The Nightmare of a Utility Strike
You called 811. You potholed the marked lines. The excavator operator is digging carefully. Then, suddenly, there is a loud hiss, a snap, or the sudden smell of rotten eggs.
Despite your best efforts, you just hit an unmarked underground utility.
Utility strikes are the nightmare scenario for any Colorado excavation crew or homeowner. Whether it is a severed fiber optic bundle that shuts down a local business park or a ruptured high-pressure gas line that threatens the entire neighborhood, knowing exactly what to do in the immediate aftermath is critical for saving lives and minimizing your liability.
Immediate Emergency Steps to Take
If your equipment strikes an underground utility, stop work instantly and follow these critical safety protocols:
1. Evacuate the Area Immediately
If you suspect you have hit a natural gas line (look for blowing dirt, hissing sounds, or the smell of mercaptan/rotten eggs) or an electrical line, evacuate the entire site immediately. Do not attempt to bury the leak. Do not attempt to crimp or fold the pipe to stop the gas.
2. Turn Off Equipment (If Safe)
If you hit a gas line, the spark from a running excavator engine can ignite the fumes. If it is safe to do so, shut down the heavy machinery. However, if you hit an electrical line, the equipment itself may be energized. In that case, the operator should remain inside the cab if possible, or jump clear of the machine with both feet together to avoid the electrical ground current.
3. Call 911 and the Utility Company
Once you are at a safe distance, call 911 to report the hazard, especially if gas or high-voltage electricity is involved. Then, contact the local public utility provider so they can dispatch an emergency shut-off crew.
Why Did the Strike Happen?
Once the site is secured and the immediate danger has passed, the inevitable question is: Why wasn’t this marked?
In the vast majority of cases, unmarked line strikes occur because the damaged utility was privately owned.
As we frequently remind Colorado contractors, the 811 “Call Before You Dig” service only marks public utilities. If you struck an electrical line running to a site lighting pole, a private sewer lateral, or a gas line running to a pool heater, there is no public record of it. Because 811 is legally prohibited from marking private utilities, you were digging blind in a highly dangerous area.
How to Safely Resume Your Project
A utility strike usually results in an immediate safety stand-down from the general contractor or OSHA. You cannot simply fire the excavator back up and hope you don’t hit anything else. Before work can resume, you must ensure the rest of the site is completely clear.
This is where Emergency Private Utility Locating comes in.
Before you put another shovel in the ground, a private utility locating firm like JLP Tech must be brought out to the site to conduct a comprehensive sweep.
- We use Electromagnetic (EM) Locators to trace out the rest of the damaged private line and see where it goes.
- We deploy Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to sweep the remaining excavation area for any other undocumented anomalies, abandoned pipes, or non-metallic PVC lines that 811 missed.
Prevent the Next Strike with JLP Tech
The best way to handle an emergency line strike is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Relying solely on 811 leaves a massive blind spot on your job site.
Protect your crew, your budget, and your reputation. For comprehensive, highly accurate private utility locating and GPR concrete scanning across the Denver metro area and the state of Colorado, partner with JLP Tech. Make us your second call after 811, and dig with absolute confidence.