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| Utility Safety for Horizontal Directional Drilling |
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Using a horizontal directional drill (HDD) is like threading a large needle through a maze of existing underground utilities—while blindfolded! Subterranean smarts and safe drilling practices are the keys to success. |
Request an
In-Person Presentation on the NIPSCO
e-SMARTworkers website |
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| Subterranean Smarts |
| It’s always essential to notify indiana811.org to have underground utility lines located and marked before beginning work, but you’ve got to take it a step further when you use trenchless technology: |
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Before you request an 811 locate, pre-mark your intended bore path with white paint, stakes and/or flags. This will give locators an exact path to mark and will help prevent delays when your ticket is cleared to start. |
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Be sure to say you are using HDD equipment when you speak to the 811 operator or complete your online ticket request. |
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Consider soil conditions. Many factors, including sandy soil or a shallow water table, will affect the depth at which you can safely drill without cave-in worries. |
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| Safe Drilling Practices |
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Dig potholes to the depth of your planned excavation to confirm the exact depth and location of any buried utilities that cross or parallel your bore path. If using a hydrovac, use higher flow, less pressure and a spinner tip to prevent damage to underground facilities. |
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Use your potholes to watch the drill head cross utility lines during the initial bore and also during backreaming to ensure you maintain the required clearance. |
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Calibrate. Be sure to calibrate your bore head and locating device before every job. |
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Don’t forget the backream. Remember, your locating device will monitor the bore head on the pilot pass but may not be able to monitor the backream head. Plan accordingly if you have to expand the diameter of your bore before installation. |
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| Stop. Leave. Call. |
| If you contact a gas pipeline or suspect a leak: |
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Stop what you're doing and warn others. Do not smoke, light a match, start an engine or use anything that could cause a spark, like a phone or flashlight. |
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Leave the area immediately. |
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Call 911 and NIPSCO at 800-634-3524 from a safe location and wait for crews to arrive. |
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| Would You Like to Know More? |
| Additional utility safety tips, case studies, instructional videos and training tools can all be found, at no charge to you, on NIPSCO's e-SMARTworkers website. |
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