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Businesses and companies are always looking for ways to get a competitive advantage over their rivals. Their finance team spends days browsing through their balance sheets trying to find some way to achieve a better stance. One effective way is to compare the cost of renting or leasing heavy equipment instead of owning or buying them.

Almost all businesses use loaders, lifts, excavators, generators, and other essential equipment and like any other resource, these must be streamlined to achieve maximum efficiency. Cost-benefit analysis helps determine whether you should rent or buy equipment.

Renting equipment allows a bigger organization to augment its fleet when needed, while it can aid small businesses to propose projects that require special equipment to fulfill its requirements. Diverse capabilities among different sizes of equipment can help businesses serve niche markets and get a variety of projects.

Continue reading to find out some of the benefits that have made equipment rentals immensely popular in various industries.

Avoid Transportation & Storage Cost

When buying heavy machinery or equipment, you also have to ensure that there is sufficient space or area for their temporary or permanent storage. You do not want to leave such a large investment in heavy rain, blizzards, or scorching heat as continuous exposure to natural elements can damage the equipment. This leads to decreased equipment value and possible financial loss.

Also, rentals can free you from the logistics of transporting machinery or equipment from one location to another. Hence, you are safe from spending large sums of money on storage and transportation.

Decrease Long-run Expenses

Many companies and organizations have equipment consultants and maintenance teams dedicated to the regular service and upkeep of machines and equipment to ensure smooth operations. Mechanics are responsible for checking the hydraulics, fluid levels, regular service, changing of machine components or parts, and technology up-gradation. They are also in charge of managing leaks and controlling breakdowns when using the equipment.

You can gauge and estimate the cost of renting any equipment quite easily. However, the overall expenditure when it comes to the maintenance and service of privately owned equipment is less predictable. In the long run, the maintenance cost of worn-out and aging equipment increases. Hence, the best way to avoid long-run expenses is by renting equipment.

No Upfront Investment

Large and heavy equipment such as tracked dozers, excavators, or telehandlers can be fairly expensive, a cost that needs to be pre-planned and usually requires a year or two to come about. So, if you are buying a piece of equipment, your money will be tied up or frozen until you sell it. The longer the duration of its use, the lower the resale offers you will get which is not desirable for such a large investment.

Most companies tend to avoid freezing large sums of money so they can freely pursue other opportunities to make a profit or maintain other important aspects of the business. So, renting equipment allows you to prevent blocking your money in the form of machines.

Sharpen Your Competitive Edge

There is an age-old concept in the corporate world that it is difficult to compete against large, well-established companies. The possession of new technology and the latest equipment is a major contributing factor in this regard. However, equipment rental is a good way to shift that decades-old characteristic in order to allow new, small businesses to have a competitive advantage against the big fishes in the industry.

Smaller companies can now procure the same type of equipment for their projects. This access to an efficient and diverse fleet of machines will allow them to perform better or equal quality work in lesser amounts as compared to their well-established competitors. Hence, rental service is an effective source for small and medium-sized companies to sharpen their competitive edge and outperform big corporations with quality work.

Read: TOP 6 BENEFITS OF RENTING HYDROVAC SERVICES

About Us

At Ghost Hydrovac, we offer expert hydro-vac services, including hydro excavation, directional drilling, steam cleaning, pressure washing, and more using specialized hydro-vac trucks in Alberta and BC. For more information about our services, contact us today.

Many people believe that pressure washing is similar to washing with a water pipe or garden hose. You might think why would anyone need to hire a professional to pressure wash their home or commercial area if you can wash your home’s or commercial property’s exterior yourself? Unfortunately, it is not as easy and simple as it may sound. It can be quite difficult to ensure that your home or building maintains a welcoming look.

You have various factors or natural elements working against you that can make your roof, walls, windows, and sidewalks filthy. These include dust, dirt, mildew, birds, pollution, grease stains, ugly marks, streaks, gum, graffiti, and more. Pressure washing not only rinses off this dust but also does a thorough cleaning, increasing your home or building’s life. Deep pressure washing can prevent your residential and commercial structures from damage, providing a safe and healthy environment for your family or employees.

