Did you know that there were over 400,000 excavation accidents in 2017, and between 2017 and 2018, 22 construction workers died due to excavation problems. These accidents lead to a search for safer excavation techniques and are a major reason why more and more worksites are using vacuum excavator trucks today.
What is a Vacuum Excavation Truck?
Vacuum excavation trucks, also known as hydrovac trucks, use water to liquefy and cut through soil before using a vacuum to remove debris from an excavation site. The debris is sucked through to a debris tank, and the contents are then used to either refill the hole or later discarded.
What Are the Advantages of Hydro Excavation Vacuum Trucks?
Increased Safety
The primary benefit of using a hydrovac or vacuum excavation truck is safety. These trucks keep workers outside the trenches, increasing safety. The precision of the trucks also enables safer digging around power lines, gas mains and other utilities, lowering the risk of injury to both workers and the surrounding community.
Faster Excavation
Hydrovac trucks deliver more precise digging than manual methods. This higher accuracy leads to a decrease in materials needing disposal, which means less restoration work is required.
The Versatility of Hydrovac Trucks
Hydrovac trucks can be used for a wide range of applications, including:
- Slot trenching – Hydrovac trucks are ideal for making narrow trenches quickly while disturbing less soil.
- Removing Debris – Vacuum trucks make it easy to clean areas such as drains and maintenance holes without affecting existing systems.
- Potholing – Hydrovac trucks are one of the best and most cost-effective ways to uncover utilities underground with no damage.
- Tight space excavations – The hydrovac process is one of the best alternatives for small spaces.
- Cold weather excavation – Controlled excavation methods are the safest way to dig during freezing conditions.
- Pole Setting – Work related to pole drilling or excavation is quickly done with a hydrovac.
Cost-Effectiveness
Hydro excavation has reduced the amount of workforce needed on projects, and most of the cost of projects comes from manpower. These trucks increase cost-effectiveness even further because they are more precise than manual digging. This means less restoration work and reduced costs.
Choosing a Hydrovac Truck
There are many considerations to choosing the right machine for your application. Each truck comes with different configurations, and you can even opt for a custom vacuum excavation truck if the standard features don’t work for your site.
When choosing a hydrovac truck, consider the following:
- Your project’s requirements
- Condition of the soil
- The worksite’s climate
- How much water pressure will be needed
- Tank capacity
Choosing the Right Supplier
Finding a supplier committed to delivering the best quality products and services like Haaker Equipment Company is essential. We have been serving our customers for over 40 years and are dedicated to connecting you with the right hydrovac truck for your needs.
Haaker Equipment Rental
We know that every customer is unique. We understand that your needs are different, and every excavation project has specific requirements. Call us today to find what we have to offer.