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A Practical Guide to Underground Tape
Detectable Underground Warning Tape is used for accurately locating and preventing damage to valuable underground utility installations.
Underground marking tapes were created as a necessary means to eliminate underground utility damages and keep workers safe from potential excavator error. Consider them a best, last line of defense against utility damages.
There are federal, state and even municipal guidelines established for protecting underground facilities. A great resource to find out what your state requirements are is call811.com. If you are questioning what projects will require you to dial that number, here is an idea:
- Mailbox installation
- Building a deck
- Planting a tree
- Putting in hedges
- Fence installation
- Digging a pond
- Pouring concrete
Excavator operators face tremendous obstacles due to the growing need for more abundant underground facility networks. With this comes the challenge of dealing with digs in multiple states with different legislative requirements. This is one of the primary reasons that the American Public Works Association developed color codes for proper identification of underground facilities (such as tv cables, gas lines, water lines, etc.). The officially recognized colors are as follows:
- Red- Electrical Lines, Cables, & Conduit
- Orange-Telecommunication lines
- Yellow- Gas, Oil, Steam & Petroleum
- Green- Sewers & Drain Lines
- Blue- Potable Water
- Purple- Reclaimed Water & Irrigation
- Pink- Temporary Survey Markings
- White- Proposed Excavation
What you should know:
Trident’s Detectable underground tapes are made from a specially laminated pet/foil/ poly blend. This proprietary formulation provides exceptional weather resistance and durability characteristics when compared to other all polyethylene type detectable warning tapes. Additionally, our detectable tapes are fitted with an aluminum backing to make underground assets easy to find using a non-ferrous locator. Properly installed, this tape helps avoid catastrophically inaccurate digging when locating utilities such as electrical lines, gas pipes and communication cables. These features ensure that utility lines remain intact and unharmed by heavy excavating equipment and hold up for years to come.