The benefits of pressure washing extend beyond safety and a clean environment. Continue reading to learn more about how customized pressure washing can be beneficial.

What Is Pressure Washing?

Before getting into the details of the benefits of pressure washing, let’s first understand what pressure washing is and how it works.

Pressure washing is a technique in which high-pressure jets of water are used to clean dust, mud, grime, molds, algae, moss, loose paint, and other residues from various surfaces. The pressure jet aspect is what makes it more effective and different as compared to ordinary washing. The water jets have the ability to reach small nooks and crannies, cleaning out all the hidden dirt.

Pressure washing can be used on a variety of surfaces including outdoor furniture, grills, patios, decks, lawnmowers, slides, sidings, roofs, gutters, driveways, parking lots, fencing, sidewalks, vehicles, and more.

Some Benefits Of Pressure Washing

Improve The Curb Appeal Of Your Home Or Building

The overall design, color, appearance, and general maintenance of a structure is known as visual appeal. Potential buyers, tenants, prospect employees, and clients are attracted to the outlook of your house or office. A spotless facility adds to its value and boosts your chances of selling your property. Thus, keeping it clean is important as it eliminates dust, debris, stains, oil, and other substances that affect the visual quality of your home or a commercial building.

Having your home or building regularly pressure washed by professional cleaners can help get rid of these stubborn substances with greater ease, making it appear fresh and beautiful. Hence, regular cleaning can have a positive impact on the visual and curb appeal of your home.

Reduce Building Maintenance Costs

Cleaning surfaces using pressure washing is an effective way to ensure that all such particles that can otherwise leave permanent stains and marks are completely removed. It allows you to clean dust, debris, and stains from your home’s or building’s walls which can otherwise cause the paint to peel off or flake away if left unattended.

Repainting a surface costs more than cleaning it and it won’t ensure that the colors are the same as they were before, but it will be inevitable due to flaking. So, hiring pressure washing services for regular cleaning will decrease the need for repaints and help save your hard-earned money.

Another maintenance cost that can be avoided through pressure washing is the replacement cost of glass panels. Glass panels are porous surfaces and can readily absorb dust, dirt, debris, and other impurities from the environment. These substances accumulated over time and cause structural damage to the glass surface, requiring a replacement. However, regular cleaning through pressure washing can stop this damage.

Eliminates Mold

Mold is toxic, microscopic fungi that are formed on dirty surfaces and can be found both outdoors and indoors. They are part of our natural environment and actively grow in moist, damp conditions. Mold releases spores, which upon ingestion or inhalation can cause breathing issues and dangerous respiratory diseases in the long run. People living inside such places can show symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, runny nose, irritation, nasal congestion, or difficulty breathing.

The chances of mold growth can be significantly reduced or completely eradicated through regular cleaning of all surfaces using the pressure washing method. Hence hiring the services of pressure cleaning can help to improve the air quality of your home or office, increasing the health of your family and employees by providing them with a safe breathing environment.

About Us

At Ghost Hydrovac, we offer expert hydro-vac services, including hydro excavation, directional drilling, steam cleaning, pressure washing, and more using specialized hydro-vac trucks in Alberta and BC. For more information about our services, contact us today.

Utility workers are exposed to many threats each day due to open wires, fire eruption risks, weather conditions, and more. So, they must take every necessary safety precaution to keep everyone on their team and themselves safe. A professional utility installation company always takes care of their worker’s safety and ensures that each team member follows the safety protocols and regulations. Statistics show that almost 300,000 workers die each year due to carelessness in utility installations and repairs.

Therefore, if you are planning to take utility installation and repair services from a company, you must consider the safety regulations mentioned below to check if the company is abiding by the rules or not. This blog post mentions a few important things you can check to ensure the safety of the utility installation workers.

