Jobs don’t stop when cold weather occurs. In fact, emergency work and utility repairs often require accessing underground infrastructure in freezing temperatures.
When it comes to safe digging practices, hydro excavation offers many benefits, including minimizing the risk of damaging buried utilities. As a non-destructive digging method, hydro excavation uses pressurized water set to a specific temperature to loosen and cut soil and a powerful vacuum to remove soil and materials. This eliminates the need for manual digging in difficult, frozen soil when accidents are more likely to occur.
Use these tips from TRUVAC for safe, cold weather excavation:
- Evaluate ground conditions. If the ground is frozen, additional steps will be needed to thaw the area.
- Heat the water. In hydro excavation, heated water is able to effectively break up frozen soil, making it easier to vacuum out.
- Consider distance and depth. To remove thawed dirt and debris from the site, a standard blower will work from a distance of 200 feet or less from the truck. When the work site is further away, a more powerful blower is required for efficiency and precision. The need for a more powerful blower also comes into play with deep excavations that require more lift.
- Prepare accordingly. When it comes to freezing conditions, seasonal-specific maintenance should be performed routinely on a hydrovac. That includes using antifreeze, draining systems when not in use, and storing the hydrovac in a temperature-controlled environment. In addition, operators should wear multiple layers, as well as hats and gloves, to reduce their exposure to the cold.
With hydro excavation, cold weather digging is not only possible, but also much safer.
| Your local Trimble Construction Division dealer |
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| SITECH Northwest |
Photos courtesy of TRUVAC.
