A lot of underground hazards lie beneath the surface you will be working on. It is essential to scan first to avoid all of the following scenarios we will touch on.
Hitting a utility line
Hitting a utility line during any type of excavation can result in great costs for those involved. To start, it can cut out the utility service for you and/or your community. According to a CBS News article, you could face fines from local regulators. Moreover, all repair costs, from fixing the damaged utility line to any damages done to neighboring homes or businesses, can fall on you.
You can also encounter physical injury costs for you or the workers performing the excavating. Some utilities can be dangerous for the person working, such as steam, gas, propane, and electricity, and communication lines.
Striking a post tension cable
If scanning is not performed before construction, you risk the chance of cutting into post tension cable. In a FLCAJ article, Richard Slider of Slider Engineering mentions that post tension cable release can cause structural damage to a building, as well as injury to workers. They also mentioned that the cost of a single cable repair ranges from $800 to $1,200. This does not include the cost of other repairs of areas affected by the release.
If a worker accidentally cuts into post tension cable, the cable reacts by snapping. In the past, workers have been badly injured or even killed due to this release.
Cutting into rebar
During construction, you also run the risk of damaging rebar. According to BNProducts, cutting into rebar can have serious consequences for your project. First of all, you can expect injuries for your workers. Sometimes, when you drill and hit into rebar, pieces of debris can fly out and strike workers. In addition, cutting into rebar can lead to extensive repairs that can keep your project behind schedule.
It is also important to be aware that cutting into rebar can cause serious damage to the structural integrity of the concrete. This can make your site too unstable to work on and further delay the completion date.
“Now many industry experts recognize that cutting into these hazard types can be devastating if people do not scan first. GPR technology is a real game-changer for safety,” said Penhall Technologies President, Simon James. If you want a safe and timely construction project, contact us for our concrete scanning and underground utility locating services.