They Must Wear PPE

PPE is Personal Protective Equipment. It is the safety uniform that a worker has to wear to keep himself safe during a job and minimize the hazards that might occur at the workplace. PPE protects their bodies from sunburns and keeps them safe in case of a fire accident. Such PPE is made of non-combustible material and so is flame resistant.

Thankfully, many companies manufacture PPEs suitable for both the summer and winter seasons. The polyester material is often too hot for summer, but the new materials that are being manufactured are designed for both summer and winter. In addition to this, a tight and tucked-in uniform also minimizes the chances of accidents.

If you plan to work with such a company or hire a utility installation company, ensure that they follow the safety protocols. Ghost Hydrovac provides different utility services with full safety standards, so your work is completed on time and without any hassle.

They Should Take Measures To Avoid Falls

Utility installation and maintenance is a profession full of dangers. You have to go underground and reach the tops of buildings, and all these involve many risk factors. A professional company would take care of this and know that it can be challenging to work at such heights.

So, every company that gives out utility installation services should consider safety measures to avoid falls. They should have the safety equipment, including the ropes, harnesses, boots, and more, to smoothen the process. Otherwise, any damage on the job site can put you liable for the accident.

They Should Be Equipped

Having the right equipment during the job can save the team from potential hazards. Nowadays, many companies have hydrovac vehicles that have eased the process of utility installation and repair. They smooth out the process by not disturbing the upper ground surface. Furthermore, they must have advanced tools to initiate the installation and safety equipment to mitigate any unexpected event.

There Should Be Reminders

Workers can get used to a routine and forget about considering certain safety protocols. However, there should be weekly or monthly meetings as reminders to ensure that everyone follows the rules for the company’s and employees’ safety. There should be alert signs if there is danger of electrocution so workers remain alert about it.

Have Regular Training

Regular training and educating existing and new employees can significantly make a difference. A professional utility installation repair company would strive to keep its employees aware of the basic and advanced safety rules to avoid accidents and lives.

About Ghost Hydrovac

Ghost Hydrovac is a professional utility installation and repair service company with qualified professionals for this work. We currently operate in BC and Alberta and have high-quality equipment to get the job done. If you would like to avail our utility installation repair services at an affordable rate, you can contact us here.

Several construction techniques have been invented to ease the construction process, and horizontal directional drilling is one of them. It is a land boring technique in which you don’t need to dig up a trench. Instead, it digs under the surface, buildings, parks, and utilities without disturbing the surface. Moreover, it is one of the fastest methods being opted for by many construction companies worldwide.

If you are planning to get directional drilling services from a company, there are few factors you must consider before making your decision.

What Is The Goal Of Your Project?

Directional drilling is used for laying pipes and is also useful for laying electrical wiring and communication lines. Before heading out to any directional drilling company, it is best to know the final goal of your project.

Know the specifications of your project, conduct extensive research, find any loopholes, and then suggest the directional drilling process and its requirements for it. This way, you will be better at communicating your requirements to your service provider, and the chances of the project being completed seamlessly will increase.

Experience Of The Company

Directional drilling is a new concept in the construction industry that demands skills and the ability to use machines correctly. An experienced drilling company has the trained professionals for this job to ensure that the drilling is done carefully. It is always better to choose a company with ample experience in this field.

The more diverse their portfolio is regarding this job, the better they will be at handling your task. Ask a company about their years of experience in the field and if they have reviews of any previous project customers.

Check For Their License

A company that is licensed is more reliable having undergone thorough testing by the authorities. Check if the company has the required certificates and licenses issued by the relevant authority for their work.

A licensed company is a safe choice as they will have up-to-date machines and trained professionals to do the job. If any company is reluctant to provide you with proof of a license, don’t waste your time with them and move on to the next one.

Consider Your Budget

Considering your budget but not prioritizing it is the key to getting a good drilling company. All projects cost you, and estimating how much money you will need for your project is important. Ask for the price quoted and compare it with your budget. Also, ask the company about any upfront or hidden costs before signing a contract.

