Hydro excavation is the safest, most efficient way to reach underground utilities. Our hydrovac trucks let your crews complete their work without disturbing nearby surfaces, keeping your community and worksite safer. Here are five ways you can create a safer hydro excavation experience:
Call Before You Dig
Always call 811, the National Call Before You Dig Hotline, before beginning work. Make the call a few business days before your project begins to request the location of buried utilities be marked with flags or paint. This can prevent striking an underground utility line, which can have catastrophic consequences. Making the call protects both you and your community!
Use the Right Safety Gear
Your first line of defense, safety gear is essential for protecting your team on the job. Your safety gear checklist should include hard hats, gloves, face masks, long-sleeved clothing, steel-toed boots, eye protection and ear plugs or Sonetics wireless headsets.
Take Training Seriously
Every hydrovac truck is different, and your crew will need specific training before beginning work. Go over how to set up the equipment safely and talk about choosing the right nozzles for your project.
When you purchase or rent a unit with Haaker Underground, our team can walk you through the best practices for your piece of equipment. We will discuss the optimal water pressure settings, get your team familiar with emergency shut-off functions and talk about ways to streamline your work with fewer safety risks.
Read Your Owner’s Manual
Seriously — your owner’s manual is the best resource for using your hydrovac truck safely. Review the pressure setting guidelines for your unit and always choose the smallest size possible. Only point nozzles toward soil when doing excavation work, and keep a safe distance of about 8 inches between the nozzle and the ground when spraying.
Choose a Reputable Rental Company
All of our rental hydrovac units are regularly maintained and serviced to deliver the performance you need, when you need it. We conduct regular safety inspections on our fleet and are happy to discuss the service history of any unit you are considering renting.
Haaker Underground is committed to safety, reliability and customer service. If you are interested in purchasing or renting hydrovac excavation trucks, please contact us today to learn more!