elements: equipment, training, and methodology. All GPRS Project Managers are SIM-qualified, completing weeks of classroom training and months of field mentoring. Our field personnel aren’t just technicians; this is their career, craft, and trade.
Having private utilities located is essential but locating utilities with accurate results is crucial. GPRS utility locating services provide you and your team with a detailed 3-dimensional map of all underground utilities and their location. This data can help plan the excavation process, preventing delays, fines, and other costs due to utility line damage or disruption. Several problems can occur when a person begins to excavate, including gas line explosions, fires or electrocution from power lines, and water lines bursts. These can be costly and severely dangerous for property owners and workers.
When is the best time to contact a utility locating service?
If you need underground locating services or water pipe locating services, call GPRS first. For many construction projects, knowing the location of subsurface utility lines or water pipes is crucial to assist with the placements of structures, supports, foundations, and digging tools required for the excavation process.
A residential utility locating contractor, such as GPRS, can help project planners from pre-planning to later building stages. GPRS can locate underground gas lines, pipelines, communications lines, electric lines, water, sewer lines, and voids. Additionally, utility detection services help keep both workers and homeowners safe and keep your project on time and on budget.
Often we can have a utility locator on your property in hours. If you need underground utility locating services for your property or construction site, don’t wait. Contact GPRS today!