Check Their Machines And Technology

Advanced machines are used for the horizontal directional drilling process. These machines can do the project’s task much faster and with more accuracy. They deliver better services, and the chances of accidents are minimized. Get in touch with such a company that invests in high-quality machines and drilling equipment.

Go For A Local Company

Working with a company located far away from the site of the project would be costly for you as it involves logistical costs and more. Such requirements can increase the cost and also cause project delays. Besides this, they can also demand higher fees for transportation and more. Therefore, going for a local company would be better for cost optimizations.

About Ghost Hydrovac

Ghost Hydrovac is a trusted hydrovac and horizontal directional drilling company providing its services in Alberta and British Columbia. We are equipped with modern technology machines and provide excavation services at affordable rates. Contact us today for directional drilling services.

Modern businesses are inclining towards safe and eco-friendly excavation solutions. This is one of the main reasons why hydrovac excavation has gained popularity and is rapidly replacing traditional excavation techniques. Hydrovacs use vacuum suction and jets of high-pressure water to excavate an area. Hydrovac excavation companies use specially built hydrovac trucks to carry out the excavation process.

A hydrovac truck is a specialized vehicle that removes soil by targeting it with a stream of high-pressure water. The slurry is then cleared using a vacuum hose and transported to the debris tank. These trucks allow safe and efficient excavation without exposing underground utilities.

But how do you find the perfect hydrovac truck for your hydro excavation project? This post details some important factors you need to consider when choosing an excavation truck in Edmonton.

Its Applications

Before investing in a Hydrovac system, do a little research to find out whether the system is capable of performing the tasks you have in mind. Hydrovac systems come with different features and capacities. Hence, all systems will not fulfill your needs

To find out the capacity of the hydrovac truck you require, you must determine the scale of your project beforehand. Answering these questions might help you decide on a particular hydrovac excavation truck:

• Do you need a heavy-duty truck?
• How long is your project going to take?

Its Design

Many trucks in the market are presented to buyers as ‘hydrovac trucks’ and ‘excavation trucks’ after some redesigning. However, these redesigned vehicles lack a lot of mechanical and hydraulic features that are characteristic of authentic hydrovac trucks. Thus, these trucks cannot perform effectively onsite and eventually break down. You must do thorough market research and gather information before choosing a hydrovac truck.

Its Capacity

Multiple companies have taken up the manufacturing of hydrovac trucks. However, each manufacturer has its own design standards for these trucks especially in terms of power and capacity. If you are planning to buy one, make sure to research thoroughly and look at their specifications such as water pressure and tank water capacity. These two factors are important to ensure that you are choosing the right excavation truck.

Its Price

You need to consider the price of hydrovac trucks to find out which one fits your budget and still meets the requirements of your project. The price of different hydrovac trucks varies significantly depending on their mechanical systems and other features. You can either buy a truck or rent one if buying a new machine is above your budget limit. You can also hire the services of a hydrovac representative to find you a hydrovac truck within your budget that fulfils your project’s requirements.

Its Safety Features

There’s no doubt that hydrovac excavation is a much safer process as compared to traditional excavation methods. Still, you must not overlook the safety features of hydrovac trucks before making a final choice. When selecting a particular truck, always check its safety features to ensure that you are investing capital in a worthwhile machine with ample features to keep your workers safe.

Soil Type

You should carry out a site visit before selecting a hydrovac truck to begin hydro excavation to find out the type of soil you are dealing with. This is important to ensure that you select a truck with the right power and capacity. Softer soil requires a light-duty truck while harder and clay-like soil will need a heavy-duty truck.

If you are working on a massive excavation project and the soil seems hard, choosing a heavy-duty hydrovac excavation truck should be your priority. Units with a minimum of 4000 PSI water pressure are good for almost all applications.

About Us

At Ghost Hydrovac, we offer expert hydro-vac services, including hydro excavation, directional drilling, cleaning, washing, and more using specialized hydro-vac trucks in Alberta and BC. For more information about our services, contact us today.

Over the years, technological advancement has revamped the way the construction industry operates. Many organizations are adopting new and more efficient methods of carrying out different tasks including digging and excavation.

Many municipalities in Canada have adopted hydrovac excavation as a method to minimize their project’s operational costs. This technique is new and utilizes hydrovac truck for digging. The extensive use of hydrovac trucks by various municipalities is a testament to their effectiveness.

These trucks are used in various projects including sewage removal, disposal, sewage jetting, electric and mechanical installations, and other plumbing jobs.

This post elaborates some of the ways municipalities can benefit from hydrovac trucks.

Cost-Effectiveness

There is a high labor cost involved in the traditional and conventional methods of digging, excavating, and cleaning sites. A large number of workers are required to carry out all sorts of tasks from cleaning the site to the disposal of the debris.

On the other hand, the hydro vacuum truck requires only one or two equipment operators to complete the task – no manual labor is needed. Hence, using vacuum trucks is highly cost-effective for municipalities. Moreover, it is safer.

Time-Saving

Compared to traditional excavation methods, the use of vacuum trucks in hydrovac techniques allows you to complete the task almost five times faster. Hence, municipalities can complete their projects without any delays. This means a company or municipality can take on more projects. Moreover, the tasks performed by the machines are more accurate, so the task can be completed without any redos.

Operational Efficiency

Hydro vacuum trucks are very effective in decreasing the downtime of a project. You do not have to repeatedly transport these trucks to and from the operation site. You can put them back in operation mode after the cleaning task is completed and the material that was being cleaned is collected directly in the tank. Thus, you can easily dispose of the materials using vacuum pumps.

Versatility

A hydrovac is not limited to excavating or digging only. In reality, they are well-equipped to deal with all sorts of materials from the ground. Because these trucks have tanks for storing water and debris from the digging site, they can be used for cleaning up the area as well.

In addition to this, hydrovac trucks are the perfect equipment to overhaul hazardous materials from a large surface. A typical hydrovac tank has the capacity to hold up to 1500-2000 gallons of water approximately. They transport this water to the site for disposal without disturbing or polluting the surroundings.

Utilizing Recycled Water

The hydrovac trucks also have a recycling option that allows the truck operator to reuse the water already available in the truck’s water storage tank. This feature is not only eco-friendly but helps companies save a lot of money.

In addition to the aforementioned benefits of a hydrovac machine, there are additional advantages that municipalities achieve through the correct and proper execution of their excavation activities. These modern excavation techniques are safe, effective, and convenient for both the community and the municipalities.

About Us

At Ghost Hydrovac, we offer expert hydro-vac services, including hydro excavation, directional drilling, cleaning, washing, and more using specialized hydro-vac trucks in Alberta and BC. For more information about our services, contact us today.

High-pressure washing is an effective way to remove stubborn dirt and grime from buildings, sidewalks, stairways, and more. Pressure washing machines remove dirt quicker and without creating a mess as compared to traditional methods. Hence, these machines are used in various industries, but there are some safety hazards involved.

Therefore, it is advised that you get high-pressure washing services only from a professional firm. Ghost Hydrovac provides reliable and safe high-pressure washing services using high-quality equipment.

We have the latest cleaning tools that are safe and can provide top-notch cleaning services. However, if you are still skeptical about the involved safety hazards, the safety practices mentioned in this blog can help you stay safe.

These tips will help you if you are a worker in a high-pressure washing industry or want to learn some safe practices before investing in a high-pressure washing service.

Wear PPE

Wearing safety PPE is important not only for the professionals but also for the customer. Your hands, feet, head, or other exposed body parts are at a risk of getting injured due to the 0-degree red nozzle. The water pressure is so high that it can cause damage to the internal tissues of your body.

In addition to this, flying debris resulting from high-pressure washing can be dangerous and cause injuries to the people in the vicinity. Therefore, proper safety gear, including long pants, gloves, safety glasses, boots, and helmets, is important to keep yourself safe. Always make sure to wear them even if you are there as an observer.

Isolate The Area

Isolating the area is important to keep everyone safe during the process. For example, if you are someone in the high-pressure washing industry and have to carry out the high-pressure washing service, you must isolate the area before beginning your job. Separate and install barriers around the work area to let everyone know that the work is going on.

Don’t Aim At Anyone

Water comes out of the nozzle at a high pressure. Aiming it at someone or in an upwards direction can be dangerous. Water pressure machines are not toys or water guns that you can play with or aim at anyone. They can cause damage to your body internally. Though the damages might not be visible, internal tissue damage can be harmful in the long run. The nozzles should be set at 0-degree downwards and not aiming at anyone. Also, pause the process if you see any unrelated person coming near the location of the operation.

Top 5 Safety Practices For High-Pressure Washing+

Be Alert Of Your Surroundings

It is important to check your surroundings before beginning the high-pressure washing process. Consider all the hazards and check for pets, children, and other important objects that can affect the safety of the cleaning process.

Hire A Professional High-Pressure Washing Service

Hiring a professional high-pressure washing service will save you from the hazards of trying to do it yourself and will make the process more efficient and seamless. Ghost Hydrovac is a professional hydrovac and high-pressure washing company servicing the residents of Alberta and British Columbia.

We offer fully mobilized solutions for tracking frozen lines, melting them off, degreasing industrial equipment, washing stairs, and more. Our trained professionals make sure to follow every safety practice for a safe experience. If you want to know more about us, contact us here today.

Demolition is an inherent part of many businesses and construction projects. Whether it’s the construction of a new building or the remodeling of an existing one, first, you need to bring down the existing structure. Although you can employ skilled labor to help you bring down the old structure, they will not be as effective or experienced at dealing with larger projects. In such cases, businesses should hire a reliable demolition contractor who has the right experience in demolishing larger buildings safely.

If you are looking for demolition contractors in the market, you need to understand what you are looking for and ask specific questions before making the final hire. You must know the top qualities of contractors and your projects’ requirements in order to make an informed decision. Similarly, you must hire demolition experts from a company that knows how to do their job safely. There might be safety risks and hurdles in the demolition project, but professional contractors will know how to easily overcome them.

A multitude of factors can make certain demolition experts more desirable to hire than others. When deciding on hiring the right person for your demolition needs, the two most commonly sought-after things are their professionalism and experience. You must select a contractor that offers the best prices, provides expert demolition, and guarantees to get the job done on time.

Continue reading our post to find out more about some of the important considerations you need to make before hiring a demolition service.

Know Your Budget

It is important to have a set budget before hiring any construction demolition company. You must know your overall budget in order to compare it with the available quotations from the construction companies you’re considering. Usually, the total cost of any demolition project is tied to square footage.

However, some companies might charge you according to the total number of days of the project. Ask them for hidden costs and factors that might increase your bill unexpectedly into the overall cost estimate. After thorough research, set your budget and get a quotation. This will allow you to obtain the best services at an affordable rate but don’t ignore their service quality.

Prepare Your List Of Contractors

Certain risks are associated with demolition jobs, so you must ensure you are selecting the most competent contractor out there. Start by preparing a list of all the local demolition contractors you can think of. Do your due diligence and gather all the necessary information about them. You can ask your friends or acquaintances for recommendations as well.

Read the client testimonials available on their website or their online reviews on other websites. Once you have all the essentials with you, compare them with each other and short-list the ones you like the most. Be sure to do enough research before making a final choice.

Check Their Safety Regulations

You must check how much importance the demolition contractors give to safety regulations throughout a project. Demolishing a building or any structure is not an easy job, and there are many risks associated with it. Plumbing systems, electrical lines, and heavy rubble are some of the factors that must be handled with care.

Not following the proper safety protocols can cause serious harm to the sites’ workers. Therefore, workers of the demolition company you are considering must know how to handle such hazards to ensure everyone’s safety.

Check If They Have The Right Equipment

n addition to skilled site workers, special equipment and machinery are required for any demolition project. Once you have acquired the right equipment for the job, you need to hire someone who will know how to operate the machinery properly. Therefore, you must ensure that the demolition company you hire for your project has the right equipment and experienced employees who can operate it. They should know how to haul electrical lines, beams, large pieces of concrete, and more.

Check Their Waste Management

Demolition companies must also know what to do with the rubble from the demolished structure. Certain materials such as wood, aluminum, and electrical parts can be used again. However, most of them are non-reusable and must be disposed of immediately. Professional demolition contractors should know how to safely dispose of such materials and manage other tasks at the same time.

So you must hire a company that guarantees site cleaning after a job is over to ensure that the surrounding area is clear for new construction.

About Us

At Ghost Hydrovac, we offer expert hydro-vac services, including hydro excavation and demolition using specialized hydro-vac trucks in Alberta and BC. For more information about our services, contact us today.

Excavating is required for wide-range construction projects and is a regular part of construction operations. Along with trenching, excavation is a major worksite hazard, causing an average of 54 fatalities per year according to OSHA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Excavation failures are extremely dangerous because they occur quickly and inhibit the ability of site workers and those nearby to escape to safety.

The risk associated with excavation jobs increases with the speed of an excavation collapse, especially if it’s an extensive one. The aftermath can be deadly as the falling earth can bury or crush any worker in its path, causing internal crush injuries or suffocation. Before starting with the main theme of this blog, let’s first understand what comes under excavation work.

What Is Excavation Work?

Excavation work is the removal of rock or soil from a site, using specialized tools, machinery, and sometimes explosives to form a hole or cavity. It can occur anywhere, such as on construction sites, business premises, and in public areas. Excavation services generally include potholing, open excavations, pit excavations, shafts and drives, and trenches and retaining walls.

Excavation Work Safety Hazards

Excavation Hazards

Some safety hazards are directly related to excavation operations, such as improper site survey before proceeding with the job or incorrect handling of materials during or after it. These include whether or not you have placed the excavated materials, plant, or other loads securely and safely.

Incorrectly surveying before beginning the excavation operation is another major safety hazard to look out for. You must determine how this project will influence its nearby structures and whether there are any previous ground disturbances you should know of before digging a hole.

Any external actions such as excavation, in this case, can cause ground instability leading to a possible inrush of water, other liquids, or hazardous substances present in the soil.

Falls & Falling Objects

One construction site hazard that is most commonly ignored is that any site worker can fall into the excavated area. Falling loads, such as excavation work equipment or excavated soil and dirt, can also fall into the dug-up area and bury those working below. OSHA requires excavation site materials to be stored a minimum of two feet away from the edge of the excavation site. Employers are recommended to prevent any work from being conducted beneath suspended or raised loads.

Hazardous Atmosphere

A safety hazard that must be considered on all excavation sites is oxygen depletion in trenched areas. Contamination of the trench atmosphere by toxic chemicals and gases can significantly drop oxygen levels in that area. Workers breathing in these fumes and gases are at risk of asphyxiation that can be fatal.

Without PPE or respirators, the fumes will be inhaled by workers more quickly due to heavy breathing in such strenuous work. To avoid such unfortunate situations, atmospheric testing should be performed during the site analysis survey for excavations exceeding four feet.

Cave-ins

One of the main risks of excavation work is ground collapses. An average of two site workers is killed each month due to cave-ins resulting from ground collapse, making it a serious safety threat for workers. Ground collapse can be quite extensive in many cases. They may occur quickly without any warning and do not give workers any time to escape. If any worker gets buried underground, he will likely die from asphyxiation due to crushing pressure before help arrives.

Mobile Equipment

Accidents involving construction machinery and vehicles, such as backhoe loaders or dump trucks, are a common hazard of excavation sites. The view of individuals operating any mobile equipment might get obstructed, making them unable to detect when nearing the perimeter of the excavated area. This can lead to both the mobile equipment operators and the vehicle falling into the dug-up hole.

Apart from the safety hazards mentioned above, there are many other threats to the site worker’s safety, especially in traditional excavation techniques such as using explosives. Flying debris on excavation sites can also hit workers and cause serious injuries and damage to the expensive equipment.

Why Choose Hydrovac Excavation?

Hydrovac excavation is a great method to ensure worker safety during any excavation operation. It is a non-mechanical procedure that requires less workforce, fewer machines and allows workers to stay above the ground. This is also a great way to ensure that workers are safe from any mishaps and accidents. Moreover, it poses little threat to the utilities underground, such as water and sewer lines. It also minimizes the chances of damage to existing structures in the soil.

About Us

At Ghost Hydrovac, we offer expert hydro-vac services, including hydro excavation, directional drilling, cleaning, washing, and more using specialized hydro-vac trucks in Alberta and BC. For more information about our services, contact us today.

Accidently hitting an underground utility during an excavation process can prove to be disastrous. Not only can it damage the underground utilities, causing delays in the project and costly repairs, but it may also lead to loss of lives and severe injuries to the workers. For this reason, it is of utmost importance to locate and expose these existing utility lines before commencing any type of excavation project. One way to do that is by utilizing a rather non-invasive technique called potholing.

Potholing And Its Techniques

Potholing, sometimes also referred to as daylighting, is a process of accurately locating and exposing underground utilities such as electric cables, gas and water pipelines, telecommunication lines, and fiber-optics.

Potholing can be carried out in various ways depending on the client’s project requirements, budget constraints, and the risk of intended work. However, the three primary methods of potholing include:

• Hand digging
• Backhoes
• Vacuum excavation that includes air and water excavation/hydrovac excavation

Out of these three, the technique that is the most accurate, non-destructive, safe, and cost-effective for digging potholes is hydrovac. This blog will discuss the reason behind this and the various other benefits of potholing with hydrovac.

Drawbacks Of Other Techniques

Each potholing technique has its own set of pros and cons. For example, hand digging or digging with manual tools such as a shovel may provide accurate results and is less costly, but it is highly time-consuming and labor-intensive. Similarly, although digging with a backhoe is much faster than the other techniques, it is imprecise. It can damage the underground utilities posing a greater risk of exposure and environmental damage.

Potholing with hand digging is suitable for applications where working space is limited, and workers have restricted access to the proposed working zone. In contrast, potholing with backhoes is ideal for applications where the probability of utility interference is low such as in housing projects. Backhoes are not suitable for applications where there are space limitations.

The Hydrovac Potholing Process

When potholing with hydrovac, contractors use a hydro-vacuum excavator truck. To dig up a series of test holes of about 6-12 inches deep, the contractors first use a high-pressure water stream to move ground content. The mud slurry formed, as a result, is then suctioned or vacuumed to a tank mounted on a truck.

Hydro vacuum excavation can safely dig through hard and compacted dirt, rocky soil, and clay. Unlike other traditional potholing methods, it does not cut a utility line that might be hidden below the surface.

Here are some other benefits of potholing with hydrovac:

Precision

Potholing with hydro vacuum excavation is a safe, efficient, and highly precise method of locating and exposing utility lines. Moreover, thanks to the high-pressure water and variety of nozzles being used in the process, contractors can accurately excavate holes of different shapes and depths without damaging any existing utilities.

Accessibility

Potholing with hydrovac allows direct and precise access to locations that are typically inaccessible with traditional potholing techniques. With this method, operators can extend the lengths of their water line and hose to get to places where a traditional potholing machine won’t go, making it the solution to get to hard-to-read areas such as places near or close to buildings or structures.

Low Levels Of Risk

Underground utilities can easily get damaged by traditional potholing techniques, costing contractors a lot of time and money. However, potholing with hydrovac lowers the risk of utility damage to a bare minimum, making the whole process fast, clean, and safe.

Moreover, since hydrovac potholing doesn’t require heavy machinery and intense labor, it makes the process for the workers and passersby a lot safer than other techniques.

About Ghost Hydrovac

At Ghost Hydrovac, we offer professional hydrovac excavation, directional drilling, utility installation, cleaning, washing, and other hydrovac-related services across Alberta and British Columbia. For more information about our services, visit our website, or contact us here today.